Love Lola: Shacking up, bow wows and so long for now

Dear Lola,
Is it okay to move in with my girlfriend cause it's cheaper?
Tight Wad


Dear Wad,
Is it okay to buy a clunker car cause it's cheaper?

Is it okay to buy a second-hand mattress cause it's cheaper?

Is it okay to buy your grad dress at Walmart cause it's cheaper?

No. No. And NO!

If you go through life equating the value of something with the price attached to it you're in big do-do. Just as it's a colossal mistake to assume that something is better for you because it is more expensive, it's equally dimwitted to assume it's always a safe bet to go with the best deal you can find. In all areas of your life, it's in your best interest to make small and large decisions based on needs, wants and a heaping serving of logic!

Moving in with someone is a precursor for marriage. You understand that, correct? Basically, you could roll up that lease and stick it on her finger; living together is the modern equivalent of an engagement. So before you go down on your knees to sign away the next year(s) of your life, consider your options. Roommates, boarding and living with mom and pop are much better (and classier) options than shacking up with your part-time lover to save a few bucks.
Good luck.

Dear Lola,
My boyfriend and I want to get a puppy as preparation for when we have a baby in the future. His parents don't think we're ready for this step. We're both 22 years old, in college and we have our own apartment. What do you think?
Baby Bow-Wow


Dear Bow-Wow,
Please don't be offended, but I am so happy that you wrote this letter so I can get something off of my chest. I hear this type of thing all the time; puppies as a warm up trial run for parenthood, and I do not get it! The needs of a puppy and the needs of a human child are nowhere near each other. They shouldn't even be used in the same sentence. One poops on your floor, eats your shoes and wears a leash. The other is a human being who is a permanent member of your family. Puppies need room to run and someone to let them take a pee every four hours. Babies need 24- hour care in a nurturing and stable environment.

Sure, a dog can teach you the importance of getting home on time and the cost of feeding a third face every month, but allowing an animal to sleep on your couch is about as close to having a child as watching an episode of Duggars.

As far as whether or not you're ready, if you two can't stand up to your parents on this one, you're lucky it's a bone and not a bun in your oven.
Good luck.

My Dear Sweet Falcons,
It's that time of year again when a whole flock of students leave the nest and soars into the real world outside of Fanshawe College. It's an emotional time for this mama bird; too bad we're all graduating into a plummeting economy and record-high unemployment numbers. If you're lucky enough to have secured a job post-grad then you deserve a round of applause. I'd also suggest that you grab a couple of lotto tickets next time you're at the corner store; its possible someone has stuck a horseshow up your bum! I'm no Debbie Downer, but I am realistic and the fact is this is a pretty terrifying and daunting time to be entering the job market. I just want to let everyone know that there's no shame in serving up street meat or selling flip-flops at the Bend this summer. A dollar's a dollar folks!

I will miss the delicious details of your personal lives now that so many of you are leaving me, but I know they'll be a fresh crop of first years wandering these halls and writing me with their problems next fall. Don't forget to drop me a note when you find yourself stuck next year. I'm always here to tell you exactly what not to do!
Good luck.

Letters to Lola

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