Should I Get A Housemate To Help Me Pay The Mortgage?

Many people advertise a bedroom in their home for rent, to help them pay the mortgage if they live alone, or even in couples.  It is a great way of allowing yourself a little financial space when times get tough.  However, of course, you do give over some of your privacy, some of your feeling of the place being entirely yours and the other person obviously does have rights as a tenant, so you can't just throw them out on the street like a waif if you've had enough of them.  Room rates vary, but it's like that you could get someone to pay about half your mortgage this way, which could make things much more comfortable for you, or even allow you to save some money for a rainy day or something that you need or want.  It's probably best to get references (more than one) for your tenant, having someone in your house requires a certain amount of trust involved, so it's good to check the person out before you commit to a tenancy agreement.