STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I guess I would just be honest. Or if you don't feel you can, tell her you are hoping to live alone and don't bring up the subject again. IMO, its just not worth it in order to spare someone's feelings.

I lived with one of my "crazy" friends once, and I regret it to this day. I had some strong warning signs when we started looking for a place together, but didn't know how to back out without hurting her feelings. Needless to say, our friendship didn't survive, and my credit barely did. At a very low income stage of my life (right out of college), I left that situation out at least $2000 and with creditors following me. Turns out her quirky behavior extended to her attitude about paying bills, rent, etc. She always claimed she was broke and that she would have to pay rent in the middle of the month or get the bills next month, but then would spend hundreds of dollars on some new age shit, like having her chakras read or past life regression therapy. Plus, she always talked about having conversations in her bedroom with spirits , etc. So not only was she killing me financially, she was creeping me out so bad that I could barely sleep.

I was in a situation like this once, when I first moved to New York. I gave her two reasons: I wanted to have the experience of living on my own for the first time, which was true, but it was also a reason that she couldn't take personally. Also, I didn't want living together to get in the way of our friendship, as room mate situations often end up doing, and she understood that. Tell us how it goes!

here's what i've said to close friends:

you know, i would totally love to live with you, but i've heard too many horror stories of good friends living together and then never wanting to talk to each other again.  you're too good of a friend to take that risk.

or you can laugh and say, you know i love you, but we both know that we could never live with each other (and then maybe point out some problems that are wrong with YOU that would drive her nuts, instead of making it about things that would drive you nuts about her).  for example, i told my friend, *laughing* yeah, i know how much you'll love waking up at 3 am to my dance music when i need it to keep me awake to write papers (i know i said something along those lines). 

if you're not close friends:

you know, i really think that this is a good point in my life to be living on my own. 

 

good luck, it sucks, but at this point in MY life, i know i could never live with a crazy friend either.