The Golden Girls always showed up for each other and knew how to keep each other entertained. Could retiring like The Golden Girls be the right decision for you?

The Golden Girls premiered in 1985, introducing the world to Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and her opinionated mother, Sophia. Sophia previously lived at the Shady Pines retirement home, but when it was damaged in a fire, Sophia moved in with Dorothy. In The Golden Girls season 1 finale, the three women tell the story of how they met and decided to live together. Blanche had previously been living with two eccentric women from Minnesota but was looking for new roommates. After meeting Rose at the grocery store where she was putting up an ad for new roommates and finding Dorothy through the ad, the four women moved in together at 6151 Richmond Street, Miami, Florida. It's a good thing they found each other because, throughout the series, they were able to help each other through tough circumstances like illness, bad relationships, and harbored emotions. 

The women in The Golden Girls went against societal standards with their living situation as most people at retirement age do what Sophia initially did by moving into a retirement home or spending their remaining years in a house alone. While some may have a partner to retire with, others are divorced, widowed, or were never married, to begin with. While having privacy in your own home is refreshing, living alone can lead to loneliness, especially for older adults who might not be able to get out of the house as much as they did when they were younger.  

“A lot of my conversations involve discussing what to expect during retirement,” says Linda Tarbox, a financial advisor at King Wealth Solutions, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services. “Can they keep busy and be happy? Do they have a network of family and friends around them? Do they really want to move somewhere they don’t know anyone? These are important questions that anyone should really be asking themselves. A shared living arrangement can help with those issues, as well as providing the ability to either lower costs or maintain a higher standard of living. To enter into such an arrangement, it’s key to have a written agreement covering what the costs, maintenance fees and whatnot would be for each party,” Linda continued. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjOXfWtWQQc

The Golden Girls Lifestyle Could Cure Retirement Loneliness 

Many who grew up watching the sitcom dream of one day gathering their friends once they reach retirement age and moving to a home in a warmer climate to live out their very own The Golden Girls-inspired lifestyle. There are some downsides to living with a group of people, which are showcased throughout the series through the bickering among the girls. However, if it's the right fit, the advantages of retiring with friends will far outweigh the negatives. 

The first and most significant benefit is eradicating the loneliness that comes with aging. Most people spend their days at work daydreaming about hitting their mid-60s, throwing out their briefcases, and retiring from over 40-plus years of work. They imagine themselves vacationing in Hawaii, kicking off their shoes and lounging around the house watching tv, or finally having the time to complete their to-do lists that always came second to work. While retirement is the light at the end of the tunnel for many, the loneliness that comes with leaving the workforce behind is often overlooked. 

For those who are single or live alone, days that were once spent chatting with coworkers at the water cooler or grabbing something to eat with friends during lunch break have dissolved into isolation at home. According to the Roots of Loneliness Project, many retirees face depression, social isolation, and loneliness after retiring. Some of the causes are shifting from work mode to relaxation mode, losing regular interaction with coworkers, and losing one's identity now that they no longer identify with their job position.  

Living like The Golden Girls characters might be the perfect environment for someone combating loneliness who is entering retirement or after experiencing the loneliness that could come with retirement. In the show, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia are all widows. Blanche's husband died in a car accident, while Rose's husband and Sophia's husband both died from heart attacks. On the other hand, Dorothy was divorced because her husband left her for a flight attendant. Regardless of their reasonings for being alone, the three women came together, keeping each other company and eradicating the loneliness that sometimes takes over those at retirement age.  

“Living like the Golden Girls is a good idea for a lot of reasons,” says Paul McIntyre, CRC, PPC, AIF, CEPA, the chief compliance officer at Naples Asset Management Company and financial advisor at Namcoa. “First of all, the benefits include friendship, health and making sure that the other parties are taking care of themselves. These benefits will reduce the amount of suicides, and having shared living expenses will help all parties survive who were on fixed incomes,” Paul continued.  

Two Of The Golden Girls Episodes Explore Loneliness 

The concept of loneliness comes up in The Golden Girls season 2, episode 4, "It's A Miserable Life," when the women's mean neighbor dies. They come to have compassion for her when they realize she had no friends or family, and her loneliness was likely the reason for her nasty disposition. Loneliness is further explored in The Golden Girls season 2 season finale, "Empty Nests," when the women's friend Renee is dealing with depression and loneliness because her children have moved out and her husband is a workaholic. The women show up for Renee like they showed up for each other for the seven seasons the series aired. Rose even relates Renee's situation to her own life, helping Renee to feel less alone. Rose explains she also struggled with empty nest syndrome when her children moved out, and the night she wanted to discuss it with her husband, he died.  

Renee wants to talk to her husband about her empty nest syndrome and how him cutting back his hours at work would help her feel less alone, but she isn't sure how to approach the situation, and she feels guilty about taking him out of his job, especially since he's a doctor and a lot of people need his help. The first six minutes of the episode take place in the living room, where the four women typically have their discussions and help each other through difficult issues.  

Renee would benefit from a living situation like Dorothy, Sophia, Rose, and Blanche. While the women are all single, there are real-life situations where married couples have moved in together. A group of three couples called The Shedders shared their story in a book and an article for The Guardian. While their living situation is out of the ordinary, and some landlords were suspicious about renting property to them, the dynamic worked great. Living together allowed them to form a community and become each other's chosen family. The article's author, Eve Grzybowski, found the living situation healing, as not everyone was brought up in a healthy, functional family dynamic. 

There Are Health Benefits to Living Like The Golden Girls 

The Golden Girls dynamic can also prevent the many health risks that loneliness presents. The CDC reports loneliness can lead to depression, anxiety, heart disease, and even dementia. However, building a community of close friends, whether single or in relationships, offers the kind of community, love, and support that people need at all stages of life. Forbes shared an article on the wellness benefits The Golden Girls characters had from living together, like their ability to show up for each other with social support and in other ways, like when the other women had to drive Sophia around because she couldn't drive due to a previous stroke. 

Dorothy, Sophia, Rose, and Blanche always had each other to lean on during tough times, like when they all got the flu a few days before a charity benefit they were excited to attend, or during relationship issues, like when Dorothy had to interact with her husband during her daughter's wedding. In season 1, episode 2, "Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding," Dorothy's daughter tells her she's getting married, and she and her husband have the wedding in the women's backyard. Dorothy is happy for her daughter but not so happy to have to spend time with her cheating ex-husband. The circumstance would be deeply triggering and hard for anyone to cope with on their own, but Dorothy has her mother and two close friends to help her get through it. They don't always know the right thing to say, but they always try their best, and knowing how much her friends love and care about her is enough for Dorothy to get through the wedding. 

The Friends You Live with Can Become Your Chosen Family 

In season 2, episode 11, "Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas," the friends end up at a diner on Christmas Eve because the weather caused the airline to cancel all their flights home to be with their families. The man working at the diner tells them he wishes he could be home with his family, and when Rose explains the situation, he's shocked to learn they aren't all related. The women realize that even though they're not related, they have become a family by living together. They understand how lucky they are to have each other for the Holidays, even if they can't be with their biological families as they planned. The women decide to repay the man for helping them realize their family dynamic. They take over the diner so he can go home for the holiday. They're happy to work on Christmas because they have each other.  

As Eve Grzybowski mentioned in her article, living with others creates a family dynamic, which is especially helpful for those who don't have families or can't see them very often. In The Golden Girls Christmas episode, Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose learn the biggest benefit of living together is that they've become a family and can help each other through any challenge that comes their way.  

“The obvious benefits of living like the Golden Girls are social engagement, cost sharing and possible caregiving are near the top of the list – but there are also some potential drawbacks,” says Michael J. Morger, CFP, private wealth advisor at Further Financial Group and Ameriprise Financial Services. “These could include compromising on preferences for food and entertainment; not to mention tolerating each other’s habits and friends. When it comes to living with your friends like the Golden Girls do, choosing the right fit is quite important, but make sure to recognize that the other people are choosing you as well,” Michael continued. 

One Social Media Group Knows How to Stay Entertained Like The Golden Girls Characters 

With so many personalities in one house, there's no shortage of entertainment for The Golden Girls characters. Whether they're sharing stories of their past romances, or like in season 5 episode 18, "An Illegitimate Concern," Sophia and Dorothy are rehearsing as Sonny & Cher for a mother-daughter talent show, living with friends in retirement clearly provides countless opportunities for fun. A lot of retirees struggle with boredom, but The Golden Girls characters never fail to keep things interesting. Anyone hoping to live a life of excitement after retiring could benefit from moving in with their friends. 

One group of retirees who know how to stay entertained are the members of the Retirement Home. The group got its name from social media groups like Sway House and Hype House, which went viral around 2019 and featured popular TikTok stars like Charli and Dixie D'Amelio. The Sway and Hype House popularity has since died down, but the Retirement House is still going strong. Retirement House is like The Golden Girls if the show took place in the 2020s and featured men and women living together. The group always appears to be having a good time and never allows their age to stop them from jumping on all the popular social media trends. From dancing on TikTok to sharing vlogs on YouTube and showcasing their Coachella party, called Oldchella, the Retirement Home members always seem to be having the time of their lives. They even have their own podcast where they reflect on life and share what it's like to live together. 

The house is made up of Larry, Curtis, Mabel, Eugene, Rose, and Bubbe but was originally a quartet with Mabel, Eugene, and previous members Herbert and Peaches. It turns out the residents are actors who don't actually live in the home together. However, they do spend a significant amount of time filming videos in the house, so much so that they've become a family, like The Golden Girls characters. In 2022, Mabel, whose real name is Gaylynn Baker, told Buzzfeed News, "I come into work and laugh all day long. I just can't stop laughing. We're changing people's minds about what it means to age by having fun." 

However, the group gets real and vulnerable on their podcast, having authentic conversations and talking about their real-life experiences outside of their characters. Even though they don't technically live together, they've still created a family bond and showcased how crucial it is for people to build a community as they get older so they're not alone and have others to depend on. 

Living With Your Friends in Old Age Is a Smart Financial Decision 

Other than the many ways living like the women in The Golden Girls can bring entertainment and eradicate loneliness, it's also a smart financial decision. The Golden Girls never addressed the cost of their home or how they balanced the bills, but the concept of money came up quite a few times. In season 1, episode 22, "Job Hunting," Rose worries about how she'll make money when the grief counseling center she works at closes, and in season 5, episode 4, "Rose Fights Back," Rose loses her pension, which she says she can't afford to live without. In one The Golden Girls scene, the women sit around the table and discuss their difficulties with making money, with Dorothy admitting she thought at her age she would be financially secure. 

However, the women would have a much harder time if they were all living on their own. Their expenses are significantly lower since they all play a role in paying the bills and taking care of other costs around their shared home. 

A Huffington Post article written by Ashley Brooks explores the benefits of living like the women in The Golden Girls, including the financial pros. Brooks is married to a man older than her and worries about what she will do financially when he passes away because he makes most of the money in their relationship. Brooks realized how many women in her life were in the same position, which sparked the idea of moving in with her friends in old age to save money and take care of each other. 

Rochelle Odesser, CFP, vice president of Madison Planning, shares her thoughts: 

“I believe sharing living quarters as one ages can be very beneficial from a financial perspective and for mental health. While I am not a psychologist, from my own reading and research, it seems that shared living helps to keep one’s acuity and mental health strong.  

I know a group of ladies who are now in their 70s who have discussed doing this, when their respective spouses pass. I do know of two women who have decided to share a household now that one is widowed and the other had to have her spouse go to a nursing home. They are long time friends. They had to be frank about sharing living expenses and their respective families (children) are encouraging. The women are capable of managing on their own and enjoy each other’s company.  The children feel comfortable that just in case something were to happen, there is someone right there to assist in any emergency situation. Of course, having shared expenses can help one finances last longer and may allow you to do more.” 

“With the rising cost of living affecting Americans in every state, people who may have once lived comfortable lives are now feeling the pressure on their households,” says Leonard Kim of AdvisorCheck. “One way to counteract this is to think about moving in with your friends, as there are many financial benefits in doing so,” Leonard continued. 

There Are Some Downsides to The Golden Girls Lifestyle 

While there are many benefits of living like The Golden Girls, causing fans of the show to dream of one day retiring to a Miami home with their friends, it wasn't always smooth sailing for the characters, and taking the negative aspects of their lifestyle into account is crucial before making the decision to live like them. 

In a house full of contrasting personalities, it's inevitable the women get on each other's nerves from time to time, and the series never held back from showcasing their bickering and disagreements. During The Golden Girls season 3 episode 11, "Three On a Couch," the characters' arguments get so bad they seek group therapy. The women even argue in the therapist's office waiting room over whose name they used to make the appointment. In one instance that brought them to therapy, Blanche and Dorothy get into an argument because Dorothy is too sick to go on the double date she had planned with Blanche, who selfishly wants Dorothy to get off the couch and go on the date with her. In a later scene, Dorothy gets angry at Blanche and Rose for disturbing her in bed because they were afraid after watching Aliens. Dorothy is frustrated because she's trying to study for an exam, but Blanche and Rose are offended that she kicks them out of her room. 

If It’s The Right Fit, There Are Ways to Make The Golden Girls Living Situation Work 

Luckily The Golden Girls women have their own rooms with their own bathrooms and spaces to be by themselves, so they're not constantly getting on each other's nerves. The women share the living room and kitchen, giving them places to spend time together, which encourages their community dynamic. This is a great tip for anyone wanting to live like The Golden Girls. While it's great to have a group of people to keep each other company, being around each other too much could drive anyone crazy. For anyone hoping to retire like The Golden Girls characters, make sure the home has enough room for everyone to have their space to resort away from the group when necessary. Extra space also allows everyone to have room for their own hobbies, music, art, or working out in a home gym. 

Another way to avoid constant bickering is to make a plan for things that need to get done, like cleaning the house, cooking, and paying the bills. Housemates should have regular meetings to discuss managing finances to make sure everyone is paying their share. This wasn't shown on The Golden Girls, but in the show's universe, it was likely going on off-screen. 

Living like The Golden Girls might not be for everyone, but it's a great way to avoid the loneliness that comes with retirement and aging, and it's perfect for anyone worried about managing their finances when they're no longer bringing in money through their job or have lost their partner that they relied on for money. With every argument The Golden Girls characters got into, there were several more moments where they showed up for each other, proving they don't have to be biologically related in order to be each other's family. It's clear why so many people dream of living like Dorothy, Sophia, Blanche, and Rose, and if, after enough research, it seems like a good idea, some people might just find themselves settling down in a home with their friends, sharing stories around the kitchen table, and understanding why The Golden Girls put up with each other for so many years because the good moments always outweighed the bad. 

If you’re unsure of whether or not you can live on your own in retirement, or if it’s a good idea for you and your friends to share a property or an apartment together, consult with a financial advisor and talk through your concerns with them. They will be able to help you down the right path for your financial future. If you need a financial advisor, you can use AdvisorCheck’s search tool to locate one. Make sure to get your free AdvisorCheck membership to get money tips like this delivered straight to your inbox.  

Written by Gina Wurtz, Screen Rant Contributor 

Fact checked by Billy Quirk 

Reviewed by KJ Kim 

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