Roommate fights rarely start as greed; they start as unclear defaults: “I thought you had the electric,” “I bought snacks again,” “your partner basically lives here.”
Beatriz helps students name obligations that travel with them from home without oversharing real family finances. Marquis helps students name the social fear of sounding “cheap.”
Teach three artifacts: a written split rule, a shared calendar for due dates, and a low-drama reset script for when drift happens.
Emphasize legality lightly and locally: leases vary; the classroom target is communication and planning, not practicing law.
Written rules beat heroic memory
Have groups propose three non-negotiables (rent due, utility due, guest policy) and three negotiables (groceries, streaming, cleaning supplies).
Ask what happens when someone’s income wobbles: defer, renegotiate, or escalate, each with pros and cons.
Keep dignity in the room
Use fictional roommates and incomes. The goal is scripts and systems, not confessions.