Three’s a crowd — but it sure helps with the cost of living.
Jennifer Martin says she and her husband, Daniel, were struggling to pay rent until they welcomed an unlikely new tenant into their home — her boyfriend, Ty.
The polyamorous mom spoke with The Post on Wednesday, saying her unorthodox living situation has been a financial blessing amid soaring inflation, given that there are now three working adults to split costs.
“Daniel and I definitely struggled financially before Ty moved in,” Martin — who hails from Richmond, Virginia — stated. “Housing was particularly bad in this area.”
Jennifer, 35, and Daniel, 36, married back in 2008 and quickly welcomed two children together.
In 2015, the couple decided to open up their marriage and try polyamory. Three years later, Jennifer met Ty, 33, and he quickly became her boyfriend.
Just before the COVID pandemic, Jennifer and Daniel decided to welcome Ty into their home, where he would help split the rent. The trio pays $1,537 a month, with Ty forking out $700 for his share.
However, it’s not just the cost of rent that’s become less of a burden because of the three-way split. Jennifer and Daniel pay for groceries, while Ty covers the cost of utilities and Wi-Fi. He’s also become close with Jennifer and Daniel’s kids and occasionally pays for their expenses.
Jennifer currently works as a freelance editor, Daniel is a private school teacher and Ty is a bank manager. Combined, they make an annual income of about $155,000 and have even been able to save for a home together.
In December last year, the trio snapped up a four-bed, three-bath home for $325,000.
“I definitely don’t think we would have been able to buy a house without Ty,” Jennifer told The Post. “I don’t know almost anyone my own age in Richmond who owns a home, and of those that did, they were in their mid or late 30s before they did. The financial situation seems sad and desperate for a lot of the millennials I know, especially since student loan payments came back.”
In their current rental, Jennifer alternates two nights in Daniel’s bedroom and two nights in Ty’s bedroom — a practice she says she will continue when they all move into their recently purchased property next month.
“I know other polyamorous people who believe each poly person should have their own bedroom but since we have kids, that extra space is a luxury,” Jennifer stated. “Instead, I switch beds between Ty’s room and Daniel’s room every two nights, and I have a basket that I carry from room to room with my nighttime essentials like my face wash, night cream, night guard and the book I’m reading … I try to make it as fair as possible for sleeping arrangements between Ty and Daniel.”
Jennifer explained that both Ty and Daniel are also seeing other people.
“Daniel has a serious nonbinary partner he sees once a week, while Ty has a long-distance partner in Pittsburgh and occasionally hooks up and dates other people locally,” Jenifer said. “I have two more casual relationships as well, with a woman and a man who both also date each other.”
While the trio’s living situation may raise eyebrows, it could be considered a more unconventional version of an “inflationship,” whereby cash-strapped couples rush to move in together to cut living costs.
“We’re really happy, we get along great, and my kids are thriving with three partners,” Jennifer told The Post, adding that it’s been a boon to more than just her bank account.
Jennifer was raised in a conservative evangelical family and says she is opting to raise her two children with a more tolerant mindset.
“It’s possible to have multiple successful relationships when you have a solid foundation, great communication skills and surround yourself with good people who generally have their s–t together,” Jennifer explained.
“Polyamory is becoming more common, and it’s not going away any time soon, so I think critics should get over it and go ahead and get used to the idea.”
