In these tough times, would you open your house to a friend in need? I got to thinking about this recently when I repurchased the house that my ex-husband and I sold in 2002. Moving from a small Cape Cod to a spacious Dutch Colonial has given me room to breathe, but it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am at a time when people are downsizing.

A few days ago, a close friend whose job may be in jeopardy said in jest that she and her kids might have to move in with me if things got worse. We laughed it off, but part of me wondered what I would do if it came to that. After all, my home is also where I run my business. I rarely have clients meet me here, but even with two spare bedrooms, it’s more than just a house.

What would I do if a friend needed a place to live? Without a doubt, I’d open up my home to her and her family, but it would take some adjustment, not to mention ground rules. A generation or two ago, families lived together and managed relatively fine, but that was then.

Today we are a much different society. Women are doing more than preparing the meals and darning socks and our space has become more than just a place to warm your hands by the hearth.

Even if I worked outside my house, I can’t imagine having to come to a home at the end of the day to find a gaggle of people waiting. Maybe I’m being selfish. Maybe it wouldn’t be as draining as I think.

But if the economy keeps going the way it’s going, it seems that a lot of families and friends may find themselves sharing a place to live.