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Should People Move in or Stay Together Before They Get Married

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Submitted By alicelam
Words 1735
Pages 7
Should people move in and stay together before they get married. What is the pros and cons of it?
This is a common and important question. Cohabitation -- living together without the commitment of marriage -- is on the rise. And it's a good idea to examine your fears and ask questions before making this important step. Although increasing numbers of individuals report less social stigma about cohabitation, many of the people who I've counseled ask these key questions: will living together lead to marriage and will it increase risk of divorce? What are your motivations for living together? Based on discussing this question, you may find out that your partner is simply trying to save money by sharing the rent. If you want to develop a deeper bond, and most significantly, you see cohabitation as a step toward marriage, these differing expectations may be a problem.

Pros * Research about whether living together before marriage increases your risk for divorce is less definitive. It's unclear if it actually increases the risk. If individuals who cohabitate are at a slightly higher risk for divorce, it may not be because they lived together before marriage. It could speak more to their mindset about commitment in general. Is it just greater acceptance of divorce in general? Is it that people who live together have a weaker commitment to the institution of marriage? It depends on who you ask.

* Learn to Live Together Before Breaking the Bank on a Wedding
This is wayyyy easier said than done, because living together takes so much compromise. If you’re talking about living together, you probably spend most weekends (and maybe weekdays) at one apartment or the other. It’s nice to have a safety valve, somewhere you can escape to if you have a fight, but if you’re looking to stay together forever, eventually, it’s can be good practice to learn to live together.

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