Live-in relationships are not a new concept anymore. Many countries have made a change in their laws according to situations that arise in live-in relationships. It is a general expectation that eventually, live-in relationships will turn into marriage, and thinking so, is not generally wrong. Many relationships do turn into marriage. There are some good and bad effects of cohabitation before marriage.
Cons:
The number one negative effect that cohabitation can have on a marriage is divorce. Cohabitation is generally believed to be a ticket to early divorce. This means that if you thought getting into a live-in relation might lead to a lifetime of bliss, then maybe it is time to rethink. There is no need to say how a divorce can be devastating for both men and women.
Some people jump into a live in relationship even before they are sure whether the other person, is the one with whom they will love to share their life. With time, both partners become comfortable with each other and due to social pressure or guilt may get married. Social pressure is usually from parents and relatives who will ask them questions like”When are you getting married?” Parents of this young generation, who want to stay in live-in, might not be that modern yet. This situation can rush the couple into marriage and later in life regretting their decision.
Sometimes either of partners opts for live-in due to economic reasons. Let us face it; living together will help the couple to save money on various expenses. If one of them is spending their entire time in the other’s flat, it will seem useless to spend money on the rent of another flat. Getting these benefits, a couple might just resort to the easy way out and get married. This can lead to tensions and fights and eventually divorce.
Usually, either of partners may start believing that marriage is not important at all. He/she may wish to break the conventional norms and the big proposal or the expense on a wedding may seem just a useless tradition for them. This may end in the other getting hurt.
If we think practically, in case everything falls apart before marriage, one of them will have to shift which leads to the breaking and loosing of personal belongings.
Pros:
A recent study has suggested that the couple who “lives-in” might not end up in a divorce early as compared to the couple who moves in together after marriage. The early divorce rate in marriages is because the younger generation is settling down early in their lives. This leads to a premature marriage and then an early divorce. If a couple wants to cohabitate to plan a future together and both are on the same page about how their relationship is moving ahead, it might be a good idea.
It might make the partners realize their compatibility with each other. This makes a couple realize whether they are suited to be each other’s partner for a lifetime. This can lead to a breakup also but a break up is any day better than a divorce.
Rents and utilities are halved between the two partners. In addition, the money spent on lavish dates and fares to meet each other will be reduced to minimal.
If the couple is meant to be it will be realized in this time, or they will know what to do about their relationships and whether or not they want to carry it forward. Some couples may realize the feasibility of a deeper commitment and this can eventually lead to a happy marriage.
Couples will already know what there is to know about each other like the time they wake up, their favorite food, and things that matter to them. Therefore, this may form fundamentals of a relationship suitable to spend a lifetime together and will help them adjust their lives around each other.
Summary
After reading the above pros and cons, it will be easier for you to make a decision about taking the step to move into your partner’s flat. All in all the most basic fact is that both the partners should be hundred percent sure about what they really want. There should be no doubts in either of their minds and there should be no communication gap.
