| Living Together Before Marriage |
|
|
| Written by Mariam G. Crownover | |||||
Page 1 of 3 If you’ve ever considered living with your significant other, you’ve no doubt encountered strong (dare I say, strident) views from both ends of the spectrum. In one corner, you have a group that asserts that the two of you—and, by extension, your relationship—are frivolous and that you are doomed—DOOOOOOOOMED—to split up in a dramatic explosion that could even require legal intervention. In the opposite corner, you have a group that insists that NOT living together prior to marriage spells all the DOOOOOOOOM listed above.
No matter how you cut it, both groups are wrong; not regarding individual cases, but in their blanket assertion that there’s only one right way to live life, and that there’s something you can do to guarantee expected results.
I’m here to tell you that if you want a guarantee in life then you should purchase one with your next refrigerator. The gloriously messy thing known as “human relationships,” both the romantic and the platonic ones, is simply impossible to insure. The best you can do is ask good questions, keep your eyes open, think critically, and make an informed choice.
All of this brings us to my topic: things you need to consider before ever moving in with a significant other. You’ll note that I try to be as gender-neutral as possible, as everything I have to say applies equally to men and women. Also, I will not cover moral issues, but not because I think that they’re irrelevant.
Quite the opposite in fact, but such points are beyond the scope of this article. Here, I will simply cover the secular, everyday considerations you must consider before moving in with your partner.
Why do you want to move in together? I warn you, living with your significant other simply to escape a bad living situation or save money is NOT a good idea. That’s what platonic friends are for; they’re called “roommates.”
What does living together mean to you? Wanna see a relationship go up in flames? Imagine the following scenario: a couple moves in together. Partner A thinks, “Great--this is a step towards marriage!” Partner B thinks, “Great--now s/he will shut up about marriage!” Don’t kid yourself; it’s not always the woman pushing to tie the knot.
|
|||||
| <Previous | Next> |
|---|





If you’ve ever considered living with your significant other, you’ve no doubt encountered strong (dare I say, strident) views from both ends of the spectrum. In one corner, you have a group that asserts that the two of you—and, by extension, your relationship—are frivolous and that you are doomed—DOOOOOOOOMED—to split up in a dramatic explosion that could even require legal intervention. In the opposite corner, you have a group that insists that NOT living together prior to marriage spells all the DOOOOOOOOM listed above.