Ever thought about living with your partner before marriage? Well, you’ve come to the right place! We’re here to talk about it along with its many advantages and disadvantages alike. Now, not all experiences are the same when it comes to living with a partner since every one of us is different, but below are some of the most common pros and cons to consider when living with your partner before getting married:
What are the pros of living with your partner before marriage?
There are tons of advantages when it comes to living with your partner before getting married, but to simply give you an idea of some of the pros that come with it, below is a rundown of 5 benefits to consider:
Checking compatibility
One of the pros of living with your partner before marriage is checking to see if you two are compatible with one another. Living together gives you an idea of what it would be like to marry them and live together in one room.
You’ll be able to test out if you’re compatible or not with cooking, cleaning, habits, routines, lifestyle choices and so on–It’s simply like testing the waters! And if you want to get a glimpse of what your partner is like as a spouse, consider living with them in a temporary home like a serviced apartment, a condo unit or any accommodation that allows flexible stays may it be long or short.
Financially beneficial
Practically speaking, living with your partner can cut down on living expenses since both of you share bills. May it be electricity, water, internet, insurance, grocery, mortgages and any other bills you might have. Unlike living alone, you shoulder all the bills by yourself which can be hard.
Resolve conflicts better
When you live with your partner, fights and arguments are now face-to-face every time. So that means no more blocking each other on your socials, ignoring them through chat or text and even ghosting them a day or two.
Living with your partner forces you to be mature and solve conflicts head-on, face-to-face–where both parties are understood and heard. This helps the both of you practice how to foster healthy communication with one another and resolve problems effectively.
Have a deep understanding
Living with your partner gives you a better understanding of their strengths, and weaknesses and how they communicate making your bond all the more stronger. Seeing them every day from the moment they wake up and before they sleep will surely give you a better and deeper understanding of who your partner is. And with all the situations you’ll be facing together each day, both of you will know one another like the back of your hand.
Share responsibilities
Now you don’t have to worry about doing chores by yourself! Now you have a partner with you, you can share responsibilities around the house like who does the laundry, the washing of the dishes, sweeping the floor and even doing taxes.
Plus each of you having a responsibility to do around the house promotes teamwork which is a great ingredient to a good and healthy relationship!
What are the cons of living with your partner before marriage?
Everything has its fair share of pros and cons, and for this topic, we have 5 cons for you to consider knowing about. So without further ado, here is the list of disadvantages to consider:
False sense of security
Living together before marriage can at times give a false feeling of security, which may cause couples to ignore important conversations or parts of their relationship that could have a significant impact on their eventual marriage.
While providing an insight into common routines and habits, this cohabitation stage may unintentionally conceal underlying issues or differences in beliefs that need open discussion and solutions for a fruitful long-term relationship.
Couples may unintentionally put off talking about important issues like money, goals for their careers, or family planning as they become used to living together. These conversations are crucial to the longevity of the relationship when it comes to marriage.
Commitment pressure
Moving in with your partner can sometimes cause pressure towards the relationship, now that you live together the pressure of “making it work” can be hard on some couples, especially when you top it off with societal expectations such as family and friends. This can create stress and strain on the relationship.
Family and cultural pressure
Depending on what part of the world you live in, some cultures find “living together before marriage” to be a taboo situation or something most families frown upon. So with the sense of disapproval from family, friends or the community, this can cause strains in the relationship.
Lack of formal commitment
Couples may be less motivated to overcome obstacles or devote themselves entirely to their relationship if they are not legally or socially bound by the obligations of marriage.
Difficulty disentangling financial
For instance, if you and your partner break up, the awkward issue both of you have to face is the disentangling of finances and assets. Let’s say, both of you pitched in to buy the living room television, it may be complex to decide who gets what and why.