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Millennial men and women seem to have relationships figured out – move in together early. According to studies on the topic, more twenty and thirty-somethings are moving in with their partners, and they aren’t even thinking about marriage.
The good news is, it works. Divorce rates have been declining since the 90s, while 66% of women live with their significant other before marriage compared to 11% in the 60s and 70s. However, it’s not smart to take these stats as a sign of guaranteed cohabiting bliss. Living with your SO requires savvy decision-making if it’s going to work in the long-term.
How do you strike the perfect balance? By considering the following.
Your Reasoning
As cliche as it sounds, the words “I love you” are the most critical utterances regarding living together. Moving in and getting married provide extra protections under the law that you will clearly consider, as well as help with financial pressures. Considering millennials are hit hard by money-troubles, the former is a huge consideration. Of course, like a marriage of convenience, a living arrangement of convenience tends to fail since you must love each other to put up with your bad habits! Anyway, a failed relationship will only cost you money once you’re cohabiting.
The Responsibilities
Millennials are among the most entitled of demographics. No, it’s not a bad thing! As a millennial who has grown-up around empowered role models, you have high expectations. No-one is going to slack off on your watch. From a male perspective, many guys understand the need to help out and destroy the old gender stereotypes. This all appears fantastic, but you’ve got to remember you’re not in sync. If you plan on the household to run like a Swiss watch, it’s important to split the responsibility to apportion blame responsibility. That way, everyone understands their roles.
The Law
Part of the reason it costs cohabiting couples more if they break up is the legal system. Thanks to a change in the law, where people who live together don’t have to be married, you may have to split finances and shared purchases if you broke up. For more on the subject, research what is a defacto relationship? The “defacto” rule may work in your favour or against you, which is why you should consider it carefully. For example, it offers couples who don’t want to get married extra freedoms. However, if you expect nuptials and your SO doesn’t, or vice versa, there could be disharmony.
Your Independence
Although it’s hard to state as a fact, millennials are renowned for a fierce sense of independence. Unfortunately, the character trait makes a relationship a challenge to maintain as it forces both parties to clash. If you feel as if you and your partner fall into this category, it’s essential to talk about how you can indulge in “me” time. For instance, you could turn a spare room into a place where you can go to read to get away from life for a while.
In the end, the question you’ll have to answer is, are you ready?