Couples: Should We Move In Together Before Marriage?

Many couples feel that if they are already engaged and ready to make the next big move, there is no need to prolong the moving in together part until after the marriage. After all, who wants to worry about the marriage details, the honeymoon and moving one person's things to another person's house or apartment all within the same month? If you are still wondering whether or not moving in together is for you, here are a few questions you might want to consider before making the big move.

* Are you rushing? If you just met the guy a few weeks earlier and already you have a key to his apartment and he wants you to move in with him, you may want to step back a little bit and think things through. Sure, some couples meet, get married in a month and live long and happy marriages, but these cases are far and few in between. If you are having second thoughts about moving in so quickly, listen to your gut and wait a little bit until the initial courtship has waned a bit and things have started to settle. At that point you can decide whether or not moving in together is a good idea. If at any point you feel that moving in together is not a good idea, it probably isn't.

* If you and your boyfriend/girlfriend live in separate cities or separate states, should you move in together? If you are mere months away from the actual wedding and you will eventually be living in your boyfriend's or girlfriend's city or state, there is really no reason why moving in together is a bad idea. However, if the relationship is fairly new and there have been major issues concerning finances or fidelity or religion or trust, picking up and moving to an entirely new city or state may not be the best idea. One question you may want to ask yourself is whether or not you can see yourself living in this new area without your boyfriend or girlfriend. You may be away from all of your friends and family with a new move, so make sure that you are absolutely sure about the path this relationship is taking. If you have a job or career, you may want to make sure there is a demand for your certain occupation in case the relationship turns sour and you are on your own again in a new town.

* Is the move economically more advantageous? How will the move affect your finances? If making a move will put financial strain on the relationship due to one person giving up a job or one person taking a lower-paying job, is that something you and your boyfriend or girlfriend are equipped and ready to tackle? More than likely, moving in together will ease the financial strain because the rent or mortgage payment and bills and expenses will usually have two incomes as a supply; however, if moving together means combining finances and taking on your boyfriend or girlfriend's overwhelming debt, you may want to reconsider moving in for a little bit until you or your boyfriend or girlfriend have their own finances under control.