Are You Ready to Live With Him?

Deciding to move in with your lover is an important decision. Often people find that after dating someone for a while and before taking the big plunge of marriage, they would like to spend some time under the same roof to see how well they get along. Other times, couples are not interested in making a lifetime commitment and just want to live together instead of tying the knot. Before going ahead though, there are certain things you need to take into consideration. - Timing is of utmost importance. You and your partner shouldn't make the move in a hurry. Ensure that you both know each other well enough and are ready to take this step. Though living-in is not legally binding like marriage, it is still a big step to take. Don't opt to live-in just for the sake of it, but make sure you both really want to be closer.

- The first month or so of sharing the same space can be great fun. You will love to be able to come home to your partner. But, slowly you will also discover the negative traits of your special someone. The first six months can be a period of adjusting. This is especially the case if you are used to living on your own. You may have to bear with some annoying habits or his/her messy ways. Try not to lose your cool but work out a system that's good for both of you.

- Prior to moving together, decide on certain issues like who will pay the rent, electricity, food bills, etc. Money matters can come in between couples and so it's best to sort them out beforehand. Try and keep the expenses as equal as possible. Also if you're buying electronics like a laptop, television, music player, ensure that you don't fight over using them.

- Living with a partner means you still got to contribute to household chores. While you can get a maid for basic cleaning, you may want to decide who will do the laundry, cooking and paying of bills. Try and divide them equally so that one person doesn't feel like they are doing all the work.