When are you ready to move in together? How long do you need to be together to take this step? Read on and discover what applies to you.
Do you want to live together or live on your own first?
Do you actually have to have lived independently before you start living together? Opinions on this are divided. The most important thing here is that you follow your own feelings. Everyone has different needs. Complete the advantages and disadvantages below for yourself; this way you can make a better decision.
Advantages of living on your own first
- You discover what a house must meet
- You know that you can also make it on your own, if necessary
- It makes you more independent and less dependent
- You have your own place and no one will complain if you don’t clean for a week
Benefits of equal cohabitation
- Two incomes are better than one, so you can live bigger
- With everything you face when it comes to moving, you have someone to support you
- If you handle it right, it can give your relationship a boost
Less than six months combined
Some say that you have to be together for years rather than months to move in together, but that is not always true. There are plenty of couples who do well if they move in together quickly .
Benefit
- You no longer have to travel back and forth, take your belongings with you… from now on you will sleep together every night!
Disadvantage
- Do you know each other well enough? You may encounter surprises while living together. How you deal with stress, for example, or with money.
Been together for years
You want to wait until you have been together for a few years before moving in together. What does this mean?
Benefit
- You have known each other for a long time and know what to expect from each other.
Disadvantage
- If things go wrong with living together, you will have wasted years on a relationship that will come to nothing.
Tips for living together
You have made your decision, but now it is important to see whether you have prepared and discussed everything properly. Living together is not just something!
Money
Many relationships fail over money. If they don’t solve it, there will be a lot of arguments about it. Prevent serious arguments by making clear agreements about money in advance. How much do you think you will spend on groceries? Do you both want A-brands or is the house brand also good? What about the rent? We pay what?
To divide the payment of the joint costs as fairly as possible, you can add your salaries together. Do you earn 1200 euros monthly and your partner 1400? Together you will raise 2,600 euros. 1400 is 54 percent of this amount and 1200 is 46 percent. So you pay 46 percent of the joint costs and your partner 54 percent.
Do you prefer to lump everything together? Then open a joint account. Also make clear agreements about what are acceptable expenses and what are not. Communication is always important!
Households
What applies to money also applies to the household. Ask each other in advance what your expectations are. Do you want to keep everything neat and tidy and not leave any dirt behind? Or do you prefer a pleasant mess? Who will do what in the household? Furthermore, the wishes in terms of design can vary considerably. The more you talk about this in advance and think along with each other, the fewer surprises you will face when you move in together.
Living space
Everyone needs a moment for themselves every now and then. Give each other that space. For example, you can retreat to a computer room if you want to listen to some music. The other person can then have the living room to themselves. The bedroom can also be a space to retreat to, for example with a good book. If you choose a house or apartment with only one room, consider how you will deal with this. No matter how sticky you are as a couple, don’t underestimate that you need your own place. For example, agree that you both meet up with your own friends or family once in a while. This way the other person has the house to themselves for an evening.
read more
- Buying a house together & taking out a mortgage? That’s how you do that!