When should a couple Move in together?

There's not a set in stone timeline for living together; some couples also choose not to live together. Both partners should not rush to live together anymore than they should rush to make a commitment or get married. Take the time to get to really know each other, meet family and friends, travel and work on projects together. A good relationship and partnership takes at least a year and a half to two years or more to truly develop between two people, longer if they don't see each other on a regular basis. Don't live together based on time, or what friends are doing. If a person feels pressured into living together, than they definitely should not move in with someone.

Even if they are living together, both people should keep their basic finances separate, while deciding the amount each contributes to living expenses. Both partners also need to have a clear idea of each other's ideas on marriage and children. If either partner sees living together as a step towards marriage, they need to be honest about their feelings--not everyone views co-habitation as the step before marriage. It's good to keep in perspective that co-habitation doesn't provide the legal/financial protection of marriage, in case the relationship ends. Living together can let a couple see each other as they are, good and bad traits; but financial/housing arrangements can cause people to stay in a stagnant or bad relationship longer than they normally would.