Pros and Cons of Living Together Vs. Being Married

What are the pros and cons of being married? I am a firm believer in marriage! It teaches individuals things they could not learn otherwise. A lot of people choose to live with someone instead. For those that are trying to decide if marriage is for them. Here are my pros and cons.

Disclaimer I know that there are a lot of abusive situations. This is for those that both husband and wife are working together to reach the same goals.

Pros of Being Married

1. You will never have a closer friend if you are both faithful to one another and treat each other right! I love being married and being able to tell my husband anything and everything. I know that even if what I say comes out wrong, he will still love me. We do everything that we can together. 
2. Shows commitment in all aspects of life. People around you will know that if you can be married and work things out. You will also be committed to other obligations.
3. Tax benefits and scholarships increase when you are married. When Kevin and I first got married, the number of school grants went through the roof! This should not be the only reason you get married, but it helped us out a lot.
4. You always have someone to talk to. If it is 2a.m. and something is on my mind, Kevin is always there to listen. Knowing I always have a confidant makes hard times manageable and fun times 10 times more exciting.
5. The wedding and celebration can be magical as you commit to your best friend. Most little girls dream of the day when they meet their prince charming and get married. When it really happens, it can be just as magical! As you celebrate the life that you are starting together. It truly is a day to remember!
6. Marriage is more accepted around the world and throughout history. In most cultures throughout history marriage or some form of it was very important. If a couple chose not to follow cultural guidelines, it brought shame to them and family members. 
7. It teaches you positive attributes. Patience, trust, hope, charity, virtue, humility, etc. It is uncomfortable to become a better person! But so is trying to eat less fast food. Isn't that our purpose in life? To become the best person that we can be? 
8. You have someone to go on adventures with. It is really to come home to someone that really wants to spend time with you. From midnight hamburger runs, date nights, snowball fights against neighborhood snowmen, or cuddling on the couch for a movie. Your wish is their command and vice versa. 
9. You have a whole lifetime of inside jokes. I can't begin to explain the thousands of inside jokes that Kev and I have. Sometimes I smile as I think of keywords and actions that get us to laugh.
10. Intimacy becomes something that shows respect. Not just the one-night stand that doesn't mean anything. A few of my high school friends have told me that it is dumb to be married because floating from guy to guy is the best. I would strongly disagree! Physical intimacy builds a lot of trust and love for one another that you can NEVER get from a one-night thing.
11. You are in uncomfortable situations together, so you don't have to feel alone. When one of our kids is screaming in the store, and I am shopping with Kevin...There is no need to fear because my spouse is near. Haha, nothing is as awkward because we are together. 
12. You don't feel as empty when you know that someone really loves you. A lot of people struggle with not feeling like they are wanted. When you get married, that feeling disappears as you work to continue to love each other. 

Cons of Being Married

1. Marriage is hard! I am not going to say it is easy! You have to be willing to give a ton and not blame. All of a sudden, you have to share everything. Stresses sometimes become overwhelming as you work to support each member of the family. You need to constantly be thinking of your spouse and how you can help them. 
2. You have to be willing to trust 100%. This was one of the hardest things in, my opinion. There are so many people around you that would tell you otherwise. But if you can't trust that your spouse will be, faithful then you have nothing!
3. It costs a lot and can be a financial struggle when two people try to work together with finances. I wouldn't have gone into $200,000 of debt for school! Then I married Kevin. You marry their finances just as much as you marry them.
4. Divorce is ugly compared to just separating. Divorce is so common nowadays! Divorce is emotionally hard, expensive, frustrating, and takes time. 
5. You no longer live a single life. Do you love dating around? Meeting the newest guys and girls to hang out with? When you are married and faithful single life vanishes!
6. Communication can get lost. Best friends that are madly in love and get married can turn into strangers that never talk. Can you tell your best friend about anything? If this is the case, you will never have this problem. If this is not the case, you might feel misunderstood, hurt, and confused a lot.

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Sarah