Author Topic: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances  (Read 10559 times)

honeybbq

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #50 on: October 25, 2019, 12:20:35 PM »
I wouldn't let a male partner move in with me for free but I would let a female partner move in for free. Because men make more.

?????

<Checks year.... 2019.... >


Yep, even in 2019.

Women earn just 79 cents for every dollar men make in 2019.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/02/heres-how-much-men-and-women-earn-at-every-age.html

It didn't say "on average" and it didn't say according to labor statistics women are underpaid compared to men. It just said (ALL) women make less than (ALL) men which is a) untrue and also implies women are incapable of making more then men, which is offensive.

Laura33

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #51 on: October 25, 2019, 12:53:10 PM »
I don't feel confident that it's the smart choice for me mentally and emotionally having that scenario, and I'm opening myself up to a lot of risk. But I guess paying him $800 in rent is worth it to keep him in my life and a chance at having a future with him. I was hoping there was a middle ground where financial and security can meet somewhere in the middle to make this relationship work. I just have to pay that amount, become a tenant of his house, and hope for the best.

No.  Nonononono.  Your first sentence should be the end of the conversation, no ifs, ands, or buts.  It doesn't matter a whit what the scenario is, or what anyone else thinks about it.  If to you it doesn't feel like a smart choice mentally and emotionally, then you don't do it.  Period.

It seems to me that what you want is security.  You want to be married.  You want to be a part owner.  You are not worried about "legal" rights so much, because those you can protect with a lease, just like you have at your current apartment.  You are worried about the practical reality: if you dump him, or he dumps you, and you are living together, then you will need/want to find another place to stay ASAP.  Because it's still his house. 

There's only one thing that will "fix" that fear:  don't live together until you're married.  And that's even the solution that you came to on your own for your own mental health, before you met this guy, right?  So why in the world are you second-guessing yourself now? 

Do you have access to a therapist?  Because I see a lot of fear and insecurity and unwillingness/inability to voice pretty reasonable fears and thoughts and feelings.  If I were dating someone, and he bought a house I didn't want, and then was willing to break up with me if I didn't move in with him, well, that would be a real signal that he's a doink and isn't worth it and I'm wasting my time.  So if that's the message he is actually sending, and you aren't immediately turned off and walking the other way, then it seems like you need some help to see your own worth (probably as a very natural consequence of your past trauma).  OTOH, if he is acting reasonably and in good faith (as you seem to think he is), then your very strong reaction -- awfulizing "he'll leave me if I don't say yes!" -- suggests a lot of anxiety and insecurity on your part, and either an unwillingness or inability to express your legitimate concerns.  Neither one of those alternatives is the basis for a healthy relationship and happy life, either alone or together. 

I suggest you sit down with yourself, a therapist, and/or him, and talk about the real issue here.  It's not about the $800 -- clearly, because you're paying significantly more than that to rent a place now.  It's about your need for permanence and security, and his not being ready yet to feel like he can offer that.  You can be ok with the fact that he's not yet ready for that kind of commitment and still not be willing to agree to his "partway" solution that clearly does not address your needs.  So brainstorm other options, like the idea of you renting a different place closer to him, if that works.  You've clearly broached a lot of ideas so far, but those aren't real solutions, because they're not addressing your underlying need for security.  Focus on that -- stick to your guns on living separately until you're both ready to make it permanent, and be open about the fears that drive that need -- and see what creative solutions you can come up with.  And if he's still unwilling to negotiate at that point, well, then he's put himself very clearly into "doink" territory.

ericrugiero

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #52 on: October 25, 2019, 12:57:37 PM »
OP.  I think that $800 is a reasonable cost for your part of the house.  Remember that he has the $1200 mortgage plus additional utilities, repairs and other expenses.  He also paid a down payment, closing costs and is accepting the risk as well as the reward for a changing market.  You could take the $300+ dollars a month you would be saving (which is also not giving you any long term benefit) and put it back to cover any expenses from needing to move quickly. 

That is a separate issue from whether you should move in with him.  It doesn't sound like you are in a relationship where you are ready to move in together (from the limited amount you posted).  Your mental reservations have more to do with how much you trust him and how well you are working together as a couple to solve differences of opinion.  Work on that part of the relationship before you decide to live together.  Also, I would STRONGLY recommend against buying a house with someone you aren't married to.  You don't have as much legal protection and could be creating a huge mess for your future self. 

I wouldn't let a male partner move in with me for free but I would let a female partner move in for free. Because men make more.

?????

<Checks year.... 2019.... >


Yep, even in 2019.

Women earn just 79 cents for every dollar men make in 2019.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/02/heres-how-much-men-and-women-earn-at-every-age.html

This seems like are pretty broad brush to paint with.  Because "most" men make more it's OK for a woman to be a freeloader but not a man?  There are plenty of relationships where the woman makes more.  I would argue that both people in a relationship should contribute what makes sense for their situation. 
« Last Edit: October 25, 2019, 12:59:31 PM by ericrugiero »

Jtrey17

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #53 on: October 25, 2019, 01:13:20 PM »
Let's move past doors number one, two and three and see what's in the big box.  Oh, it's a big winner.  (I'm referring to the old show "Let's make a deal" in case you have no idea what I'm talking about).

And the answer is:  Don't move in with him.  That is 100% the best thing to do.  You get to keep your own apartment and he gets to do whatever the hell he wants to do with his spare money and with his house.  It's pretty clear that you're both on pages of completely different books.
Agree! I wouldn’t move in with a guy who wants to charge me anything for rent. That’s a roommate, not a lover imo.

Would you let a guy move in with you and not contribute to your housing costs?

Yes, of course. There are many variables to consider. Is he a deadbeat person? Is he using me? Do we have shared values and goals? Do I see a future with him/her? If all the important stuff works out, yes I would.

BostonBrit

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #54 on: October 25, 2019, 01:45:01 PM »
$800 sounds broadly reasonable.

I'm not sure what you are hung up about on the finance side of things:

a) Seems fair - $1,200 mortgage + $400 of bills split by 2 sounds reasonable.
b) You're marginally better off financially vs staying on your own.
c) You get to live in a better area in a bigger place - fine if you want to ascribe zero value to that. Totally your prerogative.

You can always sit down after a couple of months and say "I don't think this is fair for XYZ reason", he sounds pretty open to ideas and if you have factual running costs its hard not to see him agreeing.

In terms of practicalities, I don't see what you have to lose financially - there's no move in costs (background checks, admin fees, deposits etc.). You'll also save on travel and I'm sure there are plenty of other savings.

Most importantly however, lets just say you "overpay" by $100 a month vs what you think is truly fair. So for $1,200 you'd be finding out if this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. That's great value as if you get it wrong then it'll cost you a lot more than that.

As others have pointed out this is more a question of do you want to move in with him rather than the quantum and structure of any rent/bills.





MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #55 on: October 25, 2019, 01:45:59 PM »
So you drop everything that would make life easier during the week to have 2 fun days with him when he is at your place.  What do the 2 of you do the weekends you are at his place?  And really how can you build a deeper relationship when the nitty-gritty is not being addressed?  How is he going to react when you want to spend weekend time on chores?

Like La Bibliotecaria Feroz I  put my (ex) husband's needs and wants ahead of mine, while he also put his needs and wants ahead of mine.  Believe me, the more you put their wants ahead of yours, the more it becomes an expected behaviour.

Yeah, it's not optimal and smartest of me. I do have to rush or postpone those chores, which build up and stress me out. But I'm happy to be spending the time with him and have him enjoy my place too.

When I go over to his place, he does the same thing too, and just focuses on time with me. Although I don't think he does the same amount of work. But he cleans and tidies up his place for when I come over, to impress me, which I do appreciate.

MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #56 on: October 25, 2019, 01:54:59 PM »
I've been happily married for six years. I had a very strong personal belief against moving in with a boyfriend. It was not something I was willing to compromise on. If my now-husband had lived somewhere very inconvenient to me when we were dating, I would have considered moving to a rental that was closer to him, but never would I have considered moving in with him.

I'm aware that lots and lots of people move in together without being married, and it works out great for plenty of them.

However, personally, the idea of living together without being married cluttered things up too much for me emotionally. Too much risk. Too many weird conversations about money. The scenario OP describes here gives me hives.

The only reason I'm chiming in here is not to condemn people for whom the arrangement works, but to validate OP: you don't have to live with a boyfriend just because the dominant cultural narrative is that you live with someone as the step between casual dating and marriage. It's possible to skip that step and be perfectly happy and have a healthy marriage.

Yeah, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that about living in together and marriage.

But I do know it's really unusual these days to believe and follow through on that, because virtually everyone I know do live in together first. And some of them eventually do get married. A lot of people think it's really crazy to just get married without living together first. So there's lots of societal resistance.

From my experience, being a live-in girlfriend, was exactly like being a wife but without any of the legal rights, social status, respect and commitment. With my last ex for example, I gave it my everything, in all the ways, for years. And I thought it was really messed up and wrong that a friend just gets married to her husband that they've been in a 6-month relationship, that they are regarded as more committed, loving and have more respect for their relationship with all the rights. I didn't think that was right. Because for me, when I decide to live with a partner, I give it my all, there's no half-assing it. If I were to get married, I wouldn't be able to do anything more than what I've already done for the person and the relationship.

JLee

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #57 on: October 25, 2019, 02:00:07 PM »
I've been happily married for six years. I had a very strong personal belief against moving in with a boyfriend. It was not something I was willing to compromise on. If my now-husband had lived somewhere very inconvenient to me when we were dating, I would have considered moving to a rental that was closer to him, but never would I have considered moving in with him.

I'm aware that lots and lots of people move in together without being married, and it works out great for plenty of them.

However, personally, the idea of living together without being married cluttered things up too much for me emotionally. Too much risk. Too many weird conversations about money. The scenario OP describes here gives me hives.

The only reason I'm chiming in here is not to condemn people for whom the arrangement works, but to validate OP: you don't have to live with a boyfriend just because the dominant cultural narrative is that you live with someone as the step between casual dating and marriage. It's possible to skip that step and be perfectly happy and have a healthy marriage.

Yeah, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that about living in together and marriage.

But I do know it's really unusual these days to believe and follow through on that, because virtually everyone I know do live in together first. And some of them eventually do get married. A lot of people think it's really crazy to just get married without living together first. So there's lots of societal resistance.

From my experience, being a live-in girlfriend, was exactly like being a wife but without any of the legal rights, social status, respect and commitment. With my last ex for example, I gave it my everything, in all the ways, for years. And I thought it was really messed up and wrong that a friend just gets married to her husband that they've been in a 6-month relationship, that they are regarded as more committed, loving and have more respect for their relationship with all the rights. I didn't think that was right. Because for me, when I decide to live with a partner, I give it my all, there's no half-assing it. If I were to get married, I wouldn't be able to do anything more than what I've already done for the person and the relationship.

If your partner respects you less because you're not married, that's a huge warning flag.

MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #58 on: October 25, 2019, 02:09:33 PM »
If you have broken up with him before, it is statistically likely you will break up again.

If you have only been seeing each other two days a week and are planning to now be with each other 7 days a week, that is a huge adjustment that will likely end in break up.

You are taking all of the risk by moving. You will be living in his place on his terms. This will either cause you to resent him or cause you to walk on eggshells to keep the relationship good so you won't lose your home.

If he truly loved you, he would not be negotiating so hard. He would be thrilled to have you with him every day and wouldn't worry about a couple hundred dollars. And vice versa.

Will it take you longer to get to work or cost you more to commute to work from his home? If so, resentment will build. There are so many red flags in your posts that I would stay where you are and continue to date until you negotiate a plan that works for both of you - or break up now to avoid more heartbreak and resentment in the future.

It's possible we would break up again, you never know. But then again, my last ex that we were together for 4 years, never broke up or had fights really, before the final breakup. So having those conflicts or not doesn't necessarily affect the whole relationship.

Yeah, you're right that it would be in his terms though, because it's his house. Which is something that doesn't sit right with me, being an independent person who tries to have an equal egalitarian relationship. That is probably part of the bigger issue with me. I feel resentment that by living in his house, I lose my independence and equal power dynamics with him.

I work from home most of the time, so commuting is not really an issue for me. I'm lucky with that at least.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #59 on: October 25, 2019, 02:13:59 PM »
I'm getting the feeling that part of this is that you will be living in his house that he chose. There is no partnership feeling there.   If you were both leaving other apartments to jointly sign a lease on a shared apartment would you feel different about things?

If that isn't an issue, I can only speak for my own feelings. I would want go be clearly paying rent, with whatever legal protection that gives me for housing.  You know, where he and I sign a contract that I am paying rent, and what is included in the rent - heating? Electricity? Internet? 1/2 of each of those?  Where I hand him a cheque each month with "rent for November 2019" clearly written in the memo field.  A cashed cheque is a receipt.  And yes I am cautious that way, I made sure my name was on the first house my husband and I  bought, and every one after that.

In a situation where things get iffy, one or the other of you can give notice, you move into a spare bedroom, and have some time to find a new place.

MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #60 on: October 25, 2019, 02:14:35 PM »
Purely based on what I read, this man has a sound plan and seems to be very reasonable.

But you are not ready to commit to a relationship that deep, and that's okay.
Stay in your current place until moving in with him seems to be the only logical step forward, at a point where you both are sure that you want to get married. Until then, see where this relationship takes you.

I disagree. It's not that his plan is necessarily UNreasonable, although I still think asking for 2/3 of the mortgage is ballsy. But I would argue that a reasonable partner listens and adapts to the other person's needs, and I do not see evidence of that here.

I wanted to jump in on this because I want the OP to know that she is also reasonable.

Is it?  I don't know what utility costs are there (probably less than here), but water/electricity/gas/internet for my house is about $450/mo, and then obviously I am responsible for maintenance and repair on top of that.

The financial aspect is the least worrying part of this whole situation, IMO.
I agree. I had a paid off house but I still had expenses. Not only utilities (often much higher with a second person  and more kinds with a home compared to an apt) but property taxes, insurances, maintenance and repairs, plus the value of my time to do them. As well as the opportunity cost of having my down payment plus closing costs locked into a house rather than invested. So should I let BF move in for free just because I have no mortgage? I think when those of us say $800/month is reasonable, we are talking from a purely financial standpoint - lower all inclusive rent for OP for a nicer place then she currently has. From a relationship stand the BF is being unreasonable to insist that his plan is the only plan that matters and she can take it or leave it. That attitude would he a major deal breaker for me.
This, 100%.

Is $800 unreasonable?  No.  Is making zero compromises with a romantic partner unreasonable?  YES.

OP, if you think he is just naive and well meaning, I’d consider moving nearer to but not in with him.  I’d bet you could find a true roommate situation nearby for $800 (or less, you guessed a roommate might pay him $500-$600 though I assume utilities etc on top of that) to make it convenient enough to stay over frequently but without the stress of being homeless should the relationship end.

FWIW my husband and I were long distance for years, and when I moved to our current city I insisted on getting an apartment.  While I was reasonably confident we were heading towards marriage I also didn’t want to go from weekend visits to round-the-clock togetherness, it would have been challenging for both of us.  After a few months my apartment got very little use, but it was there and mine had I needed it.

To have to share a home with someone and just rent a room, would not be something I'd be excited about because I enjoy my privacy and autonomy. But if I were to do that, I would not pay anything more than $500-$600.

Plus it's a bit more difficult having 2 cats. There's not a lot of people that like them. And do I leave my bedroom door open all the time so they can come and go whenever they want? I know the cats are a huge responsibility for me and limit my choices. But I got them from the shelter 8 years ago. They were abandoned by their owners, and I promised that I would always take care of them.

Samuel

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #61 on: October 25, 2019, 02:17:29 PM »
I don't feel confident that it's the smart choice for me mentally and emotionally having that scenario, and I'm opening myself up to a lot of risk. But I guess paying him $800 in rent is worth it to keep him in my life and a chance at having a future with him. I was hoping there was a middle ground where financial and security can meet somewhere in the middle to make this relationship work. I just have to pay that amount, become a tenant of his house, and hope for the best.

No.  Nonononono.  Your first sentence should be the end of the conversation, no ifs, ands, or buts.  It doesn't matter a whit what the scenario is, or what anyone else thinks about it.  If to you it doesn't feel like a smart choice mentally and emotionally, then you don't do it.  Period.

It seems to me that what you want is security.  You want to be married.  You want to be a part owner.  You are not worried about "legal" rights so much, because those you can protect with a lease, just like you have at your current apartment.  You are worried about the practical reality: if you dump him, or he dumps you, and you are living together, then you will need/want to find another place to stay ASAP.  Because it's still his house. 

There's only one thing that will "fix" that fear:  don't live together until you're married.  And that's even the solution that you came to on your own for your own mental health, before you met this guy, right?  So why in the world are you second-guessing yourself now? 

Do you have access to a therapist?  Because I see a lot of fear and insecurity and unwillingness/inability to voice pretty reasonable fears and thoughts and feelings.  If I were dating someone, and he bought a house I didn't want, and then was willing to break up with me if I didn't move in with him, well, that would be a real signal that he's a doink and isn't worth it and I'm wasting my time.  So if that's the message he is actually sending, and you aren't immediately turned off and walking the other way, then it seems like you need some help to see your own worth (probably as a very natural consequence of your past trauma).  OTOH, if he is acting reasonably and in good faith (as you seem to think he is), then your very strong reaction -- awfulizing "he'll leave me if I don't say yes!" -- suggests a lot of anxiety and insecurity on your part, and either an unwillingness or inability to express your legitimate concerns.  Neither one of those alternatives is the basis for a healthy relationship and happy life, either alone or together. 

I suggest you sit down with yourself, a therapist, and/or him, and talk about the real issue here.  It's not about the $800 -- clearly, because you're paying significantly more than that to rent a place now.  It's about your need for permanence and security, and his not being ready yet to feel like he can offer that.  You can be ok with the fact that he's not yet ready for that kind of commitment and still not be willing to agree to his "partway" solution that clearly does not address your needs.  So brainstorm other options, like the idea of you renting a different place closer to him, if that works.  You've clearly broached a lot of ideas so far, but those aren't real solutions, because they're not addressing your underlying need for security.  Focus on that -- stick to your guns on living separately until you're both ready to make it permanent, and be open about the fears that drive that need -- and see what creative solutions you can come up with.  And if he's still unwilling to negotiate at that point, well, then he's put himself very clearly into "doink" territory.

This. So much this.

Learning he bought the house while you were (briefly) not together eases a big concern I had, that he was making huge decisions purely independently without any regard for the future of your relationship. Sounds like he did this when your needs were not a factor, and now the question is how to bring the current situation into congruence with both of your plans and emotional needs. His offer is generally reasonable for two people cohabitating in a house one of them owns but that's not really the underlying problem needing to be addressed.

I really, really wonder how well you both are communicating the emotional sides of this decision. Speaking as a guy, even the best of us can be pretty oblivious to hints and unspoken expectations. There is a huge difference in how his actions can be interpreted depending on how directly your fears and worries about security are being discussed as part of this negotiation. If some professional assistance is needed to facilitate this communication I think it would be worth the cost.

Metalcat

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #62 on: October 25, 2019, 02:17:57 PM »
If you have broken up with him before, it is statistically likely you will break up again.

If you have only been seeing each other two days a week and are planning to now be with each other 7 days a week, that is a huge adjustment that will likely end in break up.

You are taking all of the risk by moving. You will be living in his place on his terms. This will either cause you to resent him or cause you to walk on eggshells to keep the relationship good so you won't lose your home.

If he truly loved you, he would not be negotiating so hard. He would be thrilled to have you with him every day and wouldn't worry about a couple hundred dollars. And vice versa.

Will it take you longer to get to work or cost you more to commute to work from his home? If so, resentment will build. There are so many red flags in your posts that I would stay where you are and continue to date until you negotiate a plan that works for both of you - or break up now to avoid more heartbreak and resentment in the future.

It's possible we would break up again, you never know. But then again, my last ex that we were together for 4 years, never broke up or had fights really, before the final breakup. So having those conflicts or not doesn't necessarily affect the whole relationship.

Yeah, you're right that it would be in his terms though, because it's his house. Which is something that doesn't sit right with me, being an independent person who tries to have an equal egalitarian relationship. That is probably part of the bigger issue with me. I feel resentment that by living in his house, I lose my independence and equal power dynamics with him.

I work from home most of the time, so commuting is not really an issue for me. I'm lucky with that at least.

Is this coming from you or from him?

If it's coming from you, then this is in your head and there's no reason whatsoever for you to have any less independence or "power" just because he owns the house you both pay to live in.

If it's in any way coming from him, then that's a serious problem, as it's not in any way healthy for him to feel like he has some sort of supremacy in a shared home just because his name is on the title.

It's very difficult to tell from your posts which of your insecurities and worries are coming from your own head and which are coming from him, because there seems to be evidence of both, which makes it no surprise that you are confused about what to do.

MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #63 on: October 25, 2019, 02:23:25 PM »

- Before I met him, I've made a well-thought out decision that I will never move in with someone again before marriage. I've done it 3 times already, and each time ended up disastrous for me financially, and emotionally. I haven't been smart financially with relationships before, and have just been following my heart. But each time, had real-life negative financial consequences that has made me suffer. I've come to the realization that if we weren't ready to be married and go all-in emotionally, financially and make that leap of faith, then we're not ready to move in. I can't take the emotional toll of being on a trial live-in situation over and over again. I believe if two people really love each other whole-heartedly, then they can work through any issues, and are willing to just make that leap of faith. I am ready for that now with him, but he isn't. Because he has never moved in with someone before and is thus really terrified of it, I've been understanding and took it into consideration. So living with him before marriage is already a  compromise on what I believe.

- The other factor is that I don't have a back-up plan, if things go wrong. I am a crown ward (orphan), and I don't have family I can rely on for help. I am on my own, self-made and have just been pulling on my own resourcefulness with any problem that comes up. If we live together in his house and he decides he doesn't want me there anymore, I'd be literally homeless. (This has happened a few times before, and I've just had to rely on either my own savings or people's kindness. ) I also live in a new city and I don't have friends here yet that I feel I can ask for help in that way. Plus I have 2 cats where no one in my city accepts in airbnb rentals, at a reasonable price. Meanwhile, he has supportive and wealthy parents living nearby, who have helped him financially, even offering to pay for some of his home renovations. He is living with them right now for free the last few months while he sorts out buying his new home. In the worse case scenario, my situation is much scarier and I have a lot more to lose.

This time around, I want to make sure that I am financially smarter, instead of just "going with the flow" and just hoping for the best. That we are both invested in a future and a home together and that if things go wrong, no one overly suffers. The amount of money is part of the issue (not really because I could easily afford what he's asking), but for me, there are more things that are just as important, if not more: values, security, risks, opportunity costs, independence, emotional investments, etc. For him, it's just dollars and cents and he thinks his offer is generous enough already.

Where do we meet in a mutually benefical place?

What happened to change your decision not to make the same mistake again? Just don't do it. You need to be financially and emotionally smarter than in the past. If he loves you, he loves you, whether or not you change your plans and do what he wants. It doesn't matter if the math works. You mention that you're in a new area and don't have a lot of friends--it might be time to focus on building up a life and a social circle for yourself that includes more than just him. In a healthy relationship, your partner will support you in that. I agree that your post is full of red flags. I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but a clueless guy can do a lot of damage too.

I don't know, I think these days it's very easy for everyone to just resolve to breaking up instead of working on the relationship. Because most people are generally self-sustainable. And that's what I did a lot in the past, I didn't put up with a lot of crap.

I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to compromise, but I do know you have to do that in relationships. There's never going to be the case where you get everything that you want the way you like it with everything in a relationship.

I know having your own life and a social circle is very important as well. It's not easy to make friends being in a new city, but I'm working on that!

MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #64 on: October 25, 2019, 02:32:13 PM »
No, don't do it. You have described a man who is very self centred, and in your initial post gave a very good run down of why he is being unreasonable. He went and bought a house without your input 1.5 years into your relationship. You've described him ignoring things around his house that are broken - it's not mustachian to have a useless clock on the wall for 5 years. He does not sound like he is a person who will pay you the attention that you need to feel safe. Stay put, and if the relationship survives that's great, if not you will find someone better because you won't be left to pick the pieces up while you are homeless again.

If you were my friend telling me this, I'd give you a hug and say that we should go out and have a girls night out this Saturday and put you and your needs back on your own radar.

Lol, yeah the broken clock really bugged me. Because everytime I looked at it to check the time and see it was always 11, was really really annoying. I made him buy a proper working clock finally. (At a good price ofcourse.)

Awww, you're so sweet! I appreciate the thought. :-)

Villanelle

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #65 on: October 25, 2019, 02:41:15 PM »
I think there are two issues of "reasonable" at play.

$800 is reasonable.  So too is $600 or $900 or $500 plus half of the major utilities.  Or $800, with $250 going to an escrow fund that we can't touch individually and that we split if we separate.  Or a number of other arrangements.

Refusing to consider any option other than the conclusion he came to on his own is NOT reasonable.  Have you clearly and calmly explained to him why it feels so uncomfortable for you?  What did he say to that?  If in the fact of an explanation of pretty logical feelings (as oxymoronic as that phrase may be), he response is, "okay, but still $800," then he is showing you very, very clearly how little he values your feelings or respects your needs. 


MS86TO

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #66 on: October 25, 2019, 02:41:51 PM »
Another vote for keeping your nice apartment.   I think you're right to be cautious about investing in a home that isn't in some way yours.  If not for your own sake, then for the cats.  You've said the cats would be a problem if you needed to leave - hard to find a short-term place where you could take them, etc.  It's valuable to have a place that your cats are welcome!

On which note, has your guy ever lived with cats?  Has he ever lived with cats (or anyone) in his place, that he owns and is looking at as a financial investment?  Cats don't pick up after themselves, they shed, they track litter, they puke on things.  Often nice new carpets.  If they're feeling sick, they may pee too.  (I love cats!  But they're jerks.)  Let your guy work out any new-homeowner, huge-financial-investment issues he has with a renter (and maybe their pets). 

The long commute between your places is a hardship - so maybe when your lease is up, look at renting a new nice apartment closer to his new house?

Yeah, if it was just me, it would definitely be much easier and cheaper to find a place to stay in fast. Cats are a huge huge responsibility! Financially too. As much as I love mine, I wouldn't recommend that responsibility to others. Like travelling with them is a nightmare. There are planes and trains that won't fly them, so the only option is to drive. And plane tickets cost almost as much as human. Also not a lot of short-term stays will accept them.

But he does adore the cats, even though he's never had them before. When he comes over, he's the one who feeds them and gives them treats. And he'll clean the litter box too. But yeah, he freaked out the first time he saw a furball. Which cat-owners know doesn't actually look as cute as it sounds. Lol. Thankfully, they are generally low maintenance and don't have any issues. Their old owner also declawed them (which is really really horrible), but the consequence is that, I don't have anything ruined with their claws.

His new place will be a lot closer to my current place, so the commuting to and from wont' be a big problem. Maybe 30 minutes one way.

bluebelle

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #67 on: October 25, 2019, 04:49:45 PM »
I wouldn't let a male partner move in with me for free but I would let a female partner move in for free. Because men make more. If I trusted someone enough to be married to them I would expect that there would be times the either one of us could be unemployed and unable to contribute . For me there's a difference between cohabitation and marriage.
Wait, what?   What year is this?  I've made nearly twice what my husband makes every year we've been together.   And that's not because he's a deadbeat, I just have a higher paying skillset.

SKL-HOU

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #68 on: October 25, 2019, 05:01:15 PM »
I have been able to find places to rent even with 2 large dogs (55 lbs and 75 lbs) plus a cat. You can easily find a place with 2 cats. Maybe research the availability of those places so you can put your mind at ease.

six-car-habit

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #69 on: October 25, 2019, 09:34:06 PM »
So you drop everything that would make life easier during the week to have 2 fun days with him when he is at your place.  What do the 2 of you do the weekends you are at his place?  And really how can you build a deeper relationship when the nitty-gritty is not being addressed?  How is he going to react when you want to spend weekend time on chores?

Like La Bibliotecaria Feroz I  put my (ex) husband's needs and wants ahead of mine, while he also put his needs and wants ahead of mine.  Believe me, the more you put their wants ahead of yours, the more it becomes an expected behaviour.

Yeah, it's not optimal and smartest of me. I do have to rush or postpone those chores, which build up and stress me out. But I'm happy to be spending the time with him and have him enjoy my place too.

When I go over to his place, he does the same thing too, and just focuses on time with me. Although I don't think he does the same amount of work. But he cleans and tidies up his place for when I come over, to impress me, which I do appreciate.

  You two have been together for 18 months.  Currently he is living at mom's so I can't imagine he has so much cleaning to do [ his room ?] .  This isn't the 1st months dating. He's not going to leave you because the sink is 1/2 full of dishes, and you are not going to leavehim  because he left his pants and underwear on the closet floor.

 -  I don't get what 's with the excessive cleaning binge and stress buildup before he shows up. He's not running a white glove under your bathroom sink is he ?

 - You want some real "quality time" and to see how he'll react when you [ eventually] move in together ?   Don't clean / pick up your apartment more than you would for just yourself.  Pretend he is on a business trip for a month and won't be coming over and checking the silverware for spots.  Then when he shows up, say nonchalantly, " Oh, yeah , well i need to do the dishes, and vacuum, laundry, etc, then we can go out to the park/ game/ etc.  . You can play with kitties, or read a magazine, or watch TV, while you wait - or help 'straighten up' and we'll get to the park a bit quicker,while the sun is still shining".  How he reacts to your dirty laundry, or willingness to pitch in and help scrub [ or not] will tell you a lot about future relationship.

   My wife and I have a decently clean house. It isn't spotless, but you could eat off any counter and not get sick or be grossed out. But she is not a "neat" person with paperwork, or knickknacks, etc.-  I am more of a " i want the counters clear, and things put back in their designated spot" kind of person. So i had to compromise. Guess what ? -the few extra pieces of mail, or recipies she's printed out, or empty mason jar, or childs schoolwork / coloring projects sitting on the counter aren't hurting me...
 

mistymoney

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #70 on: October 26, 2019, 06:30:07 AM »
You don't trust him enough to take the next step.

Keep paying your rent for your own place until you feel 100% ready to move in with him.

I do trust him. And I care for him a lot.

It seems like most people believe I should just suck it up and pay $800 so that I can stay with him and just trust/hope for the best. (I really couldn't care less about how nice or big a place I have and I've realized relationships are more important. ) If I don't do this, it will probably mean the end of our relationship. We've been together 1.5 years and seeing and sleeping over each other's place twice a week, which is not sustainable.

I don't feel confident that it's the smart choice for me mentally and emotionally having that scenario, and I'm opening myself up to a lot of risk. But I guess paying him $800 in rent is worth it to keep him in my life and a chance at having a future with him. I was hoping there was a middle ground where financial and security can meet somewhere in the middle to make this relationship work. I just have to pay that amount, become a tenant of his house, and hope for the best.

why can't you two just continue dating from your separate domiciles?

the paying for his food is just bizarre - it's nonsensical. My best guess is that is his way of making sure you have absolutely no claims on his property - so in essence, he doesn't trust you. And if you aren't paying rent, just food - then maybe he doesn't even want to extend to you the common rights of a tenant. Why? Really - why not draw up a rental agree? first thought - so he can kick you to curb at a moment's notice. When he's done - you are out the door.

And aside from that - there is something a bit controlling about his plans here, he won't even negotiate on terms or amount. And I think your hesitation is about more than the dollar amount. It's about how he is laying this out in a bizarre, inflexible way and you have no say in how this arrangement goes down.

Think very long and hard about what that means, and how that would play out if you are living in his house and he doesn't even want you to pay rent - he wants you there without any claims to the place, and I think that is why you are stating your independence and legal rights as a reason not to.

As an aside - in the US you would have legal rights, and I think you are UK - and likely would have some rights. Maybe he thinks this bizarre paying for food eliminates those rights - or worse - that he thinks that will leave you believing that you don't have rights that you have.

Stay in your apartment! Mistress of your domain!

Keep seeing him if you must, and let him know that you will consider it when he is ready to move on to a jointly owned domicile.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #71 on: October 26, 2019, 06:38:09 AM »
You know, I think this would be a good question to send to Captain Awkward. She is really good at spotting red flags, and if she lets comments be open her commenters also have lots of insight.

mbl

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #72 on: October 26, 2019, 07:05:06 AM »
It seems like most people believe I should just suck it up and pay $800 so that I can stay with him and just trust/hope for the best.

Most people where?  Not here - I don’t see anyone saying you should pay $800.

I know we are only hearing one side of the story, but WHY are you so intent on staying in this relationship if your partner doesn’t seem to be willing to address any of your concerns/desires related to your living situation?  At the very least he should be fine with you continuing to rent your own place.  What’s not sustainable about sleeping at each other’s place?

Yup, typically there are 3 sides to a story:  Person #1, Person #2 and the Truth.

Also, the difference in how two personalities approach the accomplishment of a personal goals.
If he wants to buy a home,  proposes an amount for "rent", and has decided to live in this home for a period of time that suits his goals.....it's his business.   Perhaps he's not as committed to a long term romantic relationship(with or without marriage).
Each individual in the end, must be responsible for themselves.   Emotionally, fiscally, and practically.

If the OP, as she has indicated, has experienced having been in relationships that ended in a way that caused pain, disappointment and difficulty, maybe it is best to take a step  back and examine the issues here that are causing discomfort?

He can do as he pleases.   And as seems to be the case, and indeed is happening, is that without any form of effort toward melding goals between the two of you, he is moving ahead with his home purchase and how that will work for him.   
At this juncture, he is doing what works for him and I suspect that's a good thing.  He is clearly indicating his priorities.
Excellent insight into how he navigates this relationship.

I think the OP needs to take responsibility for what she wants and base her decision on that.
If she wants to be with him most of all then she'll have to accept the situation as he's offered it.
Otherwise, and what might appear to be the better decision, continue to live independently and seek to achieve your own
goals of home ownership.
JMHO

LaineyAZ

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #73 on: October 26, 2019, 09:03:54 AM »
Lots of good advice so far.
I'm chiming in to ask what would be your ultimate ideal scenario?  If it's marriage and legal joint homeownership, then I would put a time frame of 2 years max on this living together situation (however it's actually structured.)    Then, if after 2 years of living together there's no marriage plans, and that is a deal-breaker for you, then move on. 
I think knowing this would let you retain that sense of power and autonomy you seem to feel would be lost with just an open-ended live-in situation.

Omy

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #74 on: October 26, 2019, 10:49:48 AM »
I wouldn't move in until it's clear that marriage is on the table...assuming that's your end goal. From what you've posted so far (including his fear of living together), there are too many red flags.

When I moved in with my now husband, we were both planning a future together. He didn't expect me to pay half of his rent. I payed for the groceries and other household expenses. After 6 months in his apartment, we bought a house together and split everything 50/50. Four years later, we got married and combined our checking accounts. He would have gotten married MUCH sooner, but I wanted to make sure this (my 2nd) marriage would succeed so opted for a long engagement.

There should be a strong desire - on both sides - to move in together. The terms should be agreeable to both parties. If not, I don't see this ending well.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #75 on: October 26, 2019, 11:02:51 AM »
You don't trust him enough to take the next step.

Keep paying your rent for your own place until you feel 100% ready to move in with him.

I do trust him. And I care for him a lot.

It seems like most people believe I should just suck it up and pay $800 so that I can stay with him and just trust/hope for the best. (I really couldn't care less about how nice or big a place I have and I've realized relationships are more important. ) If I don't do this, it will probably mean the end of our relationship. We've been together 1.5 years and seeing and sleeping over each other's place twice a week, which is not sustainable.

I don't feel confident that it's the smart choice for me mentally and emotionally having that scenario, and I'm opening myself up to a lot of risk. But I guess paying him $800 in rent is worth it to keep him in my life and a chance at having a future with him. I was hoping there was a middle ground where financial and security can meet somewhere in the middle to make this relationship work. I just have to pay that amount, become a tenant of his house, and hope for the best.

why can't you two just continue dating from your separate domiciles?

the paying for his food is just bizarre - it's nonsensical. My best guess is that is his way of making sure you have absolutely no claims on his property - so in essence, he doesn't trust you. And if you aren't paying rent, just food - then maybe he doesn't even want to extend to you the common rights of a tenant. Why? Really - why not draw up a rental agree? first thought - so he can kick you to curb at a moment's notice. When he's done - you are out the door.

And aside from that - there is something a bit controlling about his plans here, he won't even negotiate on terms or amount. And I think your hesitation is about more than the dollar amount. It's about how he is laying this out in a bizarre, inflexible way and you have no say in how this arrangement goes down.

Think very long and hard about what that means, and how that would play out if you are living in his house and he doesn't even want you to pay rent - he wants you there without any claims to the place, and I think that is why you are stating your independence and legal rights as a reason not to.

As an aside - in the US you would have legal rights, and I think you are UK - and likely would have some rights. Maybe he thinks this bizarre paying for food eliminates those rights - or worse - that he thinks that will leave you believing that you don't have rights that you have.

Stay in your apartment! Mistress of your domain!

Keep seeing him if you must, and let him know that you will consider it when he is ready to move on to a jointly owned domicile.

I don't think that painting her boyfriend as a Dickensian villain is helpful to the OP. It was not helpful to me when I was married. He might be short on empathy--it sounds like he is pretty sure his plan is reasonable and is not seeing the situation through OP's eyes--but that is not the same as having some nefarious plot. Didn't OP say that the grocery thing was her idea because she didn't like the idea of paying rent?

The question isn't whether the rent is reasonable. I still think it's too high for a place she has no equity in, didn't pick and seems unexcited about, but other people disagree. To me the issue is that in the scenario being discussed, OP is the one making every single compromise, and I think that's a terrible foundation for a long-term relationship. @MS86TO, you deserve an arrangement that makes you comfortable, and I hope you hold out for it. If he is the right man for you, he will take your feelings seriously and work with you.

meandmyfamily

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #76 on: October 26, 2019, 08:27:56 PM »
- Before I met him, I've made a well-thought out decision that I will never move in with someone again before marriage. I've done it 3 times already, and each time ended up disastrous for me financially, and emotionally. I haven't been smart financially with relationships before, and have just been following my heart. But each time, had real-life negative financial consequences that has made me suffer. I've come to the realization that if we weren't ready to be married and go all-in emotionally, financially and make that leap of faith, then we're not ready to move in. I can't take the emotional toll of being on a trial live-in situation over and over again. I believe if two people really love each other whole-heartedly, then they can work through any issues, and are willing to just make that leap of faith. I am ready for that now with him, but he isn't. Because he has never moved in with someone before and is thus really terrified of it, I've been understanding and took it into consideration. So living with him before marriage is already a  compromise on what I believe.

Listen to your self!  Stay where you are until you are married!!!

marty998

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #77 on: October 26, 2019, 08:49:48 PM »
Is your partner so insistent on the $800 because he's been burned by a previous girlfriend who might have flaked on an agreed contribution?

Haven't really heard a lot about the reasons why he is drawing the line in the sand here. Many responses are assuming he is unreasonable without knowing the real reason why.

- Before I met him, I've made a well-thought out decision that I will never move in with someone again before marriage. I've done it 3 times already, and each time ended up disastrous for me financially, and emotionally. I haven't been smart financially with relationships before, and have just been following my heart. But each time, had real-life negative financial consequences that has made me suffer. I've come to the realization that if we weren't ready to be married and go all-in emotionally, financially and make that leap of faith, then we're not ready to move in. I can't take the emotional toll of being on a trial live-in situation over and over again. I believe if two people really love each other whole-heartedly, then they can work through any issues, and are willing to just make that leap of faith. I am ready for that now with him, but he isn't. Because he has never moved in with someone before and is thus really terrified of it, I've been understanding and took it into consideration. So living with him before marriage is already a  compromise on what I believe.

Listen to your self!  Stay where you are until you are married!!!

Agree - don't break your own rules. You're supposed to learn from experience. In investing we call it the "this time it's different" thinking.

It's never different.

Zamboni

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #78 on: October 26, 2019, 10:23:46 PM »
You don't trust him enough to take the next step.

Keep paying your rent for your own place until you feel 100% ready to move in with him.

I wish I could thumbs up a post.

OP, the way you are feeling and thinking about this is completely understandable. You are under no obligation to move in with him. . . And you are under no obligation to cave to his “offer” of the amount you should pay him. When I was young I was all for people moving in together, but over time my thinking has shifted to where you are: keep separate homes until at least being formally engaged. Otherwise you are just playing house, and you’ve already learned how easy it is to get burned doing that. If it is meant to be, he will understand that you want to keep your own place until a more permanent plan is in place (like a marriage or at least an actual wedding date, that everyone in your lives has been told about.)

Yonco

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #79 on: October 27, 2019, 02:07:12 PM »
I am a male that owns a house with a live-in girlfriend. When we were deciding if she should re lease her appt, I offered her to live with me for 300$. That is half of the utilities/housing expenses for one month. That does not include principal or equity towards my house.  This is very cheap for her coming from a apartment that was 1000$ / month. It allows her to pay off her student loans. She does buy all the groceries that is about 400$ per month but I also pay for all outings and dinners out that runs about 400 per month also. We don't argue about money and it was a take it or leave it mentality for both of us and we just ran with it.

Zamboni

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #80 on: October 28, 2019, 07:37:59 PM »
I went back and read all of your posts here, @MS86TO.

In many ways he sounds like a sweet guy, and it is understandable that you really care for him.

One thing that does bug me a lot about what you have written is his stubborn stance about the dollar figure. It seems like it is $800 to move in with him, take it or leave it. Sure, maybe that is fair and maybe it isn't, but it's really very concerning that he has cited that number and is sticking to it rather than listening to you.

I don't know how much of what you have written here has been communicated to him, but, it sounds like at least you have tried to suggest alternatives and he has just shot those down. This tells me that he is not negotiating in good faith, because saying "this is my only offer, no room to negotiate" is not how you should deal with someone you love. To me, that is the biggest red flag. He is not honoring your feelings or ideas about what is fair. He's a poor negotiator because he doesn't see the other person's side of the situation, and I actually think that $800 a month on a $1200 a month mortgage is a bit bullying. Other people may think it is fair, but i would argue that $400-$500 a month is more fair, because as an unmarried couple he is building equity in the home, while you are not. YMMV. But you don't want to be his tenant at all, and so he should honor that by really working especially hard to make you feel safe in this move.

Have you both taken a Myers Briggs personality test? Here is a link to that:
https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

I suggest this because of differences you have in decorating, the broken clock, thoughts about how to handle finances, etc. As a pair, the two of you sound a lot like my other half and me. We are madly in love, but we certainly have our different ways of going about things (INTJ with an ENFP . . . so three out of four things are different.) However, watching some videos about each other's personality types has really helped us both realize that our complementary styles actually make it fun to be together. For example, I like to travel, but I'm terrible about planning travel details.  I also wait until the last minute to pack, don't know what times the trains run, etc. My other half is really good about planning tiny details, which I appreciate, but then gets upset when things don't go according to plan . . . that's where I pop in and say it's okay for us to go with the flow. We can think about the cancelled flight as a chance to have a nice dinner in a new neighborhood, or bad traffic as a chance to pull off an exit and get smoothies. Whatever. On the flip side, I'm much better about financial planning, which stresses my other half out probably due of a lifetime of baggage and insecurity around money, although that is improving as we work as a team. Are you ready to work as a team with this guy? And is he ready to work as a team with you? Or is he going to try to dictate the terms of everything, just like he is dictating this rent payment rather than compromising?

He wants to have his cake and eat it too without getting married. He wants you to pay more than half his mortgage and have all of the other benefits of having you around full time (because you sound great! please come decorate my place!)

You want to get married . . . it is clear. Then there is no "my money and your money" or "my house and you pay rent." It is just "our house." Sure, maybe it isn't the house you would pick, but you could then feel okay staying there for at least 5 years because you'd be benefiting from the gain in equity. And it really would be "our house", because you'd get half of the home value if there is a split regardless of where the down payment came from. That's how it works. If married, you could agree with his idea to stay there 5 years building equity, and then plan to look for the next house together as a couple to try to get more of the things you are looking for yourself in a home.

Have you told him that you don't feel comfortable living with someone again without getting married? Have you told him you feel like you got burned other times by moving in and giving up your own independent residence without getting married? Is he listening? Or is he dismissing your feelings and ideas as silly or not important or wrong? He should understand that you want to get married before living together. If he doesn't, then he just isn't the right guy at this time despite his other positive qualities.

MKinVA

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #81 on: October 28, 2019, 09:00:57 PM »
I think those of us who are focused on the 800 dollars are missing the point. In everything the OP has said it is about giving up her independence and security to move in with someone who, at this time, does not want to marry her. And she has done that before, several times. There is nothing we can say, no advice we can give you that will make him marry you. You want to move in, get married shortly thereafter and in doing so, gain half the equity in this house he has already purchased with his own money and hard work. And maybe redirect the living arrangements to a home you would be more comfortable in. You are not ready by any stretch to do the compromising and rolling with the punches it takes to make a long term living arrangement work whether married or just living together.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #82 on: November 08, 2019, 09:40:03 AM »
Coming back and rereading a bit. You mentioned that your last relationship was 4 years living together. In my province you would have been considered common law married after 3. What are the laws re common law marriage in your state?

I've seen these same issues discussed elsewhere, it is a situation that does arise. 

@MS86TO any news?

Here4theGB

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #83 on: November 08, 2019, 10:46:04 AM »
Coming back and rereading a bit. You mentioned that your last relationship was 4 years living together. In my province you would have been considered common law married after 3. What are the laws re common law marriage in your state?

I've seen these same issues discussed elsewhere, it is a situation that does arise. 

@MS86TO any news?
I think that's a Canadian thing (or other counties besides the US) as we don't have that in any US State afaik - although I may be wrong.

I'm also curious as to what the OP decided and hope she didn't think we were bei g to harsh and Judgmental.
Common law marriages are a thing here in the US for sure.  My FIL had to go through a costly "divorce" to get his long time live in GF out of his house when they broke up.  Cleaned him out well and good the same a proper divorce would have.  I was a bit taken aback by it honestly, it was eye opening.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #84 on: November 08, 2019, 11:38:44 AM »
Coming back and rereading a bit. You mentioned that your last relationship was 4 years living together. In my province you would have been considered common law married after 3. What are the laws re common law marriage in your state?

I've seen these same issues discussed elsewhere, it is a situation that does arise. 

@MS86TO any news?
I think that's a Canadian thing (or other counties besides the US) as we don't have that in any US State afaik - although I may be wrong.

I'm also curious as to what the OP decided and hope she didn't think we were bei g to harsh and Judgmental.
Common law marriages are a thing here in the US for sure.  My FIL had to go through a costly "divorce" to get his long time live in GF out of his house when they broke up.  Cleaned him out well and good the same a proper divorce would have.  I was a bit taken aback by it honestly, it was eye opening.

Yes.  People need to know the laws of their state/province.  Always good to meet with a lawyer to discuss possible consequences before anything starts.

Basically what I have seen among elderly people who are embarking on new not-married relationships is that they do a cohabitation agreement, equal to a prenup.  These are mostly people who are widowed, want their estates to go to children and grandchildren, and generally want to avoid having their finances mingled with the other person's.  If I were to ever live with someone again this is what I would do.

I've also seen them with young people who are living together and buying a house together but at that point are not yet married.  A cohabitation agreement makes things a lot smoother if they break up.  It also gives the basis for deciding if they need a pre-nup if they get married, or if they are OK with their province/state's laws about marital assets.

Captain FIRE

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #85 on: November 08, 2019, 12:32:56 PM »
Coming back and rereading a bit. You mentioned that your last relationship was 4 years living together. In my province you would have been considered common law married after 3. What are the laws re common law marriage in your state?

I've seen these same issues discussed elsewhere, it is a situation that does arise. 

@MS86TO any news?
I think that's a Canadian thing (or other counties besides the US) as we don't have that in any US State afaik - although I may be wrong.

I'm also curious as to what the OP decided and hope she didn't think we were bei g to harsh and Judgmental.
Common law marriages are a thing here in the US for sure.  My FIL had to go through a costly "divorce" to get his long time live in GF out of his house when they broke up.  Cleaned him out well and good the same a proper divorce would have.  I was a bit taken aback by it honestly, it was eye opening.
I googled it and it seems that only 8 states recognize common law marriage so you FIL was probably in one of this. In the other states you are not entitled to any "marital" assets just your own. If BF and I live together I'm no more entitled the his stuff then he is to mine. We are basicly treated like roommates legally. However regular contract law would apply if say we bought property together or somehow combined assets. Same if one of us dies. There are no survivership rights or inheritance rights unless we have a will stating that. I'm in Calif btw where we have legal domestic partner laws but you have to file for that for them to be legally enforceable. Also may be some laws that recognize really long term live-together situations where one person completely supported the other. Not sure about that though.

Usually to be considered common law in the US, you need to do more than live together, you need to also hold yourself out as being married.  (And it's a common misperception that you need to live together X time.  AFAIK, no state imposes a time requirement for common law marriage.)  For example, hold a wedding ceremony, call yourselves spouses, change your name socially, have joint bank accounts with the "married" name, etc.  But it varies by state, so check your state laws.  As Spartana notes, few states have it anymore though.  For example, Pennsylvania ended it in 2006? I think, although I believe people in common law marriages at the time might be grandfathered in.
« Last Edit: November 08, 2019, 12:37:17 PM by Captain FIRE »

Psychstache

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #86 on: November 08, 2019, 01:21:19 PM »
I'm not going to rehash many of the thoughts already pointed out, on the initial question I will simply say that I don't think you should move in together right now (shot out to great posts from @La Bibliotecaria Feroz @Laura33 @marty998 @MKinVA and many others).

What I will comment on is this...


His approach to life and finances is very simple, and practical, in a very no-nonsense kind of way. He genuinely thinks this is a good deal for me, considering the math and what I get out of it, and can't understand my problem with it. And it's because he doesn't quite understand my situation or where I'm coming from, because he's never even remotely experienced it. He's never lived with anyone, not even a roommate. He's never been homeless. He's always had parents and family to guide him, back him up, give him hand-outs, etc. So I know he's not coming from a place of bad intentions, but maybe more of ignorance. And it's not something I can blame a person for. And he's excited about the idea of us living together and thinks it will just be perfect and dandy, and I don't think he thinks about any of the risks I worry about.


What you are describing is a significant lack of empathy, and I would think very, very long and hard before committing to a relationship with someone who is not interested in working on this. He may not have had to develop his empathy muscles given his background and experience, but if he is not interested in trying to work on his empathy muscles, then I would sprint, not walk, out of this relationship.

Padonak

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #87 on: November 08, 2019, 04:44:00 PM »
Quote
He wants me to pay $800 flat fee for his groceries, internet, and other expenses.

It seems like the way he said it was just to save face because he didn't want to say "hey, pay me $800 rent for the place I own".


TomTX

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Re: Live-in Relationship Arrangement and Finances
« Reply #88 on: November 09, 2019, 07:04:12 PM »
I wouldn't let a male partner move in with me for free but I would let a female partner move in for free. Because men make more.

?????

<Checks year.... 2019.... >


Yep, even in 2019.

Women earn just 79 cents for every dollar men make in 2019.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/02/heres-how-much-men-and-women-earn-at-every-age.html

The gap is much smaller once you correct for choice of profession and years of experience.

...which certainly isn't right, it's just not as dramatic as the 79 cents number.