Other factors may have included the postponement of marriages because of graduate studies or training for specific careers and the mundane acceptance and use of contraceptives (Champlin 1). Along with these explanations, many couples cohabit simply because buying a house together can save a lot of money - as oppose to each individual renting an apartment or smaller house (Champlin 1). In addition, it allows them to spend much more time together without using gas to visit each other (Champlin 1). However, the main reason most choose to cohabit is to find out if they will be able to live together for the rest of their lives. Often times, their parents had divorced at some point in their childhood leaving them with a fear of divorce for themselves and they don't want to put their children through what they experienced (Champlin 1). .
Despite many couple's beliefs that they will scarcely have any arguments, if two people are living under the same roof for an unlimited period of time, conflicts are destined to arise at some point in time - it's only natural. Typically, this is one of the first things couples discover when they begin living together (Raphael 39). Regardless of the circumstances, most men and women have very different views of cohabitation and unless the terms are discussed before the unmarried couple moves in together, enormous arguments and conflicts are encountered later in the relationship. Individuals who choose to cohabit may not be as committed to the idea of marriage, which is one of the reasons cohabitation is linked to high divorce rates. However, the reasons behind this observation are not fully understood. It may be because although cohabitation is extremely similar to marriage, one of the individuals may not be committed as the other (Popenoe, and Whitehead). Typically, couples who are already engaged and planning to get married can make living together work for a brief period of time simply because of the fact that they have more commitment to each other since they are truly planning on spending the rest of their lives together (Jabusch).