Breaking up is hard enough to do without these extra things making it even more difficult:

Living Together

When you live with your boyfriend, breaking up isn’t as easy as just sending him an email, as suggested in my previous article, Breaking Up Part III. You’ll have to sit down and have a talk with him about it. (Unless he’s abusive, then you should follow the guidelines I set in Leaving Your Abuser.) When you live together, breaking up is like a mini-divorce. You have to find another place to live, which takes time. And you’ll have to move all your stuff too. If the two of you can be amicable about things, that’s great. But sometimes there’s a lot of fighting that goes on at the end, unfortunately, which adds more stress to the whole thing. This is another reason why it’s best to not move in together before you get married.

Relying on Him Financially

If he supports you financially in any way, from paying your bills to buying you extravagant gifts, you may begin to rely on him for your financial well-being. When you depend on a man for your financial security, you’re allowing him to control you. You’ll be more apt to do what he wants you to do, out of guilt and obligation, because he’s footing the bill. Therefore, you’ll find it harder to break up with him, because you’ve already conditioned yourself to think of his wants and needs before your own. Also, you may dislike the thought of that income stream going away, so you’ll keep him around longer than you should. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s okay to end the relationship if things are going sour. Stringing him along just because he’s paying your way isn’t the right thing to do, even if it helps you live a more comfortable lifestyle. You made it on your own before he came along; you can do it again.

Sleeping Together

If you sleep together before you are married, you have created a bond that is more difficult to break. Think about a guy you’ve dated but haven’t had sex with. Now think about one you’ve dated whom you have had sex with. Which one was easier to break up with? It’s easier to dump someone you haven’t had sex with because there’s not the intimate connection associated with the act. There’s less emotions invested in the relationship, and it’s easier to say goodbye. Another reason to wait until you’re married.

Staying Over

If you’re sleeping together, you’re probably spending the night at his house. When you do this, you’re likely to leave some of your stuff there, like an extra set of makeup, shampoo, an extra toothbrush, and some clothes. The thing is, the more you stay over with him, the more stuff will end up at his house, until you are practically moved in! This complicates things when it’s time to break up because now you have to get all your stuff back, and if he wants to be nasty, he can make this part difficult for you.

Consider these things before you go too far into the relationship.