Living together saves money as well, another common reason people decide to move in with a sweetheart. Their reasons vary. Some, like Jane Fronek, Heskestad's partner, say the choice not to marry allows her a freedom from assumed roles. Today, Amy says she does not want to marry her partner. I saw one marriage break up, and I saw two people who did not get married stay together for the rest of my life.
Some people find the institution of marriage too bound to religion.
Some have experienced painful or expensive divorces and have sworn never to involve the legal system in their relationships again. Growing numbers of senior citizens find that they would lose a significant amount of the pension they receive from a deceased spouse if they were to wed again. So while college students may have been the first ones to thumb their noses at societal mores by moving in with a lover, today even some grandparents decide it's the way to go. Close to home As a couple who long ago decided not to marry, this issue is a personal one for us. Our relationship was strong and felt stable and complete.