Introduction
Many people wish to marry their significant other when they grow older. The personality of the spouse and the amount of time before marriage vary from person to person, but we all begin a new life with marriage as an opportunity. However, most individuals believe that marriage is a normal part of growing up, but this is not the case. Some marry, while others never marry or do not want to marry. Should we get married someday?
What do people get married for?
・Benefits of finance
A single household can cut living expenses (Dean, 2023). Furthermore, Kamen (2023) claims that by filing our income tax forms together, we can lower the amount of tax we have to pay.
Marriage, in particular, provides us with benefits, social security, and other advantages that single individuals do not have. Advantages such as family health and medical insurance are easier for them to obtain, and they pay less for these advantages than singles (Dean, 2023). Marriage frequently saves the economy.
・Benefits of health
In general, married people tend to stay healthier and live longer than single people. Studies have also shown that they are less likely to get serious illnesses. The health benefits certainly outweigh the stresses of marriage (Kamen, 2023).
・Benefits of emotions and psychology
People want marriage through deep love and companionship. Marriage makes us aware of our relationship with our partners and makes us realize that our lives matter to others as well. Therefore, we can obtain many healings (Kamen, 2023).
・Benefits of sex
Married people are more likely to have sex than single people are. Although people may become accustomed to the relationship as the number grows, they are more optimistic than before in terms of quality, quantity, and safety. We have the ability to mend the scars caused by our connections with our loved ones (Kamen, 2023).
What should I prepare to get married?
According to Ogletree (2022), when a couple decides to get married, there are many things that must be done. Preparing the marriage registration and deciding the place of residence are important, but there are more important things than that.
・Mutual understanding of values
Before we get married and start living together, it’s important to understand each other’s values. We all grew up in different environments, so our religions, family rituals, and lifestyles are rarely all the same. Brittny Drye, founder of Love Inc. in New York, says it’s important to understand and respect each other’s points of view, even if we don’t agree with them.
・Talk about money
When we get married and start living together, there are many situations where each other will manage money. It is necessary to consider how to use money by discussing how to share living expenses, lifestyle, and time, and how long we will continue to work.
・Talk about children
It is important to discuss and decide whether people want children or not and at what age they want to have children. If they have children, they need to raise them with great responsibility and change their relationship with their partner.
・Live together
By living together before marriage, we can check our compatibility with each other. From the experience of living together, we can understand each other’s good points and bad points, different values, daily routines, and so on. In addition, there are many costs that can be reduced because of cohabitation from an economic point of view.
・Talk about changing your surname
People are free to choose their surname these days. We need to consider whether to change the surname we use after marriage to that of our partner, keep it ourselves, or change to a new surname.
・Meet each other’s loved ones
Knowing what kind of people our partner’s important family and friends are and building a relationship of trust with them can deepen the bond in our marriage.
Are there any downsides to being married?
According to Positive Negative Effects (2017), the positive effects of marriage can turn into negative ones if we make a mistake. To do this, we must share and understand each other’s opinions and values.
Negative effects
・Legal implications
We get married of our own volition, but many couples stay married for legal or financial reasons even when their relationship doesn’t work out. Even if we both want a divorce, the process requires a lot of money. Therefore, it will take a lot of time to solve the problem. Giving up on divorce due to financial problems creates an unhealthy atmosphere in the family, making life even more difficult.
・Increased cost of living
There are many expenses that are spread out or reduced by getting married, but in general, people need money to get married. If we are going to have a wedding, there are many things to prepare, such as the decoration of the venue, clothes, food, drink, and gifts. The bigger they are, the more expensive they are. In addition, when a child is born, it is necessary to purchase tools for the child. Marriage can be tough if we don’t have the financial means.
・Increased responsibility
Marriage creates many responsibilities for us. That responsibility is not only for ourselves but also for others.
When married, the couple’s parents have to look after their grandchildren and interact with their non-blood in-laws. Life becomes difficult when we don’t like it or are unhappy with it. We interact with not only our own children and families but also our in-laws and their acquaintances, and we take great responsibility for their lives.
Conclusion
Marriage has numerous benefits and drawbacks. Furthermore, it takes time to prepare for them, and understanding each other’s way of thinking and values is required to establish a long-lasting marriage. It is critical for married people to communicate their thoughts, make excellent use of their time, and avoid collecting stress in order to enjoy a happy and fulfilling married life.
References
Dean, S. (2023). 5 Big Reasons You Should Get Married — That Totally Don’t Matter. [online] YourTango. Available at: https://www.yourtango.com/love/big-reasons-get-married-totally-dont-matter [Accessed 8 April 2023].
Kamen, S. (2023). 4 Reasons Why People Still Get Married. [online] YourTango. Available at: https://www.yourtango.com/love/why-do-people-still-get-married-reasons [Accessed 8 April 2023].
Ogletree, K. (2022). 10 Important Things Every Couple Should Do Before Getting Married. [online] Real Simple. Available at: https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/relationships/things-to-do-before-marriage [Accessed 7 April 2023].
Positive Negative Effects (2017). Positive and negative effects of marriage – Essay and speech. [online] Positive Negative Effects. Available at: https://www.positivenegativeeffects.com/marriage [Accessed 8 April 2023].
