When two people begin dating, they may have been introduced by mutual friends, met at work or bumped into each other at the park. No matter how they met, it is unlikely they will have exactly the same lifestyle. Economic and social classes are not always well defined in the modern world, so there is a good chance that two people will have different expectations in life. This is often a problem when their relationship advanced to the point where they are ready to move in with each other.

Making a commitment and living together is often a major step for today's couples. They want to see if they can bridge the differences in their backgrounds, and living together forces them to make compromises to satisfy each other. If one person is from a lower economic stratum, they may be willing to settle for a place to live in a less expensive neighborhood, but the other person may decide this is unacceptable. It is these types of decisions the couple must compromise on to integrate their lives.