How many dates have you had with your new girlfriend? Can you actually call her a girlfriend if you have not asked her to be exclusive yet? How many dates does it take to pop the question? What are the differences between dating and being in a relationship? If you find yourself asking these questions more and more often, there is a good chance you will find some of the answers below.

Let’s look at this burning issue from two perspectives: if you are a female and if you are a male. Surely, if you are a man, most likely you have not really given this question much thought. You have a beautiful girl who likes you, who you like to spend time with whenever it suits you. Unless you are already crazy in love with her, the last thing you want is to make any commitment, give promises you are not sure you can keep, and ask her to move in with you. However, if you feel she is the one, you should not wait too long. But there is no need to hurry either. When you are searching for a long-term relationship, it can be a good idea to test your girl. Offer to come to her place and take a look around. Is her apartment tidy and clean?  Has she taken her time to surprise her with her trademark dish? If you are pleased with the results of this so-called test, the next step would be introducing her to your parents. You do not want to start living with a girl who cannot get along with your Mom and Dad. If your family dinner has been a success, do not hesitate and ask her to move in with you and start an exclusive relationship.

If you are a girl dating a very nice guy who cannot seem to make any steps forward to advance your relationship status from just seeing each other to living together, you might also wonder how do you move from dating to a relationship? The first rule you need to remember is never talk about it to your boyfriend at the beginner stages. You may just scare him off, and that’s not what you want to achieve with this, do you? Yet, you can make it clear that you are not just willingly waiting for him to make up his mind. What works best with the guys is when you let him know you have other admirers and some of them seem interesting and persistent. Some men like to think they are the only ones you have on a dating scene. But when they feel competition, they become ready to fight for you. Don’t overdo it, though. Pay enough attention to your man but also never give him all of yourself, until he asks you to be your permanent girlfriend. When you talk on the phone, always be the first to end the conversation. When you invite him over, mention that you will need to get up early the next day, that’s why he will need to leave before 11 pm. All these little things will make him want more, and is there any other way to get more besides asking you to live together and start a relationship?

There are also some universal rules and tips that can help you move from dating to a relationship. Some couples go out on a few days and start taking each other for granted. That’s the biggest mistake you can make. Until you get married (and even after that) you must keep making pleasant surprises and giving presents to your girlfriend or boyfriend. Let him or her know that you are tired of sleeping alone in a cold bed and having no one to share breakfast with. Start talking about your plans to buy a house, a new car, and get a dog or a cat. Share your thoughts on having kids. And finally, stop looking at other people and thinking there might be someone better than your current partner. Grass is always greener on the other side. Learn to appreciate the one you are with now, and your shift from dating to relationship will be smooth and easy.