How to Be Friends With Benefits

Romantic relationships can be wonderful and exhilarating, but they can also be stressful and hard to come by. Sometimes you just want occasional companionship and sex without the obligations. This is when a "friends with benefits" relationship comes in handy. Follow these steps to experience the advantages of a romance without the hassle.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Be clear about what you want. To make your friends with benefits experience a good one, know what you expect from the relationship. Take the time to really think about it. There is no one-size-fits-all formula. Having a basic understanding of your needs and being able to articulate those needs could help you save lot of drama in the end.
2. Choose your partner wisely. This is by far the trickiest and most important step. Being friends with benefits requires a delicate balance. Your partner should be someone who you enjoy spending time with and someone looking for the same things as you in a friends with benefits relationship.
3. Set the rules. Every friends with benefits relationship needs a clear set of boundaries. Sit down with your partner and decide what those rules will be. Make sure you are both satisfied with the choices.
4. Stick to the rules. It is easy to get sidetracked. Maybe you spend the night once or twice. Maybe you start to spend more time together than you should. Just remember that the rules should only be broken if you decide to change the nature of your relationship.
5. Get out before it gets too heavy. Friends with benefits relationships have a short shelf life. They tend to morph into something deeper for one or both partners. If your casual relationship starts to change, end it unless you are happy with the changes.