This is also very true. In some areas of the country - including mine - it is very difficult to own a home in a decent area and still have one parent stay home with children. We've accepted that we will probably both have to work when we start a family. We don't like it, but that's reality.
I just don't get the long-term cohabitation thing, like I said before.
My wife and I lived together for about 3 years before we got married. We were engaged for 2 of those years (it took forever to plan the wedding- it involved as much planning as the D-Day landing).
Living together is, IMHO, an invaluable experience. You get to learn whether this is a person you can actually live with. You end up going into the marriage with full disclosure of your partner's quirks.