By Allison Pescosolido, M.A. and Andra Brosh, Ph.D.

When you think the milk in your fridge has gone bad, you look on the side of the carton for the expiration date.  If the date of expiration has passed, you simply toss it in the garbage, and buy a new one.

Relationships can also have expiration dates, but unfortunately there is no stamp on your partner’s forehead that tells you it’s time to move on.  As a result, many people stay too long in a sour relationship, which can be toxic and damaging for everyone involved.

Sometimes the last breath of a dying relationship happens early on, like with Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries.  In other situations it comes much later, like with Al and Tipper Gore.  Deciding to stay in a relationship or get out is complicated.  While there are no hard and fast rules about when it’s time to leave, here are a few tips to help you finalize your decision:

Related: When Is It Time To Break Up

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By Evan Fischer

While Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries may no longer have to worry about dealing with the in-laws, there are plenty of newlyweds out there facing the first real test of their matrimonial commitment this holiday season: meeting their new family members.  For Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn, who recently renewed their vows, this will be old hat.  But celebrity couples like Wills and Kate and Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert will find themselves in the same boat as every other newly joined couple in the world; facing the uncertainty of several days trapped with their in-laws.  The good news is that there’s no need for stress.  By following just a few simple guidelines, newlyweds everywhere can have an enjoyable and relaxing holiday, even if the in-laws are a little bit crazy.  Here’s how:

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Their quick marriage and much-talked-about divorce may be making the headlines still, but Kris Humphries says he doesn’t pay the gossip about his situation with Kim Kardashian much mind. “I think that if people know me they know who I am and what I stand for,” he said, according to Hollyscoop. “I’m a fun guy and I don’t play into the gossip. That’s life.” There’s also much speculation that the couple’s relationship deteriorated as a result of it being plastered all over reality TV. To those assumptions, Humphries says, ““I can’t say for sure. It’s the only time I’ve been married. [But] I’ve been in front of cameras on the NBA since I was 19.”

How do you keep from participating in drama after a breakup?

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Despite the fact that Kim Kardashian had considered getting an annulment herself, it still came as a surprise when Kris Humphries filed for one himself.  According to People, “Kim doesn’t want a battle.”  She wants to part ways with her ex amicably.  Humphries requested the anulment this past Wednesday on the grounds of fraud, and if he recieves the anulment, it will be as if their wedding never took place.  Kardashian had wanted an anulment, but was told it would be too difficult to prove and  decided to go with a divorce petition instead.  According to sources, “the split was devastating” for the reality starlet.

How do you keep your divorce proceedings peaceful?

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The public hasn’t heard much from Kris Humphries since Kim Kardashian filed for divorce, but his plan to annul their marriage could change that, reported Hollyscoop.com.  The annulment would dismiss their pre-nup, which includes a strict confidentiality clause that forbids either party from discussing intimate details of their relationship to the media.  No pre-nup would mean no rules to follow, and Humphries could finally speak out. “Kris wants to be able to talk about the relationship without fear of being sued,” a source close to Humphries told RadarOnline.com.  He filed the annulment under claims that the marriage was a “fraud.”  He believes Kardashian deceived him as a tactic to benefit her success as a reality TV star.

What parts of your breakup are best to keep private?

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Going through a divorce isn’t stopping Kim Kardashian from still believing in love. According to People, the reality star was spotted strolling through L.A. on Friday wearing a Peace Love World hoodie.  In addition to featuring a heart on the back, the hoodie read, “I am love,” and “Love is not something you are looking for, love is something you become!”

How do you keep faith in love in the midst of a split?

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Kris Humphries is finally taking action.  Ex-wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce on October 31st, but Humphries wishes to bypass divorce proceedings by getting the marriage annulled, reports UsMagazine.com.  Humphries is crediting “fraud” as the reason behind the couple’s split, but only because the other options were unfitting.  “The whole ‘fraud’ thing is ridiculous.  If the marriage was a sham, he was in on it,” said a source.  “Did he not see the cameras or get a cut of whatever money was made?  The marriage was real.  It was just a terrible and unhappy one.”

What are some reasons to annul a marriage?

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By Liz from WeLoveDates.com

I finally caught Kim Kardashian’s wedding special while I was home sick one day, and now there are two hours of my life I wish I could get back.  Three days later, when news of her impending divorce broke, I wasn’t surprised at all.  I mean, anyone who tuned in to her wedding special could tell that the couple barely liked each other.  I was originally ready for Kim to go away, but Lord knows I love a great reality show train wreck.  So, I couldn’t look away.

While Ms. Kardashian and I couldn’t be more different, we also have a few things in common.  We’re the same age, in love with being in love and have a particular affinity for high heels and hair extensions.  I then came to the conclusion that Kim Kardashian could teach me a thing or two about marriage:

Related Link: How to Make Your Marriage ‘Easy Breezy’

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The marriage may be over, but the season has yet to air.  New footage from the upcoming season of Kourtney & Kim Take New York showed then-newlyweds Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian flirting around in a negative light, reports UsMagazine.  In the clip, Humphries picks up Kardashian and says, “God, you ate a lot of wedding cake!” Though joking, a source says that Humphries frequently criticized his wife. “He belittled her in front of people,” said the source. “He’d call her stupid. It was truly sickening.”

What are some ways to deal with your partner’s criticism?

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By Amy Beth O’Brien

Regardless of what you may think of the Kim Kardashian/Kris Humphries whirlwind marriage, you have to admire a woman who knows how to play to her strengths. Ever since Kim’s life became the subject of an E! reality TV show, her life became a business.  Like any good businesswoman, she knew when to cut her losses.

Whereas most women in the non-reality world may have ignored the inner voice that told us we were making a mistake with our marriage and then spent years trying to make it work, Kim called it quits before anyone invested any more time or money.

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By Rosalind Sedacca, CCT

Sadly, celebrity divorces make all the headlines for all the wrong reasons. They showcase the most unconscious behavior, especially when it comes to relationships. Kim Kardashian’s marriage going off track after such a short time is just one more example.

Related Link: Signs that Kim and Kris were Doomed

It appears Kim spent more time working out her wedding details than on determining whether this was a good match from the start.  Unfortunately, celebrities are not alone in making this common mistake.  Too many couples think no further than the honeymoon plans when contemplating marriage.  They have no idea about the complexity behind real relationship issues and the maturity it takes to create a successful long-term outcome.

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According to Kris Jenner, this past week hasn’t been easy for Kim Kardashian as she deals with her divorce from Kris Humphries.  Jenner says that her daughter will eventually open up about the issues that led to her decision to file for divorce, but for now she’s still trying to sort things out. “She needs to do what she’s doing now and cry and figure it out,” Jenner tells Extra Magazine. “She’s just trying to follow her heart, and she’s going to be OK.”  Recently, Kardashian flew to Minnesota to see Humphries because, “She really needed to talk to him,” said Jenner. She was there for less than 24 hours, and the two allegedly met with the pastor who performed their wedding ceremony to discuss what went wrong.

What are some ways to cope in the midst of a stressful divorce?

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According to Lizzie Post, an etiquette expert and author of Emily Post’s Etiquette 18th Edition, Kim Kardashian’s plan to give her wedding gifts to charity following her divorce from Kris Humphries is the wrong decision. Post does stress, however, that she’s certainly not again charitable giving, according to People. “I don’t want to come across as saying that charity wouldn’t be a great way to handle it,” she says. “It’s just that in that case, you’re making a charitable donation on someone else’s behalf under your name.”  She goes on to say that Kardashian would come across as seeming undeservingly “generous” and will get a bit tax write-off because of it. The right way to handle it, she recommends, is returning the gifts to the givers.

If your marriage dissolves quickly, what do you do with the gifts?

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It was just a few weeks ago when over four million viewers tuned into E! to watch Kim’s Fairytale Wedding, but it only took until the end of the month for the couple to split. They may have been newlyweds, but they were already bickering like an old married couple on the set of Kourtney and Kim Take New York. The fighting may have been too much for Kardashian, 31, who filed for divorce from Humphries, 26. After rushing their relationship with a quick engagement and wedding ceremony, along with the added pressures of filming the show, dealing with the media, and attempting to manage their busy conflicting schedules, their 72-day marriage has come to an end. “She rushed into it too fast,” a source close to Kardashian told People. “She’s holding it together.  It’s insanely troubling and heartbreaking, but it’s a decision she knew had to be made.”

How do you know when to call it quits in a marriage?

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By Roshini Rajkumar

Most people were taking bets on the marriage before Kim Kardashian walked down the aisle to Kris Humphries. But even Kim’s most critical pundits raised eyebrows when word got out divorce papers were filed so quickly after the extravagant wedding.

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By Melissa Tierney

Whether we like to believe it or not, celebrities are just like us.  They have hectic work schedules, grueling chores, and, of course, families to take care of.  These five celebrity couples have been keeping busy with their growing families, their newest endeavors, and their constant presence in the spotlight.  Yes, maybe they have nannies, assistants and personal trainers, but these celebs could definitely use an extra hour of sleep like the rest of us!

1. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon: Between building their corporate empires by launching a clothing and accessories line, going on comedy tours, and recording hit songs with major celebs like Nicki Minah, the pop diva and radio talk show host have been keeping busy. It’s now even tougher for the two to have a romantic night to themselves: they have newborn twins, son Moroccan Scott Cannon and daughter Monroe Cannon, which they welcomed into the world on their anniversary!

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After just 72 days of marriage, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are getting a divorce.  According to People, Kardashian filed for divorce on Monday.  The fashion forward reality star recently denied rumors that her marriage was on the rocks.  Now, she’s listed the reason for the divorce as the Hollywood cliche, “irreconcilable differences.”  So why the breakup?  A source says that the couple couldn’t take the demands of being a reality TV couple.  Producer Ryan Seacrest announced on his show that Kardashian got caught up in all that was going on.

How do you keep from getting caught up in the fantasy of a relationship?

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Newlyweds Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are currently seeking a permanent living situation.  According to People, the two have been shacking up with friends and family members as they pursue their careers.  Most recently, the two were living in a three-bedroom suite with Kourtney Kardashian, Scott Disick, and their 22-month-old son, Mason, during the filming of Kim and Kourtney Take New York.  Now that the show has wrapped, the newlyweds are looking for a home base.

What are some factors to consider when you’re deciding on a home with your partner?

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By Patty Newbold, author of the award-winning marriage blog, AssumeLove.com

It can’t be easy marrying into a reality TV show, as Kris Humphries recently did.  Kim Kardashian and her family speak their minds, and it’s all caught on camera.  Kris already gets his share of it from her siblings, and it can’t be long before he catches angry words or insults from his new wife Kim, too.

It’s the Ratio, Not the Number

Let’s hope Kim’s already figured this out, but fighting words do not kill a relationship.  Marriages fail when the nastygrams are not matched with at least five times as many respectful, loving and encouraging words and gestures.  Remember: Five times.  Or more.

That’s what psychologist John Gottman’s research found. He uses it to predict, in just a few minutes, which marriages will last and which will not.  It doesn’t matter how many or how few unloving words, eye rolls, or shrugs are used in a relationship; only whether the good stuff happens at least five times as often as the bad.

…the story continues here.

Happy newlyweds Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are thinking about having babies in a year, according to People. Kardashian told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show that children are in the couple’s future once they settle down in a particular location.  Kardashian says that when Humphries figures out for what team he will be playing, they’ll get to working on expanding their family.

What are the benefits of waiting to have kids after you get married?

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It looks like Kim Kardashian is being confronted with the baby question yet again post-marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries.  In fact, E! News got an exclusive interview with the diva and her man after they appeared on the Tonight Show together.  Although rumors have been surfacing that speculate about a possible pregnancy, Kardashian insists they simply aren’t true, according to HollyScoop.  “I think we would wait like a year before we really start trying to have kids,” said the reality star.  “I think we want to figure out where he is gonna play and figure out like his career and like if we have to pack up and move somewhere, like the Midwest.  Who knows?”  Despite their uncertain plan, they do know one thing, and it involves having “lots of kids.”

What role does your career play when you’re deciding whether to have kids?

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After his highly publicized marriage to Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries has formed a close friendship with Kourtney Kardashian’s man, Scott Disick.  According to People, Disick has been a great help in giving Humphries tips on how to win over the Kardashian’s.  Their bromance became even stronger when the two spent quality time together in New York.  “Scott and I are becoming closer because we’re hanging out a lot in New York. We’re just all about living life,” said Humphries.  Khloe’s husband, Lamar Odom, is also full of advice on how the newlywed can find his place within the Kardashian family.  As Humphries works to impress one of America’s most famous families, it seems that he’s found a close friend with his almost brother-in-law while living in the Big Apple.

What are some ways to bond with your partner’s family?

…the story continues here.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries finally got hitched this weekend … and the Humphries family had quite a mixed reaction according to UsMagazine.com. According to one guest, “Everybody felt awkward, like it was all for the cameras and more like a TV show than a wedding.” Humphries’ parents must have felt the same, because they “mostly looked appalled by the entire thing,” although they “cheered when Kim and Kris were pronounced husband and wife.”

How can you have a lavish wedding without breaking the bank?
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Now that their lavish wedding is over, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries have decided to escape for a mini-honeymoon to Capri, Italy. It will be quick because the couple need to be back in order for Kim to present at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards Show. Hopefully, they will have time for some rest, romance and relaxation. They will be visiting different areas throughout their trip, a source told UsMagazine.com. When spotted at LAX airport on Monday, the pair were glowing with love for each other.

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