There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to casual relationships (or dating in general, for that matter), only what works for you. Rules and boundaries in a casual relationship can be in regards to safer sex practices, time spent together, the level of emotional intimacy, and anything in between. “‘Casual’ can be a misleading word in this context, because sometimes an uncommitted relationship can come with as many or more explicit rules and boundaries as a committed one,” love coach Francesca Hogi points out. Just because there may be a lot more freedom (or perceived freedom) in casual relationships, it doesn’t mean that they’re a free-for-all. Casual relationships still have boundaries
Here’s everything that you need to know about casual dating, casual relationships, and advice for pursuing them. But if neither of those sound like what you’re looking for, you might want to consider something in the middle, like a casual relationship. When we think about the kinds of relationships that we want, it can be easy to only consider either hookups or committed partnerships.