How do you spilt the bills with your OH?

ceebeeby

We're the same as others, joint account and own accounts. Wages paid into own account, set amount transferred to joint for bills etc. Do what you want with whats left ....

Worked for us for 15 years ....x

daleigha

we are the same as a lot of people on here - salaries into our own accounts, and then move money into the joint account for rent and bills.

when we moved in together we earned about the same, so paid the same. after a couple of years i wanted to move, and as the rent was more expensive in the new place, and by this stage i earned more, i paid more into the joint account. about a year after that we got a new car, but i was the one who wanted it more, and by this stage earned considerably more than OH, who was also paying off a loan, i paid more into the joint account for it.
a few months ago, OH finished paying off his loan and got a pay rise, so he upped the amount he pays into the joint account.

TBH i dont think i would be happy either with having one joint account and having an allowance from it - i prefer to pay a bit more into the joint account, and have any extra money to myself. for example, if i got £100 pay rise, i would pay an extra £50 into the joint account, but keep the other £50 for me to spend how i choose. if OH ever needed anything i wouldnt see him stuck, but at the same time, i earn more because i spent two long years doing a course, and so i think im entitled to enjoy the extra i earn because of that.

maybe that will change when we have children, or maybe i would think differently if there was a huge difference between our salaries, but at the minute we are both happy with what we are doing!!

Any

Originally Posted by Idiophreak
Have to say, this rings pretty true with me.

GF and I have been discussing lately how we'll handle the finances when we move in..have decided that we'll get a joint account for *everything* we both use, then just have whatever's left each to spend on ourselves. Thing is, I earn about 50% more than she does, so she wants a 60/40 split in contribution to the joint account.

On the one hand, it makes sense, seeing as I earn more, blah blah blah.

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Catwoman1975 wrote: »

Do you do half the housework, half the cooking, half the washing, and half the food shopping? I tend to find that the higher earner (usually the man) does less of this in a relationship, so the financial split should be fairer to compensate for this. Keeping a home running smoothly is just as important as bringing in the money.

I our relationship everything financially goes into one pot. My husband earns a lot more than I do, but as I do all the housework, cooking and childcare I see this as fair. If he had more to spend than me I would be livid. He has a harder job, but has no stressful domestic life to deal with.

I had to join into this conversation!
We have the system, where my husband earns once as much as I do so he pays £700 into joint account and I pay only £500.
However, that doesn't mean that on the end of the day he has as much spending money as I do... He still has loads more money to spend! Because the split of 60/40 doesn't work out so you are left with the same amount.

I also completely agree with Catwoman's comment - I do all the ironing, half the cooking and except for occasional help (once a month) also all the cleaning. I do all the grocery shopping (it's dangerous to send him anyway) and I make sure we have presents for people when it's the time etc etc.
All he does is to paint or wall paper once in 2 years and then he moans.

But financially, I don't think we can blame each other for anything. I might pay less, but if he paid a cleaning and ironing company and to house cooking etc etc (and prostitute to have sex with:-)) and live by himself, it would have cost him much more!!!

WhiteLily_2

Hubby and I pay our (differing) salaries into a joint account from which all household bills are paid i.e utilities, food shopping, mortgage, insurances etc; Anything that is left over is equally transferred into our own accounts so we can do as we please! We have been doing this for a couple of years now and there are no arguments about money - once your own money is gone that's it! Really helps the one with their head in the sand to understand the need to budget and make choices re how they spend their money - and the consequences when they don't without putting the household finances in jeopardy! It's a joint decision also if we dip into household account for meals out/treats etc

Idiophreak

Any wrote: »

He still has loads more money to spend! Because the split of 60/40 doesn't work out so you are left with the same amount.

If he still has loads left, I guess the two of your are doing pretty well and have plenty left over generally, if it's harder than that, the difference between what the higher earner has and the lower earner is going to be a lot less.

Say bloke earns 1500, girl 1000 - bloke contributes 1350 to the joint each month, girl 900.

Sure, at the end of the day, the bloke it still 50% better off than the girl, but that 50% is only worth £50 now, instead of the £500 is was at the start...

Obviously in my case things are a little less obvious, as I work less but earn more...but if I went out each month breaking my back working long hours to earn more money..yada yada yada...and at the end of the month realised I'd done it all just to be £50 better off than someone who hadn't put in all the extra effort....I'm just not sure how I'd feel about that.

Mini_money_saver

Hi everyone,
Very long time lurker, first time poster! (Although we havent moved in together yet) Our agreement is that we both pay in a set amount to our joint account (covers everything-rent,bills,car payments,savings)OH earns a substantial amount more than me so he pays in more. This system works well for us as we both end up with our own money left over for ourselves and know that everything else is covered :-)

Yay, my first post!!!

Any

Idiophreak wrote: »

If he still has loads left, I guess the two of your are doing pretty well and have plenty left over generally, if it's harder than that, the difference between what the higher earner has and the lower earner is going to be a lot less.

Say bloke earns 1500, girl 1000 - bloke contributes 1350 to the joint each month, girl 900.

Sure, at the end of the day, the bloke it still 50% better off than the girl, but that 50% is only worth £50 now, instead of the £500 is was at the start...

Obviously in my case things are a little less obvious, as I work less but earn more...but if I went out each month breaking my back working long hours to earn more money..yada yada yada...and at the end of the month realised I'd done it all just to be £50 better off than someone who hadn't put in all the extra effort....I'm just not sure how I'd feel about that.

It is never straight forward - and just think what happens when you have a child! Then she won't be earning for some time or you will have to pay for nursery fees...
However to have bills of £2250 - I think I would go and shoot myself.
What does she do? You said she works much longer hours as well?

Any

And by the way in your example the girls doesn't even earn enough to pay 50% anyway...

Idiophreak

My example was just that, an example, not based on us at all...Actually we both earn a little more than the examples and I'm hoping (as you suggest) the bills shouldn't be that heavy... but this:

Any wrote: »

And by the way in your example the girls doesn't even earn enough to pay 50% anyway...

...was kinda my point...I don't have any choice but to subsidise her if we want to live together, because she's chosen not to earn enough to pay equal shares...

Any

On one side I understand what are you saying, it is very difficult to say by by to your hard earned cash - but on the other side money shouldn't be all that important. You have chosen her from all the women around for her special features..and that is why you live with her and are planning to stay hopefuly for the rest of the life with her.