How do you and your partner split the bills?

ajs88

At the moment I pay the mortgage and OH pays the bills as he works part-time and this works out fair in terms of percentages, although I have just posted about how this arrangement has been failing and switching to a joint account where everything goes in and everything comes out and we give ourselves a set and equal amount each to spend each month.

In regard to your situation I've earn't 15k and almost 21k and I can say that there is a massive difference between the two, the former is not a living wage and I personally think it would be unfair to put an equal burden on him.

Having said that if your moving in with the rents to save for a deposit then it shouldnt matter as both of you should be spending on yourselves anyway. OH & I did exactly that and we saved our deposit up in 14 months so you can defiantly do it :T

JustinCredibleGillespie

I think its all down to the way your relationship is. When I met my OH everything was just split 50 50, I moved in with her and then we decided to get our own house together and start afresh. She paid her half of the rent and I paid mine. Now 3 years on its definitely more of a ''Partnership''. Our salaries are paid to her account and the DD's are all paid from there.

Were getting married 20th July 2012 so everything now is equal. Although, I still call the car ''My Car'' lol. The car is my ''sooped up'' baby. Alloys, tinted windows, lowering springs, lexis lights, the whole works. I really need to grow out of it. 25 year old going on 7 lol.

skylight

When we first got together I earnt around 40% more so paid more in bills. When we earnt similar sums the bills were split 50/50 and what was left was split equally too. This seemed fine and worked for ages until I stopped working to look after the kids.

After that, the situation became that he "worked hard for his money", so kept it ALL barr £100 a month that I was given. All the bills were paid from my ctc and cb and this £100. Flammin difficult and he became an EX a year after that (lots of reasons, not just money).

I pay all the bills still but dont have to pick up dirty pants anymore.

ajs88

I find it scary how feelings can become so attached to money and how easily some people skewer logic to justify all sort of things like what happened to skylight, so sorry to hear that

toothfairybuttkicker

Whats his is mine and whats mine's my own lol

But seriously OH and I pay everything into the same account and pay all the bills out of that. If one of use want money for something we check with the other first. Its the only way we can work it. OH knows that if he touches the account without checking with me then i'll cancel his card. He is the reason we are in the mess we are so I guess having access gives him a sense of responsibility.

Mojisola

KS2008 wrote: »

I earn £21,000 per year and he earns £15,000. I am more than happy to try this method out, but just wondered what other couples methods are?

I am not sure seeing as I will be the one who spends more.... :rotfl:

Try out some different scenarios - if you were unemployed and he was still working, would you expect him to contribute more to the household expenses? If he wasn't able to work because of health problems, would you resent having to pay the bulk of the bills?

There are lots of different ways to sort this out and it's down to personal preference. We've always considered any money earned by either of us to be partnership money and it goes into a joint account. We have similar spending habits and talk about anything expensive that we might want to buy.

qpop

Until recently I earned £17kpa and she earned £16kpa and we paid 50/50 on the proviso that (as the man) I'd usually end up paying for any meals out (call it chivalry, bravado or pride!)
Anyway, she's gone to study full time and just secured a part time job, but seeing as I'm now earning ~£24kpa and shes earning £8-10kpa seems terribly unfair to ask her to pay for half!

So the agreement is we'll put 50% of our net salary each into a joint account (which equates to ~£750/£350). I thought that was the fairest way.

rubyjam

It doesn't matter to either or us who earns/spends more. All our income goes into a joint account and the bills are paid from that. Anything leftover goes into another joint account and it's there for whoever wants it.

Tebheag

Hi
All our money goes into one account just thought that was how it works we have pocket money which comes out each month into our account so we can buy our own things like computer games for him and handbags for me lol
What would you do if you lost your job or had a baby would you still be expected to pay 50/50 ?

churchrat

hi
this is a difficult one because the division of money can be a HUGE problem, I think you are very wise to sort it out now. All our money goes into a joint account and all the bills are paid from that, left overs go into another joint account so we both know how much is left. If either of us wants something not in the budget we take it from the joint savings account.
We both have a bit of money to buy are own "stuff" with, but if its a big expense for just one of us--he sometimes goes on rugby outings--or I have been away with some friends, then we talk about it. If its too much then it doesn't happen. It works well for us but we have been together a LONG time, and it wasn't always easy.
I dont think that there is a right way to do this, just do what works for you.

One thing tho--I feel if you keep secrets about money, you are just asking for trouble.
good luck
curchrat