Spliting Joint Costs

RandomUser923759

I had a really long chat with Amex online yesterday. I frustrates me highly with these massive companies that they do not listen to their customers.

To me I had a fairly simple request and they had no answer.

My partner and I have an amex, he has the free supplementary card and I the primary.

I am fed up (it is 2019 after all) of trying to split the cost each billing cycle.

My first idea was to get 2 more cards in our names.

Me - Card 1 - Sole Spending
Me - Card 2 - Joint Spending by me
Partner - Card 3 - His sole spending
Partner - Card 4 - Joint spending by him.

This way I would very easily be able to see the cost without manual intervention.

All was going well until amex told me it was 45 pounds per extra card.

My argument was that there would be zero extra benefit to us - spending would be static just easier split. As these big companies do - they did not listen.

Next I put forward an idea:

How about in the amex app they allow you to have a user named split toggle. Toggle left - card spends on category 1 (for me sole) toggle right - card spends on category 2 (joint costs on my card)

The agent really understood my idea and liked it - I asked if I could put it forward and get a reference to follow up on the idea - what a surprise - not possible.....

I get the crux of this post is two fold:

1. How do you feel about these larger companies caring so little about the customer.

2. How do you split costs on a card you share with a partner fairly and efficiently?

eskbanker

mrchrisbrogan wrote: »

Spliting Joint Costs

Who pays for the king-size Rizlas?

On a less flippant note, if two people want to effectively split spend into three separate pots then I'd have thought that this is best accomplished by using three separate accounts, one of which has two cards - whether or not these are all with Amex is entirely up to those involved and there is an argument that having cards with different payment networks adds resilience.

Trying to create three or four subdivisions of spend within one account won't be anything like as simple as you feel it ought to be, so they have to work within what is technically practical - I don't believe it's a matter of them not listening, they're inevitably constrained by what can realistically be delivered by massively complex systems in a heavily-regulated environment, and have to make decisions about which tech investments are likely to achieve the most benefits for the widest audience....

Zanderman

I think you're asking too much - Amex aren't going to tailor their systems to your desires.

Dunno about Amex but most credit cards are sole names and allow an extra for partner - which seems to be what you have and they want to be paid extra for more extra ones.

Why, therefore, don't you keep it simple and have your partner to get one in their name and they get an extra for you? They would have to make the call to Amex though, not you.

That way you get your 4 cards - each with one that's their responsibility plus one supplemental for each partner. You then manage those cards as you see fit.

That is, surely, the way most people would do this?

cloud_dog

I'm a little confused.

We have an Amex with two cards. On the statements etc the payer (me / wife) are identified so it is easy to identify spending. I tend to sort it by category, i.e. grocery, and then by payer.

[Deleted User]

In the scheme of things is a small ask from one customer to a big global company.

Besides if you're a couple then you should be splitting or sharing everything anyways - there is you "yours" and "mine"

dano17439

Barclaycard highlight what card was used on every transaction so this should be easy no?


If youre not happy, then move card provider


Or as stated get 2 separate accounts

EssexExile

mrchrisbrogan wrote: »

I get the crux of this post is two fold:

1. How do you feel about these larger companies caring so little about the customer.

2. How do you split costs on a card you share with a partner fairly and efficiently?

1. Big companies care little about us, we care little about big companies. We are all trying to save or make money.

2. We don't split costs, all income goes into the joint accounts & all expenditure comes out of the same accounts.

RandomUser923759

It would be perfectly simple with supplementary cards.

Having the money on sepatate amex accounts was an idea but then I miss out on current spending goals for bonus points.

RandomUser923759

Getting another amex would attract another 140 annual cost - more than the 2 * 45 for extra cards.

Neither amex nor I are gaining or losing much from these cards. I can undertstand the 45 charge when its additional users and therefore getting more points etc.

RandomUser923759

@cloud_dog it is quite simple really. The persons split is not good enough. I can spend 50.00 at Tesco and it comes in my name, but its a joint cost.

RandomUser923759

My partner and I do not earn the same or have the same spending habits - it would be unfair to split equally.