Comments on: How Do You Split Expenses with Your Partner or Spouse? http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse Personal Finance for the Young and Ambitious Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:06:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tonka http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-4342 Tonka Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:08:54 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-4342 Steve- No! You are not asking a lot. Get rid of her! Steve-
No! You are not asking a lot. Get rid of her!

]]> By: TOM http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-4067 TOM Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:42:46 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-4067 Been married for 5 years, living together for eight and we have our own accounts. We pretty much divvy up the monthly expenses as such: I take mortgage and home/auto insurance She takes all utilities (cable phone water trash etc) we split the grocery bill 50/50 we each pay for our own car payment and we treat one another to dinner constantly. Any big expenses we discuss a plan accordingly Initially after being married we argued about this as my wife was embarrassed that we swiped two cards at the grocery store. After that ordeal we added one another to each account, but really that is purely for the event of an emergency. Truth be told we have never bounced a check, never felt like we were strapped and have been able to mutually save a lot. Been married for 5 years, living together for eight and we have our own accounts. We pretty much divvy up the monthly expenses as such:

I take mortgage and home/auto insurance
She takes all utilities (cable phone water trash etc)
we split the grocery bill 50/50
we each pay for our own car payment
and we treat one another to dinner constantly.
Any big expenses we discuss a plan accordingly

Initially after being married we argued about this as my wife was embarrassed that we swiped two cards at the grocery store. After that ordeal we added one another to each account, but really that is purely for the event of an emergency. Truth be told we have never bounced a check, never felt like we were strapped and have been able to mutually save a lot.

]]> By: Stemve Mumbovsky http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-4063 Stemve Mumbovsky Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:40:07 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-4063 My BF and I fight alot. I make twice what he makes but, he can still afford splitting half the expenses. He is not maximally employed due to his own choices. I feel that if we split proportionally I am being taken advantage of. We have discussed pooling all the money and paying expenses out of that .. but he refused since some of the expenses are for my car and my life insurance. I agreed with him on that. I proposed that he decide how much rent he could afford and then I would find an apartment which costs twice that amount. I was willing to live in a less nice place in order to keep the rent 50/50. I am still saving to buy a new car and an apartment in NYC. I dont feel its fair for my savings goals to be impacted if he is not fully employed. He says I am being cheap. Besides breaking up, any advice? My BF and I fight alot. I make twice what he makes but, he can still afford splitting half the expenses. He is not maximally employed due to his own choices. I feel that if we split proportionally I am being taken advantage of. We have discussed pooling all the money and paying expenses out of that .. but he refused since some of the expenses are for my car and my life insurance. I agreed with him on that. I proposed that he decide how much rent he could afford and then I would find an apartment which costs twice that amount. I was willing to live in a less nice place in order to keep the rent 50/50. I am still saving to buy a new car and an apartment in NYC. I dont feel its fair for my savings goals to be impacted if he is not fully employed. He says I am being cheap. Besides breaking up, any advice?

]]> By: Steve http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-3864 Steve Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:41:19 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-3864 My girlfriend and I have been living together for 3 years. She feels it's tthe man's responsability to pay for everything...rent...utilities...food. Our rent is $1000 per month plus the other necessities required to live. She is paid weekly about $450.She is upset when I ask her to split everything....to her we are just "roomates" and not in a serious relationship. I explained to her even married couples split expenses and this offends her. Am I asking for too much here? My girlfriend and I have been living together for 3 years. She feels it’s tthe man’s responsability to pay for everything…rent…utilities…food.
Our rent is $1000 per month plus the other necessities required to live.
She is paid weekly about $450.She is upset when I ask her to split everything….to her we are just “roomates” and not in a serious relationship. I explained to her even married couples split expenses and this offends her. Am I asking for too much here?

]]> By: Paula http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-2044 Paula Wed, 27 May 2009 13:23:07 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-2044 Female, 22, married for 5 years. My husband and I have all joint accounts. He has one credit card, and I have one credit card. We are each authorized users on each credit card. It isn't my money or his money; it is our money. It may work for some people, but I would feel really odd "billing" my husband. Personally, I feel like there are emotional/psychological advantages to this (for us more specifically clear and clearly communicated financial, educational, life goals, feeling fully invested in each other and the relationship, etc). I don't know if I'd feel the same way if he wasn't as frugal as he was or if we didn't have kids. Because he is frugal and we do have kids, I can't imagine doing it any other way. My parents had separate accounts for separate purchases, but would tally up and split child/mutual expenses at the end of the month. Doing things that way weirds me out, but hey, that's just me, I guess. Female, 22, married for 5 years.

My husband and I have all joint accounts. He has one credit card, and I have one credit card. We are each authorized users on each credit card. It isn’t my money or his money; it is our money. It may work for some people, but I would feel really odd “billing” my husband. Personally, I feel like there are emotional/psychological advantages to this (for us more specifically clear and clearly communicated financial, educational, life goals, feeling fully invested in each other and the relationship, etc). I don’t know if I’d feel the same way if he wasn’t as frugal as he was or if we didn’t have kids. Because he is frugal and we do have kids, I can’t imagine doing it any other way. My parents had separate accounts for separate purchases, but would tally up and split child/mutual expenses at the end of the month. Doing things that way weirds me out, but hey, that’s just me, I guess.

]]> By: Slinky http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-2043 Slinky Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:10:45 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-2043 My fiancee and I (going on 6 years now!) manage things separately and split all mutual expenses 50/50. I made a spreadsheet with a page for each of us and we basically 'bill' each other for half of whatever we paid for that month. The spreadsheet then tells us who owes who and how much. (it's kind of slick!) So we do things separately (because we're both budget nerds with our own systems), but we usually work on our finances at the same time and talk about our progress and goals and such while we do it. I actually love it this way because neither of us has to worry about the other's day to day individual spending, but we still collaborate and back each other up and work towards mutual goals. And that's the really important part. My fiancee and I (going on 6 years now!) manage things separately and split all mutual expenses 50/50. I made a spreadsheet with a page for each of us and we basically ‘bill’ each other for half of whatever we paid for that month. The spreadsheet then tells us who owes who and how much. (it’s kind of slick!) So we do things separately (because we’re both budget nerds with our own systems), but we usually work on our finances at the same time and talk about our progress and goals and such while we do it. I actually love it this way because neither of us has to worry about the other’s day to day individual spending, but we still collaborate and back each other up and work towards mutual goals. And that’s the really important part.

]]> By: Slinky http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-2042 Slinky Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:04:56 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-2042 My fiancee and I (going on 6 years now!) manage things separately and split all mutual expenses 50/50. I made a spreadsheet with a page for each of us and we basically 'bill' each other for half of whatever we paid for that month. The spreadsheet then tells us who owes who and how much. (it's kind of slick!) So we each just spend money however we like and it doesn't matter My fiancee and I (going on 6 years now!) manage things separately and split all mutual expenses 50/50. I made a spreadsheet with a page for each of us and we basically ‘bill’ each other for half of whatever we paid for that month. The spreadsheet then tells us who owes who and how much. (it’s kind of slick!) So we each just spend money however we like and it doesn’t matter

]]> By: Tasha http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-2033 Tasha Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:10:25 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-2033 My husband and I have our salaries deposited into my checking account. Everything comes out of that account and he has my debit card for that while I hold on to the atm card. That way any spends are tracked in one account, which is basically having a joint one. We each get $100 fortnightly for allowance as we get paid in that schedule. We call it our sanity money. We have a budget spreadsheet on Google Docs that is updated daily and has all outgoing spends already accounted for for the entire 2009. Savings also are accounted for in that budget and they come out of my checking. When we started tracking our finances, we didn't bother getting a joint checking because I was the one very eager to track our spending. I'm the finance person in the family and he trusts me with his money so it works. Everything else we own and owe are joint. My husband and I have our salaries deposited into my checking account. Everything comes out of that account and he has my debit card for that while I hold on to the atm card. That way any spends are tracked in one account, which is basically having a joint one. We each get $100 fortnightly for allowance as we get paid in that schedule. We call it our sanity money. We have a budget spreadsheet on Google Docs that is updated daily and has all outgoing spends already accounted for for the entire 2009. Savings also are accounted for in that budget and they come out of my checking. When we started tracking our finances, we didn’t bother getting a joint checking because I was the one very eager to track our spending. I’m the finance person in the family and he trusts me with his money so it works. Everything else we own and owe are joint.

]]> By: Rite http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-2032 Rite Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:54:22 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-2032 Watch out for sharing credit card accounts. If your partner has bad credit habits, it can pull you both down. Best to have separate accounts...Good information about what can happen in this article.http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/taking-charge-survey-relationships-1276.php. Have you heard of revenge rage? When the relationship sours and the other person goes on a vengeful spending spree to purposefully trash your credit. Watch out for sharing credit card accounts. If your partner has bad credit habits, it can pull you both down. Best to have separate accounts…Good information about what can happen in this article.http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/taking-charge-survey-relationships-1276.php. Have you heard of revenge rage? When the relationship sours and the other person goes on a vengeful spending spree to purposefully trash your credit.

]]> By: Money Under 30 http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-do-you-split-expenses-with-your-partner-or-spouse/comment-page-1#comment-2041 Money Under 30 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:31:03 +0000 http://www.moneyunder30.com/?p=1273#comment-2041 Thanks for all the feedback, everybody. My fiancee and I have been discussing how to handle joint expenses now and in the future---and you all helped us out---and hopefully future readers, too. Cheers! Thanks for all the feedback, everybody. My fiancee and I have been discussing how to handle joint expenses now and in the future—and you all helped us out—and hopefully future readers, too. Cheers!

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