How should couples split bills fairly?

The three common ways

• Half each: simple, and it works well when you earn about the same.
• By income: each of you pays the same percentage of your own income.
• Your own percentage: useful when one of you also carries other costs, such as children from an earlier relationship or more unpaid care at home.

An example, split by income

Say one of you takes home €3,000 and the other €2,000, and your shared costs are €2,000 a month. Together you earn €5,000, so the split is 60% and 40%.

Each person has 60% of their pay left: €1,800 and €1,200.

How to set it up

1. List the costs you share, and keep personal spending out of it.
2. Choose a split together and agree when you will review it.
3. Decide who pays what. Many couples use a joint account for shared bills.
4. Set up a transfer for each person just after payday.

When to change it

Review your split when one of you changes job, goes part time or has a new regular cost. A short conversation once a year prevents most arguments later.

Common questions

Is it fair to split bills 50/50 if one of us earns more?

It can be, if you both agree. But the person who earns less will have far less left over, which is why many couples prefer to split by income.

Do we need a joint account?

No. It makes shared bills easier to manage, but you can also each pay certain bills directly and settle the difference every month.

Should savings be split too?

That is up to you. Many couples save towards shared goals in the same proportion as their bills, and keep the rest separate.