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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this a fair way to split finances?

651 replies

BittySpider · 22/01/2025 16:02

It’s my Son and his partner so I know it’s realistically none of my business but had an convo with him today and wondering if I am being unfair thinking this is unreasonable?

My Son and his partner are getting married in the summer. The live together. The topic of finances came up today as we were discussing the wedding and we have offered them a few K towards it.

He told me that the way they have always split their finances is that they have a joint account both wages are paid into. All direct debits for bills come out of that account including house, bills, subscriptions etc. Food shop money also comes out of that. Then they both transfer themselves the exact same amount from the joint account on pay day and this is to cover all personal expensive such as their phones, petrol, coffees, clothes etc. He said they don’t take from the joint unless absolutely necesssary and if one of them runs out they might say to the other can I borrow a tenner and then on payday they will give it the other person back out of their personal allowance.

I asked about takeaways or date nights and he said one person will usually cover it out of their “pocket money” but they don’t take it out of the joint unless it was a special treat like an anniversary. All holidays and other joint costs come out of the joint but as they’re getting married all of wedding costs are being paid from the money building up in the joint account. He said if one of them had their car break down then they’d take money out of the joint to fix it too. He also said they both have their own personal savings accounts too but these are currently neglected due to paying for wedding.

FWIW my DIL earns much more than him. DS doesn’t earn much more than minimum wage. I know it’s none of my business so I won’t say anything but AIBU to think this is a bit tight? Personally I think bills should be split proportionately to what they earn. The amount that they take out each for pocket money isn’t a lot and he’d have a lot more left over if they split it differently.

OP posts:
Kisskiss · 22/01/2025 20:51

BittySpider · 22/01/2025 18:58

Yes this! But not her paying. I think it would be fairer if they paid a percentage for everything.

eg he would pay 25% of his bills and then have 75% left over. When a wedding fee came he would pay 25% out of it. It doesn’t make sense for him to lose all of his money when she is the higher earner. What if they were to break up? Then there’s no protection as the lower earner.

You know that half of the joint account belongs to him right…🤦‍♀️

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:53

Yeah I have two sons!!! And I’d honestly think my son would be punching financially if I had a daughter in law like that…. Funding their lifestyle!! Getting equal spends when she is the over earner means she is getting the raw deal. I mean if my son found such a woman I’d be keeping my mouth shut and trying to get into her good books 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:54

OP is bonkers…… I just don’t get it!

steff13 · 22/01/2025 20:54

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:50

I don’t think the OP actually understands hence why she’s getting protective over her son…,, but really if that was my daughter I would be annoyed she was funding him before marriage!!!

Yeah I'd be inclined to insist on a 50/50 split of bills before marriage.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 22/01/2025 20:55

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:54

OP is bonkers…… I just don’t get it!

Neither does she.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 22/01/2025 20:55

Brilliant. I needed a new thread to take over from period pod

🤣🤣🤣

Rosscameasdoody · 22/01/2025 20:55

MoodEnhancer · 22/01/2025 18:42

Erm what? She has clearly outlined her son earns less. That’s the point.

Could be a reverse ?

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:55

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 22/01/2025 20:55

Neither does she.

🤣🤣🤣

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:57

steff13 · 22/01/2025 20:54

Yeah I'd be inclined to insist on a 50/50 split of bills before marriage.

Yeah exactly before marriage I’d be having words with my daughter… why the heck you putting all your money into the joint account when you earn more?!!

DressOrSkirt · 22/01/2025 20:59

BittySpider · 22/01/2025 18:58

Yes this! But not her paying. I think it would be fairer if they paid a percentage for everything.

eg he would pay 25% of his bills and then have 75% left over. When a wedding fee came he would pay 25% out of it. It doesn’t make sense for him to lose all of his money when she is the higher earner. What if they were to break up? Then there’s no protection as the lower earner.

Lots of PPs have done the maths for you but you still don't seem to be grasping it so I'm going to try to xplain it very simply and hopefully it helps.

Say DS makes £1000 a month and DIL makes £2000 a month.
They join it together to have £3000.
Then the split it in half (their fun money and their joint money which is equally his and hers) to have £1500 each.
Your DS had £1000 and now has £1500 which is more.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 22/01/2025 21:00

Cantbelieveit888 · 22/01/2025 20:57

Yeah exactly before marriage I’d be having words with my daughter… why the heck you putting all your money into the joint account when you earn more?!!

In fact, why are you marrying a bloke when you're the higher earner by far?
If you get divorced, he'll be entitled to half your pension, half the value of the house, half your financial assets.

chargeitup · 22/01/2025 21:01

@TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne

In fact, why are you marrying a bloke when you're the higher earner by far?
If you get divorced, he'll be entitled to half your pension, half the value of the house, half your financial assets.
Would you say this if the sexes were reversed.

WhySoManySocks · 22/01/2025 21:01

You are 1) very unreasonable; 2) awfully bad at maths; 3) very nosey about their finances.

DinosaurMunch · 22/01/2025 21:02

Maybe the OP thinks the girlfriend is being controlling over the money in the joint account rather than it being a joint decision to use this for savings?

Either way it's not a good idea to keep savings in a joint account as one person can spend it all. Married or not it's best to keep separate accounts and use a joint account only for what's required for monthly bills.

wordler · 22/01/2025 21:03

OP - has your son been complaining about his lack of money to you?

ChonkyRabbit · 22/01/2025 21:04

OP, can you drop Mumsnet into conversation next time you see your DIL? I reckon we can get some juicy MIL threads from her in the coming years.

ACynicalDad · 22/01/2025 21:08

Not fair on DIL TBH. I'd split bills proportionately to income then she gets much more pocket money, She's a very generous lady. He's landed with his bum in butter.

Newmumburnout · 22/01/2025 21:08

OP, 100 % of the posters here are saying the same thing. You are wrong. If he did it your way yes be may look like he has more money spare but he will need to pay for the additional bills and nothing would build up In the joint.
You way would look like this

He earns 500
She earns 1000
She earns 2x he does so she puts twice the amount into the joint
He pays 200 in to joint
She pays 400 into the joint
He has 300 left
She has 600 left
She has more spare money than him

In their way they both have the same amount of spends. He has less than he like have in his own bank account because they are choosing to only have a small amount each, what is left is building their joint funds ( which she is paying more into which is a benefit for your ds )

ProfessionalPirate · 22/01/2025 21:09

Completelyjo · 22/01/2025 18:37

And the thread is about income though.

The thread is about finances. The OP has expressed concern about division of assets in the event of a split, how the couple utilise their savings etc. It’s the big picture.

MumWifeOther · 22/01/2025 21:10

BittySpider · 22/01/2025 16:07

I feel like she should be covering more of the bills and leaving him more left over as she earns more though?

Why should she? He effectively is better off with her wages going in, isn’t he? She sounds very reasonable if I’m honest.

Your concern should be to encourage him to get a better paid job.

Tarantella6 · 22/01/2025 21:11

But all the money is available. They have their little pocket money and then they have the joint account. It's not like he gets his £200 and that's it, he has no access to anything else. They are choosing to leave more in the joint account it's not just vanishing into thin air.

Maths not really your best subject at school OP??

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 22/01/2025 21:11

BittySpider · 22/01/2025 16:22

You are all saying he’s better off but he isn’t! The money he gets to keep is far smaller than what he would keep if they paid % towards bills and kept their own money after that. I don’t understand why things like joint meals and takeaways have to be paid by themselves when she’s the higher earner and all of her money is in the joint. It seems madness to me.

I know I am old fashioned hence why I won’t say anything. When the kids were younger I kept child benefit and DH transferred me a lump of money on pay day and he paid for the rest. I know the world has changed since then. It still seems a bit off to me. But I am happy if he is happy.

Well you need to tell him to do it tge old fashioned way and send her a lump sum every month abd he pays all bills. Quite frankly I think you are 'off your head'.
In any case it's nothing to do with you - even if he wants to spend the birthday money yiu give him on her.

Completelyjo · 22/01/2025 21:14

Seriously imagine being the DIL! She’s covering most of their bills and saving for their wedding and the soon to be MIL is pushing her DS to make sure he doesn’t spend the 100 quid she gives him for his birthday taking the finance out 😂

Coinsfortheeyes · 22/01/2025 21:14

BittySpider · 22/01/2025 16:12

But if it was the other way around and the male was the higher earner then I think his low earning partner would expect him to transfer a lump sum of money to her every pay day?

Really? Would not expect that at all. He is getting a great deal here. She's a much better woman than me that's for sure!

Wonderfulstuff · 22/01/2025 21:16

So much boomer maths😂

At least this post is helping me to understand why any woman who dares to complain about low wages gets shouted down on and told to BE GRATEFUL.

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