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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:
BookGoblin · 22/01/2025 17:16

OP is he's on min wage he'd have zero pocket money if he weren't being subsidized by his girlfriend!

I'd never sub a man like this. Your DS needs to pull his socks up

mnat · 22/01/2025 17:16

I just prefer to pay half, he would happily pay more but I think if I want more I should do more hours.

Assuming you do more at home than he does?

WiddlinDiddlin · 22/01/2025 17:17

I think it should be clear by the fact everyone is pointing out that your maths doesn't work and is utter nonsense...

Have you considered that they must have worked out their monthly spending money based on what they both needed to cover phones/petrol/clothing and what the budget could stand.

She didn't pull that figure out of her arse now did she?

So if he regularly has to borrow from her, then he's not managing his money properly!

Or if they both occasionally borrow from each other and it evens out, then how is it ok for her to borrow from him, but woefully, tragically degrading for him to borrow from her?

ClearHoldBuild · 22/01/2025 17:17

I know it’s none of my business
enough said.

Magnastorm · 22/01/2025 17:18

If person A pays more into the pot than person B, and after bills they both get the same spending money then fairly obviously the person contributing less initially has a much better deal as they get a higher % of their wage back.

If anything, this way of doing it is unfair on the DIL, as she earns more but gets to keep less.

Purplete · 22/01/2025 17:19

This sounds very fair and sounds like they are on the right track talking about finances before they get married. From what you have said they treat the money as their money as a couple rather than individuals. They both transfer an equal amount into their own account to spend as they like. If this was done proportionally this would be less and if it isn’t then I guess the amount she would have would be even higher so more must be kept in the joint account. Your son sounds like he is a great husband. Regardless of who is the bigger earner. Would he be happy with this set up if he was the higher earner?

My response might be different if it wasn’t paid into a joint account with equal amounts transferred to each as a personal allowance. As your son would be paying half of all the bills and depending on the pay difference have no personal allowance but this doesn’t sound like the case.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 22/01/2025 17:19

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?

If I've read it correctly, that is exactly what happens. They each pay all their earnings in to the joint account, ie she pays in much more. They each take out say £200 for personal pocket money. It's very fair and some might say generous of her.

mnat · 22/01/2025 17:19

Unless someone's earning potential has reduced due to childcare then I don't see why the higher earner should have to pay more. If I was your son's wife, if he wanted more money, I'd expect him to earn more instead of expecting me to give him more money.

Because that's literally what marriage is. If you divorce chances are you have to stump up. I out earn DH significantly, but I chose to share a life with him, emphasis on share. It would be beyond bizarre to have more spare cash to spend how I wish or to curtail my lifestyle because DH couldn't afford half the mortgage or holidays I'd like.

I suppose it's different if you meet later in life, we met as teens and have built everything up together, there has never been his and hers, whoever was the higher earner.

Hwi · 22/01/2025 17:19

A high-earning woman is marrying a minimum wage man - thank your lucky stars your son is marrying up! Don't say anything to them, or she will realise it is not only the son's money that is on the prize, but future MIL's too!

NessaSmith · 22/01/2025 17:19

This is very funny, you're consistently told you're wrong and your maths is wrong but you insist you're not.

Completelyjo · 22/01/2025 17:20

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.

Why would it be tight?? If she out earns him then she is propping up his lifestyle already?!

boysmuminherts · 22/01/2025 17:22

why should he have more money left over when he earns less? They both have exactly the same fun money....your DIL is paying way more towards everything.

Doggymummar · 22/01/2025 17:22

mnat · 22/01/2025 17:16

I just prefer to pay half, he would happily pay more but I think if I want more I should do more hours.

Assuming you do more at home than he does?

No not really, I have a lot more free time but I use it out the house volunteering one day a week and the other day I see friends etc. if I'm in I might do something but he works from home so I can't be running the vacuum round.

Katy4321 · 22/01/2025 17:22

By the sounds of it she is putting a lot more into the joint account than him, and I think it is a pretty fair way of doing it. That money pays for all the big expenses and bills and wedding. So he is not forking out for all those things and if his car breaks down etc he'll not have to cover that from pocket money. Essentially the joint money is half his, although he put far less in.

We do it the same way, and give ourselves the same amount of pocket money each month, but takeaways for both of us and joint treats would come out of the joint account. So maybe they need to discuss having more pocket money, but sounds like they do this to maximise what they save for wedding etc. They sound great and have good financial communication.

It they decide to have kids, it may swing the other way with her only able to put a small amount into the joint from statutory maternity leave and his earnings covering all their bills.

lazyarse123 · 22/01/2025 17:22

Would it make it simpler to think that he is contributing less to the finances than she is? If they both get the same spends that is what's happening.

AttachmentFTW · 22/01/2025 17:22

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?

But proportionally she is covering more of the bills, because more of her money gets left to build up in the joint account and is therefore covering more of the wedding, more of the holidays and all other bills etc. The way they are doing it is the most fair way.

Nanny0gg · 22/01/2025 17:23

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.

That's how it always used to be done and still is in many cases and means their savings build up but personal money is equal

Others arrange proportionately but then one could have significantly more personal money which creates an imbalance

Do you think your son is ripping off your DiL?

Sheaintheavyshesmymother · 22/01/2025 17:23

So for example let’s say he earns 1000 pounds and she earns 2000 pounds. They both lob the full lot in the pot and then they both get 500 back for personal expenses so that’s her paying 1500 towards bills and joint savings and him paying 500. On what planet is this unfair? Am I missing something?

EverythingElseIsTaken · 22/01/2025 17:24

Okay OP, pretend I’m your DSs future mother in law……

“Is this fair? My DD works hard and brings home £6000 a month, her fiancé only earns £2000 per month but they pool this joint income and then get £1000 each for personal spending after household stuff is covered. This means my precious DD is only keeping one sixth of her earnings but her fiancé is keeping half of his.”

Or OP could be MY MIL (smashing lady, I adored her and she would never have said this)). “My son earns about 6 times what my DIL earns. All money goes into one joint account. My DIL has expensive tastes and DS just lets her spend whatever she wants and he spends hardly anything on himself. She spends way more than she earns. Is this fair?”

Seriously OP give your head a wobble!

Tooearlytothink · 22/01/2025 17:24

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.

Yes but with her paying much more towards the bills he presumably has a much better quality of life than he would alone. If he was single or with someone on a similar income to him they'd be able to afford less in terms of household/holidays/wedding etc so he is still benefiting even if not in the 'pocket money' amount. That's how they've chosen to spend their money and that obviously works for them.

What's really madness is how concerned you are about this when it's absolutely none of your business. You need to learn to take a step back and leave him to it. This is unhealthy being so worked up about this you are posting here & arguing endlessly about it, even if you do at least have the sense not to say it to him

WhatFreshHellisThese · 22/01/2025 17:24

It’s really none of your business

Plus it sounds like he probably getting a better deal than her.

Completelyjo · 22/01/2025 17:24

An “old fashioned” MIL but wants her DS to be financially supported by his GF. Hmm

Noodlehen · 22/01/2025 17:26

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?

He is getting more money. She’s clearly covering more bills and joint expenses because they’re left with the same about of personal money.

crumblingschools · 22/01/2025 17:26

And in @Sheaintheavyshesmymother example he is contributing 50% of his wages to the bills and she is contributing 75%, or put another way he is getting personal spend of 50% of his wages and she is only getting 25%. Who is getting the better deal?

Hollietree · 22/01/2025 17:26

At the moment they both have equal “spending money” per month. Yet you think your son is being mistreated?!

Do you honestly think that your son should get more spending money than her? Really? That’s batshit 😂

You think that on top of her paying more money into the joint account, she should also pay him a bonus cash amount each month, so that he has more spending money than her? He earns less but you think he should have more than her each month?!

I only have a C in GCSE maths but I can easily see that your son is getting a great deal and should thank his lucky stars. For one thing - most people don’t pool their money until they are married. She has been subsidising your son even though they aren’t married and you still think she should give him more money than she has herself. 😂