I'm just looking for a bit of insight into how other people whose dp/dh pays maintenance and has a large loan payment each month, split their finanaces.
Me and dp have been together over five years (lived in our home together 5yrs), and up til now have kept our finances seperate, DP has paid all household bills bar one, his loan, and maintnance. I have paid for food shopping, things for ds (ie clothing), xmas and bday presents for all our relatives, and our home insurance and my business expenses as a childminder. We have had periods of financial hardship with csa problems and nearly lost our house, dp has had good wages, terrible wages and no wages in this period of time, I have always had terrible wages. I have always had to be the one to sort out csa, terribly stressful at the time with a 4month old baby, dealing with csa and MP (then deputy PM), and worrying about the house, all at 22. I have also sorted our debts ie pushed dp to get remortgaged, consolidated loans, sort csa, etc. We now have a pact to not go into debt/get credit again, and can save for anything we need or want ie holidays, things for house.
We were discussing last night getting a joint account, which all our wages and CB goes into, bills, food and ds clothes come out, then we both have an equal amount transfered to our own accounts for our spending during the month. DP said he has never broached this before due to his large bills from before we got together (ie very large loan payments and maintanence).
What do other people do about sitauations like these? What do you think we should do? Any opinions appreciated, just want to try and guage how other second families deal with this situation. TIA