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Original poster

How do you split finances?

28 replies

User8389601 · 01/10/2026 12:08

I am looking for advice on how people separate the finances in a step parenting situation. I use step parenting though I know this term is frowned upon given we are not married, but not sure what else to call it.

We have a large house that we are renting. Partner earns 55% of our combined income I earn 45%. We have partners daughter every weekend and 50% of school holidays. I have no children.

If you are in a similar situation, how do you split the finances?

OP posts:
pulpJarvis · 08/10/2026 12:56

I suspect if you pushed him on having a child of your own he'd not really be that keen in reality. It all sou ds so penny pinching on his part. And would get more so if he starts with another child.

Can you i.agine what he'd be like about maternity leave and who would pay?

Lookslikeapotato · 09/10/2026 18:27

RatsCatsandPuppies · 01/10/2026 17:43

Hi, we earn a similar amount and do the following:

  • all costs related to our home, food and bills split 50/50. We pay the same amount into a joint account each month that all bills are paid out of.
  • costs that relate specifically to his kids (maintenance, clubs, clothes, school trips) he funds himself and not from joint money.
  • we each fund our own personal costs for cars, gym membership, mobile phones etc
  • for holidays where we take the kids we play it by ear a bit. If it’s self catering and the cost is the same whether it’s all of us or the two of us, we just split it. But if it was something where the price increases per person, even for kids, we would take that into account when we split the costs.

This is what we do too

rockingandrolling23 · 17/10/2026 21:43

This is always such a thorny issue.

my advice would be to look at the big picture. You have moved across the country for him, are you expecting to get married? Are you hoping for children of your own?

simply bank-rolling his existing life with his kids will certainly make you resentful.

if you did get married you could combine finances and discuss what your family needs.

I think if you remain as two single entities you will both be resentful of each other.

but to take the short term view, if marriage and children aren’t on the cards- it’s unfair you paying for the big expensive house.

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