This simply reinforces pay inequality between the sexes

[Grennie]

I always read the threads about how couples manage their money and bills with interest. Some couples where both work, agree to split bills, food and other joint costs 50:50, and keep the rest of their earnings for themselves.

Given that women tend to earn less than men, then I think thisway of managing money, simply reproduces pay inequality in the home. So I think it is a feminist issue. And yet how money is spent in a family, and who makes the decisions about that, rarely seems to be viewed as a feminist issue.

Interested to hear others views.

Grennie and turtle - I've always insisted on equal spending money. The only acceptable formula for me is (wage1 + wage2) - (combined bills) = spending. Then divide spending by 2.

There have been big arguments over what constitutes a 'bill' and this tends to alter over time; it's permanently negotiable. For example, I don't think sanpro and skincare count as optional, so they go into Bills. This would definitely apply, too, when it came to toys and clothes for children.

I bring in about a third of the household income, but pay for everything for dd: uniform, trips, clothes, entertainment, holidays. Dp pays mortgage and most bills. I have a separate account and intend keeping it that way, otherwise I would probably have to beg for spending money!

I too have a different "spending personality" to dp, who resists spending if he can. I envy those who can talk about money with their dp openly.

Everything joint in our case always and mos of the time I earned a very large amount more. Worked fine as everything was shared and most important of all both had same attitude to money as each other - pay off debt, spend very little except on things like private schools and properties.

It is when you both have different views on spending and one spends all the time and the other is a miser whatever your gender you get real problems.