Joint bank accounts

[ChezGiven 0]

We used to have one but we then split up paying for different things and as our situation has remained stable, it works.

 

Of the people married, who has one with their spouse?

 

If you're not married, have you got one?

 

Does your spouse earn more or less than you?

 

Does he / she want one / not want one?

[Meenzer 14111]

Similar here (and we're effectively living "as married"). Utilities and rent come out of my account and he pays me half; he tends to pay for all the one-off stuff (holidays, stuff for the house etc.) and I'll pay him my half afterwards. It's a 30-second job on internet banking these days so it's not like it's a big imposition.

I can see the point of a joint account if it's an additional account into which you both pay for covering (e.g.) utility bills and the like, while keeping your own separate accounts too. But only having a joint account and nowt else, particularly when we're both in gainful employment... nah. If I want to spend the whole day in the pub on a Suuuuper Sunday or he wants to blow silly money buying dodgy 1990s country CDs on eBay, we shouldn't have to worry about explaning the expense to each other afterwards.

(For the record, he earns less than me, but then I did cradle-snatch him when he was 19.)

[BigWalrus 0]

Married and have separate accounts. However, we both know each others online passwords to log on and transfer money between the two, and most of our spending is done on a shared credit card, so it's effectively shared.

[Happy Face 29]

Everything goes in the joint account. Everything comes out of there....but its basically my account and I take her wages. She never even looks at it.

 

Joint credit card she can use for shopping/petrol etc.

[Park Life 70]

She earns tons of money working on a Govt project (Architect)...I know all her pins and internet passwords...She buys me books and cd's and things all the time. She's very generous cause with my killer looks I could be gone anytime innit...

When we first met and I had tons of cash I gave her a credit card so it's swings and roundabouts.

[Happy Face 29]

We used to try going halfers before we were married... But who needs the hassle of doing all those sums every month?

[Meenzer 14111]

Hadn't considered a joint credit card (it's a decent idea really), but then I don't have a credit card anyway. Is that weird?

[Happy Face 29]

Hadn't considered a joint credit card (it's a decent idea really), but then I don't have a credit card anyway. Is that weird?

It's not weird...but not sensible if you have good credit and can pay off the balance each month.

 

You get 1, 2 or 3 % back on supermarkets bars restaurants petrol dept stores etc. With Santander.

 

Can get about £30 back a month if you're spending £1000.

 

 

[Meenzer 14111]

It's not weird...but not sensible if you have good credit and can pay off the balance each month.

 

You get 1, 2 or 3 % back on supermarkets bars restaurants petrol dept stores etc. With Santander.

 

Can get about £30 back a month if you're spending £1000.

 

I get £20 back on £1000 with my Tesco Clubcard if that counts?

 

I suspect it's a throwback to having moved to Germany right at the start of my "adult" life, they've been suspicious of credit there ever since the Weimar Republic. There's still tons of shops and restaurants that won't accept credit cards at all, so it never crossed my mind to get one.

[Gemmill 34880]

Joint account. Everything goes in there, everything goes out of there. I earn more than her but everything is shared.

 

We've discussed this at work and there is one married couple who have separate accounts, they both transfer identical amounts into a joint account each month to cover bills, and whatever is left is their own. He ends up a lot better off than her cos he earns more. And they go halfs if they go out for a meal. I think that's bizarre but they don't see it at all.

[Meenzer 14111]

Joint account. Everything goes in there, everything goes out of there. I earn more than her but everything is shared.

 

We've discussed this at work and there is one married couple who have separate accounts, they both transfer identical amounts into a joint account each month to cover bills, and whatever is left is their own. He ends up a lot better off than her cos he earns more. And they go halfs if they go out for a meal. I think that's bizarre but they don't see it at all.

 

We don't do that, we just take turns paying (approximately - although I'm sure there are some couples who keep a diary ).

[The Fish 9047]

Because of the OP I thought this was going to be about drugs.

 

It's not.

 

[Park Life 70]

I do use her library card sneakily.

[Jill 0]

 

We've discussed this at work and there is one married couple who have separate accounts, they both transfer identical amounts into a joint account each month to cover bills, and whatever is left is their own. He ends up a lot better off than her cos he earns more. And they go halfs if they go out for a meal. I think that's bizarre but they don't see it at all.

 

That's what we do and it works perfectly. He earns a little more than me but not enough for it to be a huge factor, and it just means if we want to pay for something "big" like a weekend away or holiday, he can take the hit from his account so we don't need to put it on a credit card. Then I transfer my share over when I have the money.

 

We even do separate food shopping because we eat completely different things. Anything householdy is paid for from the joint account and occasionally we'll use it for a meal/night out.

 

We lived together for several years before getting a joint account. We'd each have a standing order for half the rent, then I'd pay the bils when I got paid (19th) and he'd transfer half over when he did (21st). The joint account is linked to our mortgage which is basically the only reason we bothered when we bought a house, otherwise I expect we'd be continuing the same way as before.

[Dr Gloom 19879]

Joint account for bills mortgage etc. joint credit card for food shopping, meals and nights out together, holidays, baby stuff, petrol etc. own accounts for personal stuff like individual nights out, buying clothes etc.

 

The joint credit card is M&S - excellent for free food vouchers.

 

The wife owns way more than me and pays a bigger chunk of the mortgage every month.

[catmag 336]

I pay for all the bills, buy all the food, pay the nursery fees, pay for days out and treats and what's left over I use to buy wine.

 

It's all good.

[Renton 17871]

We used to have one but we then split up paying for different things and as our situation has remained stable, it works.

 

Of the people married, who has one with their spouse?

 

If you're not married, have you got one?

 

Does your spouse earn more or less than you?

 

Does he / she want one / not want one?

1) Yes. All the money us joint, she spends way more of it than me though.

2) N/A

3) Yes, even though she's part time now. My pensions better though......

4) N/A

 

For people who are married, or have made a life commitment, its inconceivable to me why you wouldn't share everything, and that includes your money.

[donaldstott 0]

We used to have separate accounts and a joint account for bills, I earn nearly double what she does so paid twice as much into the joint as she did. That worked ok except she has somewhat of a clothes habit and never had any wedge for a fortnight before payday, it meant I'd need to pay for way more than her in terms of nights out etc.

 

For the last couple of years we've had a single joint account and an AMEX which we use for spends where we can for avios points. The extra visibility has definitely reigned in her spending, so we're comfortable now each month.

 

It's a bugger for sneaky birthday presents and stuff - have to use cash. She reckons she's due an eternity ring - not sure how I can do that without giving the game away!

[Kid Dynamite 5970]

We've discussed this at work and there is one married couple who have separate accounts, they both transfer identical amounts into a joint account each month to cover bills, and whatever is left is their own. He ends up a lot better off than her cos he earns more. And they go halfs if they go out for a meal. I think that's bizarre but they don't see it at all.

Similar to our situation, except I pay for most meals, holidays, nights out etc. also pay more towards her car and the mortgage

[khay 8]

Before we got married we had separate accounts and had a standing order to transfer half the rent to my account and we each paid certain bills.

 

I'm not sure how it would have worked out but just before we got married we moved to the USA. So we have joint accounts over here and still have our separate accounts back in the UK. Since my wife's company moved us over she gets paid in the UK and we have ex-pats benefits thats a set amount we use to pay for rent in here in Houston. So my wages go into the account that pays for the rent/car loan and her money goes to pay everything on the credit card. We use the credit card for everything as mentioned above to collect points for vouchers/cash back etc. We also get a spousal allowance in a lump sum every year for me having to move with her. Out of which i transfered with my work got a pay rise and then a cool new job in IT-Secuirty after a year and half

 

And she earns more than me! But we share it all. But we both like to spend money! She does have the same affliction as described above for clothes shopping and i like the life of luxury.

 

Also when visiting the states don't shop in Whole Foods. They call it whole pay check here.

[ewerk 26562]

Similar to our situation, except I pay for most meals, holidays, nights out etc. also pay more towards her car and the mortgage

 

Pretty much the same as me. Though I'd imagine it'll change if kids come along.

[Gemmill 34880]

I can understand this having separate accounts/being differentially well off than your partner if you aren't married. But if you've hoyed in together it makes no sense to me that one person does better or worse than the other.

 

Going halfs in a restaurant man. wtf.

[trophyshy 6441]

I'm thinking a joint bank account could be a good strategy to avoid marriage for another few years. I might propose it tonight.

Edited July 16, 2013 by trophyshy

[Meenzer 14111]

I'm thinking a joint bank account could be a good strategy to avoid marriage for another few years. I might propose it tonight.

 

Interesting choice of verb.

[Dr Gloom 19879]

1) Yes. All the money us joint, she spends way more of it than me though.

2) N/A

3) Yes, even though she's part time now. My pensions better though......

4) N/A

 

For people who are married, or have made a life commitment, its inconceivable to me why you wouldn't share everything, and that includes your money.

I suppose the way I look at it is we share the cost of everything we do together by I wouldn't expect her to contribute to my having a boozy night out with the lads and equally she doesn't expect me to pay towards her latest pair of Jimmy Choos.

 

It's nice to have your own personal account for the frivolous things in life.