Why Splitting Bills By Income Can Be Better For Some Couples

Couple walking on a beach
Shiavon Chatman
December 20, 2021

Financial disagreements are one of the MAIN causes of divorce! But old school beliefs about who should pay for what are NOT the way to avoid them. How SHOULD we approach money in a relationship?

Back in the day, men were often expected to pay for everything. But this mindset has become WAY outdated.

Some couples go in the opposite direction – splitting everything exactly 50/50. But this doesn’t fit for every relationship, either!

50/50 can work fine if both people have about the same income. But Black women frequently make much less than men – so they often effectively pay more.

It’s even worse in many relationships, because women are also expected to do a bunch of unpaid labor like cooking, cleaning, and childcare, too!

Splitting bills by looking at income, debts, and other financial obligations can be fairer for everyone. It takes a bit more work, but it’s worth it. 

Look at both of your budgets and compare your spending, how much you’re saving, and how much shared expenses take out of each of your incomes. Then split bills in as fair a way as you can.

This is a more modern way to split bills. Instead of sticking to old expectations we can be creative, mature, and use a system that’s fair to everyone!

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