My husband earns 70% more than me in pay, what would be an fair percentage to share in bills, cause 50% isn't?

Question

I will be starting a new job after 3 years of being a Stay at home Mom, before taxes I will earn $1,980. My husband earns $4,230 monthly. We don't need me to work, but I need to begin a career again for myself. We have approximately $2,076 in monthly bills not counting the $600 it will cost for childcare once I begin working. Currently everything is in his name except our car and car insurance, which he's been paying for soley for the past 3 years.
Our biggest bills are rent, cable/internet/phone package, and our cell phone family package. Now that I'll be working we will need 2 cars. He wants a new one, my car is 5 years old and it's definitely time for a change. I want to trade it badly. But with him going for a new car I may have to stick with my current car that he knows we been having too many problems with.

I decided to to start working again cause I want to go back to school and begin some sort of career again. What would be a fair share on my part? Do I get a 2nd job?

Answer 1

This sounds like you are preparing an exit plan. If you live in a community property state it doesn't matter what is in whose name you both own it 50-50 except for family heirlooms and those things you can prove you brought to the marriage.
The newest car should go to you assuming your child rides with you more than him. If he thinks its ok for you to transport yourself and your child in a break down mobile and that he should have the new car he is, imho, selfish and uncaring.
You say you don't need the money you will be earning then you should pay your working expenses out of it, and bank the rest for your yearly family super vacation and emergencies.
I guess you or both of you have decided that you will have the new style marriage that divvies up who pays for what. This, imho, method makes your marriage more like a roommate situation and not what marriage is about. Remember either of you should be able to say "What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine". Toss all the money into your marital pot and spend it on mutually agreed upon items. You share a bed and it shouldn't matter who contributes what you should share everything.

Answer 2

First off you have to realize you are not roomates you are husband and wife. All money that is made is to pay bills etc. and then if you have some left over then you can have a little spending money. But really you have no more my money when you marry it is all combined as in the reason for joint accounts. What a five yr old car and you need a change you are pathetic my car is 21 yrs old. I think your husband should be supportive of you going back to school and if he has to buckle down and get a used car then so be it. I think you have your priorities all messed up both of you if you have been a stay at home mom and finally want a change then he should say fine don't work I'll pay for everything like a loving husband should. Tell him in the end you will just be able to spoil him with more stuff if you have a better paying job.

God Bless and Good Luck!

Answer 3

Well, given that if you start going to work, then you should be responsible for the childcare. That is a bill that you wouldn't have to pay if you didn't work. Then you should be reliable for your portion of the insurance. If you pay only these, you can afford to trade in your car and to get a new one. It wouldn't hurt for you to offer to pay your part of the cell. Since you technically don't need you to work, then you don't need to pay 50%. Just take care of your end, and that would help out enough if he wanted to get himself a new car. Hope this gives you what you are looking for.

Answer 4

There shouldnt be a need to "split" the money up in any way, shape, or form. The only important thing is that the bills get paid, food on the able, and the kids taken care of. This "idea" of his money / her money is rather ridiculous. Need to prioritize what needs to get done, and put ALL the money towards that, in an order kind of like the following:

#1. BILLS
#2. Care for children
#3. Gas to get back and forth to work
#4. etc. etc. etc...

Answer 5

There could be different formulas; choose one to your (both of you) liking:

1) 58:42 (according to the ratio of your earning (better make it post taxes as taxes become higher on higher earnings)

2) you pay 42% + babysitting - 50% of your car maintenance

3) make a pool of earnings and share all the income and expenses (my favourite as both of you are a unit and doing it for the best of your family)

Answer 6

When you're married, all of your money legally belongs to both of you. It should all be going into a joint account, and all bills should be coming out of the same joint account. I'm curious to know why, having been together for a while, you still split bills like you were roommates. Perhaps you should go to a financial planner together and figure out a joint budget rather than trying to split everything between the two of you.

Answer 7

I agree with the people who recommend paying the bills according to how much you make 70/30. Because i like having my own money and would not care if my spouse will make more than me(currently single).

Answer 8

You are married a fair share is 50%. If you live in a community property state that means you already own responsiblity for half of his property and vice versa. If you are going to haggle over who pays what. I suggest you keep things the same until you come to an agreement otherwise you are going to end up in divorce court before long. If you are worried as to what you are going to walk away from because he has everything in his name then do what you can to get your name on everything. Tell him you are going to contribute to the household and you are going to share responsibility. Marriage is 50-50 anything less is one taking care of the other.

Answer 9

I say that you should pay for childcare and your new car note and that's it. You should not get a second job because then you won't get to spend any time with the children. He was handling things before you decided to go to work so he can continue to do so.

Answer 10

Sure, getting a job is a great idea. And worry so much about who pays what, you are a family and not a company. Talk to your husband and decide who pay what, the money you save you can put them in your children bank account or in mutual bank account.