How do you pay your bills with your spouse/partner?

Question

Is one of you in charge of the finances? Do you do your bills together? Which do you think is better? why? Has it ever caused discord in your relationship?

Answer 1

Once a week we sit down and do our bills together. That way we both know what is going on. We both work, so we pool our earnings in a joint account, share all of the expenses, no surprises. Hey, paying bills is not the most fun thing in the world to do, but if you do it together, you both know what's going on and it will cause less arguments.

Answer 2

We have a joint checking account. I pay all the bills online except for the truck notes because he works close to the dealer so he drops off the payment so we know it got there. The only time a problem comes up (discord) is when I'm tired and feel like he isn't paying attention to caring for the responsibilities we share. Then I complain and we have discord. To keep this down I usually talk to him about what bills are coming up before I pay them and tell him what I'm going to pay and give him an opportunity to say whatever. Then I pay the bills and tell him how much is left. He does all the grocery shopping and shopping for fun stuff for our home. So I guess it evens out.

Answer 3

My husband is in charges of the finances that he pays. I take of my own car note/all insurances my credit cards, groceries, clothes and the kids He takes care of the rest.

Our rule is I take care of me and mine (my children from a prior marriage) and he takes care of all of us. Meaning he pays the big stuff: mortgage, utilities, oil, phone, dish network. He keeps a roof over all our heads and the home comfortable.

I like the arrangement because I tend to slack off and forget. I am extremely busy with the kids and my job and he can not stand for anything to be late....ever. If a late notice comes he does this Linda Blair thing. It's funny, but he is right. We are both blessed to have good jobs and there is no reason for the bills to be late.

Peace.

Answer 4

I'm a SAHM and he works. He makes all the money which is deposited into our joint account, then I pay all the bills with it, put some into savings (and give him $40 to play with). He doesn't pay attention to things like that and prefers that I take care of it. He calls me his accountant sometimes, lol. I try to show him the budget sometimes, just so he can know where all his hard earned money is going, but he shrugs it off and tells me that he knows I've got it covered.

It's never cause problems. As long as he gets his $40 he's happy.

Answer 5

My husband and I both work, but I am 'in charge' of paying the bills. The best way I've figured out to do this is to have 2 separate checking accounts - one strictly for bills, and then the other account for 'other' stuff. We just try to be sensible and fair when one of us wants to buy something fun.

We do combine our incomes when we do this. When we first got married, we had separate checking accounts and tried to do the 'we each pay half' of the bills thing. It didn't really work out though.

Answer 6

He works and i pay the bills with the money he makes. Sometimes he pays the bills. My husband is a sweetheart and he amazes me,because i do not bring a dime to the house but he makes sure i'm in control of the money. Never has he ever ever said "my money". He even asks me(so we can talk about it) when you wants to buy something that will cost more than a $100.

We have a joint account. where his pay goes into and i pay and spend according to how i see fit.

He is a self-less man.

I'm so lucky in everything with my man..I know some of my friends say their husband want them to pay their own bills and buy their own clothes with their own money.. when i hear such things I pray, Count my blessings, and THank God for my Husband.

Answer 7

My husband handles all the bills as he makes way more money. I trust his financial judgment. I don't worry too much about the bills, he handles it quite well; money has never caused any problem for us. I don't think there's a "better" or "worse" way, it all depends on the couple. A good friend of mine has been married for almost 25 years, and they keep totally separate finances; this is what works for them.

Answer 8

basically I let him pay all the bills
with one condition do not ask any?s
I check them first to make sure that I was not over charge and pass it on to him
and I refuse ? like why did I buy this or that
I told him if he wants to keep the job of paying the bills he needs to understand that if I brought it that mean I want it
or need it .....
so far it had work for 3 years
my other deal is that since I have 3 sons from a previous marriage I need to keep a bank account for me ( you never know the future) and he agree with that
but been a smart woman anytime we have work done around the house and we are short of cash or his daughter needed somethinf special this bank account is always available to him or her (she is 20)
Our relationship work because before I enter it I tell him what to expect from & what I expect from him
by the way My X is a cheapo their is no one like him
so sit with your spouse and tell him what is needed to be done
money will always be an issue if you let it
you need to convet that you make money it does not make you and decide how you want to spend what you have
Good luck

Answer 9

He pays for everything, in both of our places (Canada and the U.S.). The money I make from my art work, which is considerable, I save, or go to the Toronto Cosmetic Clinic, which does some wonderful things with botox and fillers.
If you and your spouse both work, and share a household, the finances should be in the hands of whoever is better at it. Otherwise, work as a team, which is the whole purpose of marriage and long term partnership.

Answer 10

I'm better with the fiance but we both know how much we make and we share the bills. We both pay the mortgage, I pay for the home telephone and internet. And he pays for half the mortgage, the light, water and cable bills. And then I purchase the groceries and house related things.