Should your split your rent and bills evenly with your partner? According to a viral TikTok, no – especially if you earn much more (or much less) than your partner.
Moving in with a partner is a big step in any relationship. But it usually makes or breaks the couple – especially when it comes to the financing.
Everyone has different money habits and goals but it’s important in a relationship to be on the same (or at least a similar) page. Therefore, most couples tend to split their rent and bills evenly because it’s simple and it’s equal.
However, a recent TikTok is going viral because it highlights that couples who live together don’t necessarily have to split their costs right down the middle. The video, posted by TikTok user findingmimivlogs, explains that she and her partner practice equity, not equality.
What is equity? You may be familiar with the famous infographic (see below) that highlights equality is giving the same resources to everyone no matter what, whereas equity is giving different resources that better suit an individual’s needs so that overall an equal outcome is reached.
Findingmimivlogs explains this in her TikTok but then shares why she and her partner have decided not to split rent and bills 50/50 and how they do it instead. “We recognise that we have an income difference. Because of this, the same percentage of our individual income goes toward our shared bills.”
“So, let’s just say hypothetically 20 per cent of my income goes toward our shared bills. That means that 20 per cent of my partner’s income goes towards shared bills as well.”
TikTok user findingmimivlogs
She went on to further explain and wrote, “We have a shared account – multiple actually! We just put the same % of income into our bills account.”
Many TikTok users praised this way of thinking when it comes to sharing costs with a partner. One user wrote, “This makes the most logical sense to me. Unless I was doing [the] majority of the housework and daily tasks, but I do not,” while another simply wrote, “Love this!”
“I really wish my ex did this. We had to get a really small apartment because he insisted on going 50/50 even though he made 2.5x more than I did.”
TikTok user morgzey_
WATCH: A TikTok user explains why she and her partner don’t split bills evenly…
But findingmimivlogs is not alone. Many users shared that they also don’t split rent/bills evenly. “Me and my wife started doing this when we moved in together. It keeps things fair,” wrote TikTok user justindebel.
“This is what me and my partner do! I just became the primary breadwinner so we re-arranged and I contribute more to our bills!”
TikTok user paoo_paao
Of course, not everyone agreed and some TikTok users shared that they don’t and won’t use this method. One user commented, “My girl and I pay everything 50/50,” while user johnnybeer8 is clearly living the trophy husband dream and wrote, “My wife pays for everything.”
While TikTok is incredibly entertaining, and we think findingmimivlogs makes a good point, whenever you see information being spread on the social media platform, it should be taken with a grain of salt. And so, DMARGE exclusively spoke to Samantha Jayne, dating expert and advisor to The Bachelor Australia, for her professional input.
“Oh, the ugly 50/50 ‘let’s split the bill’ scenario can be a real chemistry killer and is appropriate in some scenarios and tasteless in others.”
Samantha Jayne
Samantha then clarified that splitting rent and bills equally can work for some couples – especially young couples who are new to living together – but splitting rent and bills equitably should definitely be considered for partners who are “serious about a life together”. Samantha also said housework and chores should be taken into account when deciding whether splitting bills equally is fair.
“If one partner works longer hours, that partner may not be able to contribute to the cooking or chores as much, so they may choose to pay a large portion of expenses because they appreciate their partner taking care of them with their acts of service.”
Samantha Jayne
At the end of the day, Samantha says communication is key to a healthy relationship; “Money is a difficult topic, it’s always better to be transparent.”
So, if you and your partner are able to sit down and openly talk about your finances, it doesn’t really matter whether you split your rent and bills in an equal or equitable way – as long as your method suits you both and makes you both happy, you’re golden.
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