The three ways to split
The 50/50 split is the simplest: each partner pays half of the shared expenses. It works when incomes are similar; with very different incomes, the person who earns less ends up with far less personal margin.
The proportional split fixes that: each partner contributes according to their share of the total income. If one earns 60 % of what comes into the household, they cover 60 % of the shared expenses. Finally, the full pooling model combines all income and sets an equal personal allowance for both. There is no correct model; there is the one both of you feel is fair.
The fifteen-minute routine
Once a week, with coffee and without work phones, review three things: how much you have spent on shared expenses versus the plan, which payments are due in the next seven days and whether either of you needs to adjust their contribution. Fifteen minutes is enough if the expenses are already logged.
The key is that the conversation starts from data, not from memory. "We spent more on delivery this week" takes a minute to discuss; "you always order delivery" takes the whole evening.
How you do it with Amy
Amy's couples mode creates a shared space where both of you log the common expenses and see the same balance in real time, while each of you keeps personal accounts private. No screenshots to exchange and no month-end reconciliation.
Each partner logs however they prefer: typing "paid 180 for groceries", dictating it by voice or sending a photo of the receipt. Amy assigns the expense to the shared space, works out what each person contributed and leaves the summary ready for the weekly review.
Step by step
Make the list of shared expenses
Only what you both use. When in doubt, it is personal.
Choose the split model
Equal, proportional or full pooling. Write it down; what is not written gets renegotiated in every argument.
Set a check-in threshold
Below that amount nobody asks permission; above it, you give a heads-up first.
Log every shared expense the same day
Without logs there is no data, and without data the review becomes a memory fight again.
Review for fifteen minutes a week
Spent versus planned, upcoming payments and adjustments. Nothing else.
Frequently asked questions
What if one of us does not want to log anything?
Start with the minimum: that person only logs the shared expenses they pay, by voice if typing feels like a chore. Once they see the weekly summary with no effort, they usually join in on the rest.
Do we need a joint bank account?
No. Amy's shared space works with each person's own accounts; it only records who paid what. A joint account is a separate decision.
How do we handle the debts each of us brought?
Previous debts are personal unless you agree otherwise. The household budget is what you share; each of you pays their own payoff plan from their personal allowance.
