![\"Randy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/BDSW5EFYEVBD3KBF3WREF3RCL4.jpg\")
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Randy Liu and his girlfriend Elena Demeester. Courtesy Randy Liu\/Handout via REUTERS<\/p>\n
Randy Liu, 29, tracks all of his spending \u2014 from meals out to clothes \u2014 in a spreadsheet. When he started dating his girlfriend, 27-year-old Elena Demeester, she asked him to track hers too. Now, three years into their relationship, the San Diego-based couple who live together has found a budgeting system that works for them \u2014 one that, unlike many couples, doesn\u2019t involve splitting everything 50\/50. <\/p>\n
The reason is simple: While both Liu and Demeester earn six-figure salaries, Liu earns somewhat more in private equity than Demeester does in the pharmaceutical industry. How they split expenses mirrors that reality: Demeester says Liu is the more frugal of the pair, while she is the one who spends a bit more in the relationship. <\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe the money is (split) 60\/40, but I think we still feel like we are contributing to the relationship 50\/50,\u201d Demeester says. <\/p>\n
Only two payments are split equally: their mortgage ($5,600 per month) and utilities. Everything else, from groceries to subscriptions, is split proportionally. An Excel spreadsheet helps them make monthly adjustments. For example, if they overspend one month, they declare a “supersaver month,\u201d which involves not eating out to get back on track. <\/p>\n
Although the couple tracks expenses together, they do not have a joint account, a popular option for unmarried couples. “I don’t think we plan to ever merge accounts,\u201d Demeester says. \u201cIt still gives us ownership, at least … of our own money.” <\/p>\n
Randy Liu and his girlfriend Elena Demeester. Courtesy Randy Liu\/Handout via REUTERS<\/p>\n
As their careers change and progress, Liu and Demeester see proportional spending as a long-term financial strategy. “While right now it might be 60\/40, I anticipate it’s probably going to be larger in the future,” Demeester says. <\/p>\n
THE WIDER TREND While studies in the U.S.<\/a> and the U.K<\/a>. show that many young couples continue to split shared bills 50\/50, it\u2019s no longer the only model: proportional, income-based splits are widely seen by personal finance experts as a fairer solution, especially when partners are earning different amounts. <\/p>\n Scott Bishop, the managing director and partner of Presidio Wealth Partners in Houston, Texas, says fair doesn’t always mean equal when it comes to finances. “I see couples run into trouble when expenses are split informally \u2014 one pays rent; the other covers groceries \u2014 because those costs fluctuate and resentment builds quietly,” he tells Reuters. “Over time, one person inevitably feels like they’re carrying more, even if that was never the intent. For many couples, especially early on, a clean structure works best.” <\/p>\n TAKEAWAYS<\/p>\n Fair doesn’t always mean equal. If one partner earns more than the other, it makes sense to divide the bills proportionally. Otherwise, the person earning less will carry a greater financial burden. <\/p>\n Be transparent about spending. “Young couples aren’t trying to be transactional \u2014 they’re trying to be fair,\u201d Bishop says. \u201cAnd the most successful ones are the ones who treat money as a shared system to manage together, not something to quietly compare in the background.” For Demeester and Liu, their Excel spreadsheet provides this transparency. <\/p>\n Revisit your budget regularly. “If it\u2019s too much or too little, you adjust together,\u201d Bishop says. \u201cWhat matters more than the formula is the conversation behind it. Money exposes values \u2014 spender versus saver, security versus flexibility \u2014 and those differences don\u2019t disappear just because two people love each other.” Take time to revisit bills and make sure one partner is not carrying a disproportionate share of the financial burden. <\/p>\n Have a money lesson or story to share? Tell us what worked for you \u2014 or what didn\u2019t \u2014 by emailing hani.richter@tr.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n Editing by Yasmeen Serhan and Lisa Shumaker<\/p>\n