Moving in together and money: agreements before you merge homes
Sharing a toothbrush is easy. Sharing expectations about who pays for toilet paper is where the relationship tests maturity.
Before the move: 7 agreements
- How much each can pay toward rent/condo
- Split method (50/50, proportional, shared fund)
- What’s a household purchase vs. personal
- How you handle guests and extra costs
- Current debts on each side
- Minimum emergency fund goal together
- What happens if one loses income for a while
A hard talk now beats silence in month two of the lease.
Household purchases
Sofa, fridge, stove: who pays? Who keeps it if you split? A simple agreement avoids emotional legal drama later.
Don’t merge everything on day one
Many couples do better starting with a shared fund + personal accounts, then integrating more later—if it still makes sense.
Review in 90 days
The real cost of living together shows up later: power, groceries, delivery, cleaning. Adjust the fund deposit.
Moving in with money aligned becomes partnership. Misaligned, the new apartment becomes a stage for scorekeeping.
Sort out your money, together
One account for the two of you: shared bills, joint goals and the whole month in view. Start free.
Keep reading
The shared couple fund: how it works in practice
Not everything joint, not everything separate. How to build a shared fund that covers the couple's bills without costing anyone their autonomy.
Couples financeFinance app for couples: what actually matters when choosing
Did the spreadsheet die again? Here’s what a couples finance app really needs—beyond a pretty chart.
RelationshipsCouples who fight about money: what to do for real
Money fights are almost never only about dollars. Understand what’s underneath and a script to break the cycle.