Whats yours is mine and whats mine is mine

[4getmenot]

For those people living with their partners, do you have a joint bank account?, if so, after how long of living together did you sort out a joint bank account?

[Davethedog]

Doubt I will ever have £750k :-) I have always earned substatialy more than my wife.

However when we had kids my wife gave up work. I was never, comfortable with the whole "house keeping" thing. If my wife wanted things be it clothes or books or anything else she shouldn't have to ask she should have access to the money irrespective of who earned it.

We always ask each other if its ok to buy larger items though.

[andy-hughes]

I'm with ummmm (again!) on this - we have simply ever bothered to sort out separate accounts.

It's not a mater of trust - it's more a matter of not being possessive about money - or anything else really.

[MickyMacgraw]

Davethedog maybe you and umm would be ok with it but there are many that will see that as the one thing they don't want to share for different reasons, fear, greed or even maybe thinking that's the last bit of independence they have.

[ummmm]

Micky...yes. Not a problem.

Like Andy (lol) We're not precious about money. We know each other well enough to know that neither one would try to rip the other off. He's watched me go through a split and he's seen how I handled the financial side of it. He knows I wouldn't rip someone off even if I could.

He....he just wouldn't do that to anyone. He wouldn't be able to live with himself.

[MickyMacgraw]

Looks like love and trust are still alive in some places!

[ummmm]

And so it should be.

[Davethedog]

Mick - I am the most independant person you will ever meet.

Its not just a marriage its a partnership, I have no criticism of anyone eles arrangements.

If you take it at its most basic neither of us have ever taken "advantage" of the situation. I never saw it as anything but a basic thing.

I know my wife's sister's husband has always doled out the "housekeeping" and watch her having to ask him for "extra" money etc. She gave up her carrer to raise thier family, she shouldn't have to go cap in hand. When ever they go out to eat my wife pays, its not a problem. The days of servitude are done and dusted.

But he did have something to hide.

[craft1948]

30 years on I still miss the first husband's cash card.......

[wigglebum]

pretty much had a joint account from day one i take care of the finances its part of my job (mum/housewife/wife). oh and it was £50 i rang about and it was a joke...

[4getmenot]

wow great answers folks. I dont think i could ever let him pay all the bills and me get food, i wouldnt feel right. At moment everything is 50/50 even when i lost job, but in the future if i got paid less would be better if we had joint account x