Managing Bills Together: Tips for Dividing Expenses Without Damaging Relationships | Fintech

Consider the Financial Situations of Others…

An income disparity among friends can create conflict. A survey conducted by US financial services company Bread Financial last year revealed that 26% of respondents felt they were “financially incompatible” with their friends, and 21% said they had ended friendships due to financial reasons.

Talia Roderick emphasizes the importance of addressing the wealth gap between money coaches and friends. She notes, “It’s easy for friendships to suffer because money can be such a contentious issue.”

When dining with friends, it’s crucial to discuss how costs will be divided before receiving the bill. This can be a contentious topic. A survey conducted by a comparison website in the dining industry found that 34% believed bills should be split evenly, including tips, while 36% preferred splitting based on individual expenses.

Vivi Friedgut, the founder and CEO of Black Bullion, a free money management app for students, stresses the importance of having open and honest conversations about cost-sharing, whether for household items or dining out.

…Especially in University Settings

Tom Allingham, Communications Director for The Money Website Save the Student, highlights the common practice of saying, “I’ll pay this time, and you can get the next one.” However, over time, this can lead to imbalances. Allingham explains, “Eventually, one person ends up owing much more than the other.”

Student finances can further complicate matters. According to recent data, most students face a £504 shortfall each month beyond their maintenance loans, leading to disparities within friend groups when splitting expenses.

Utilize Apps to Simplify Splitting Costs

There is an array of apps and services available to simplify splitting costs among multiple individuals. It’s recommended to explore these options to find the best fit for your specific needs.

One popular bill-splitting app is Splitwise, which allows users to track shared expenses like rent, holidays, meals, and travel costs.

An integration between Splitwise and the payment platform Tink enables UK users to make direct payments through the Splitwise app by linking their bank accounts.

For UK users, Splid is another useful app that supports over 150 currencies and offline functionality, making it ideal for group travel.

Apps like these can help alleviate the awkwardness of splitting costs and promote fairer divisions, as noted by Roderick.

Allingham suggests that apps like Splitwise are particularly effective for splitting minor expenses among friends, such as coffee outings.

Explore Your Bank’s Bill-Splitting Services

While Natwest’s Housemate app was well-received for bill splitting, it has since been discontinued. Other banks offer similar tools to facilitate cost-sharing.

Digital banks like Monzo, Starling Bank, and Crew offer features like Split, Split the Bill, and group-based spending options to help users manage joint expenses and split bills easily.

Revolut also enables customers to split bills with other users, providing another convenient option for simplifying group expenses.