How to Split Bills based on Income

Splitting bills can be confusing, but it doesn't have to be. Learn how to split bills fairly and simply with HyperJar.
Colby Brin
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January 5, 2023
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4
min read

Deciding how to split bills based on income can be an awkward situation to be apart of if clear communication isn’t established between all parties. Speaking about your financial boundaries will help keep you in tact with your budget and financial goals. 

This guide will inform you on how to split bills evenly, fairly and simply while avoiding disagreements and confusion.

Income calculator 

An income calculator will estimate a person’s monthly income by taking into account their annual salary, bills, debts, number of dependents, and other financial factors. 

An income calculator will help an individual have a clearer understanding of their financial situation. This will vary depending on a person's goals and needs, such as determining how much money they need to make in order to maintain a specific lifestyle, budgeting for future expenses, saving for retirement, making career choices, and setting financial goals.

There are plenty of income calculators out there. Here’s one that will help you figure out your post-tax income, and here’s a budget planner that will help you add up all your expenses.

There are many different ways to split bills using an income calculator. Some common methods include splitting the bill evenly between all parties or splitting the bill based on each person's share of the total income. Ultimately, it is up to the individuals involved to decide how to split the bill.

Splitting Bills In A Shared House 

If you are living in a shared house, it is important to figure out how you are going to split the bills. There are a few different ways that you can do this, and it is important to figure out what will work best for you and your roommates. 

Talk to your housemates

It is important to have clear communication and talk to your housemates when splitting bills in a shared house. This helps gain an understanding of what will work best for everyone, gets everyone on the same page about finances and makes splitting the bills fairly.

If there’s lack of communication, then you run the risk of someone not being happy with the way that the bills are being split. Which  can cause conflict and make it difficult to live together. 

Split Rent

​​There are a few different ways that you can split rent in a shared house. The easiest way is to have each person pay an equal amount. Another way is to have each person pay a certain percentage of the total rent. For example, the person with the smallest room pays the least and the person with the largest room pays the most. You can also split the rent based on income. The person with the highest income will pay the most and so on. 

Hyperjar’s split the bill feature is a great tool to use. This is where you can split bills and create shared pot with other people. 

Again, speaking with your housemates will be the best option to figuring out what will work best for everyone and keeping the rent split fair. 

Everyone has a bill

Having each person responsible for a specific bill in a shared home is an option to consider. The bills can include council tax, electricity, gas and so on.  This will help to keep track of expenses and ensure that each person is responsible for their own share of the bills. 

It can be helpful to set up a system where each person is responsible for paying their own bills, like Hyperjar’s split the bill feature, and then the housemates can split the cost of utilities and other shared expenses. This way, everyone is contributing equally to the cost of running the household. 

If one person is not paying their share of the bills, it can put a strain on the other housemates. This can be avoided by setting up a system where each person is responsible for their own expenses and avoids tenants loosing on money if money is not given back to them. Learn more and read our blog on ‘House Share Budgeting Nighmares’ 

Splitting Bills With Your Partner

Some couples choose to keep their finances separate, while others choose to combine everything into one joint account. There is no right or wrong answer, it all depends on what works best for a partnership. However, splitting bills can help you keep your costs down. 

If you are splitting the bills with your partner, you will need to make sure that you are both on the same page, you will need to agree on who is responsible for each bill and you will also need to agree on how the bills will be paid.

Talk about your finances

There are a few things to consider when discussing finances with your partner. How much money do you each make? What are your monthly expenses? What are your goals for the future? Once you have a clear understanding of your financial situation, you can start to discuss how you will split bills and expenses.

If you decide to combine your finances, you will need to decide how or who will be responsible for paying which bills. Will one person be in charge of the mortgage or rent, while the other covers the utilities? Will you both split the cost of groceries evenly?

Once you have a plan in place, it is important to stick to it. If one person starts to fall behind on their share of the bills, it can put a strain on the relationship.

Make a budget

If you are splitting bills with your partner, it is important to make a budget. This will help you to ensure that each person is paying their fair share. To make a budget, you will need to figure out your monthly income and expenses. Once you have this information, you can start allocating money to different bills and use tools like Hyperjar’s shared spending feature. We advice including a buffer in your budget in case one person falls behind on their payments. 

Figure out what’s fair

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to splitting bills with your partner, but there are a few things to consider that may help you come to a decision that works best for both of you.

  • First, think about how much each of you earns. If one person earns significantly more than the other, it may make sense for that person to contribute more to the household expenses.
  • Then, consider your individual financial goals. If one person is trying to save for a down payment on a house while the other is trying to pay off student loans, it may make sense for each person to contribute a different percentage of their income to the bills.
  • Also, think about your lifestyle. If one person enjoys going out to eat and buying new clothes more than the other, it may make sense for that person to contribute a larger percentage of their income to the bills.

Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to communicate with your partner and come to an agreement that you are both comfortable with.

Be flexible

You should consider being flexible when splitting bills with your partner. Do not have a fixed way that you always split your bills as situation changes such as income, debts and more. 

If they are in a tight spot, then you should be willing to help them out by splitting the bills in a different way. If you usually split the bills by 50/50, then consider changing the ratio to 60/40 or whatever will suit you both. This is showing consideration for your partner’s difficult financial situation. 

Also, be willing to help out with the bills if you are in a better financial situation than your partner. This way, you can avoid any arguments about money in the future and relax the burden of your partner.

Splitting Bills At Restaurants

Most people have experienced the awkwardness of trying to split a bill at a restaurant. Whether you're out with friends, family, or coworkers, figuring out how to evenly split the cost of a meal can be tricky. There are a few different methods you can use to split a bill, and the best method will likely depend on the situation.

Be open with dining companions

If you are going out to eat with other people, it is important to be upfront about your intentions to split the bill before attending. Otherwise, you could end up with an awkward situation where expectations have not been discussed leaving a person to pay more than they anticipated for the meal, which is not fair.

Pay for what you eat

Pying for what you eat is a good idea when splitting bills at a restaurant because it ensures that everyone pays their fair share. This avoids arguments and prevents one person from feeling like they are being taken advantage of. It can also help to keep track of what everyone is eating and how much they are spending. 

Plan ahead

When eating out with friends or loved ones, it is often difficult to split the bill evenly. A good way to avoid any arguments is to plan ahead. Each person can bring a set amount of cash to cover their portion of the bill, or one person can pay the bill in full and be reimbursed later. 

Another option is to use a mobile app such as Hyperjar’s split the bill feature, which allows users to keep track of who owes what and makes it easy to settle up at the end of the meal. 

Whichever method you choose, it is important to be upfront about costs before ordering so that everyone is on the same page. This will help to avoid any confusion or arguments when it comes time to pay the bill and you can focus on having a nice meal.

Splitting the bills doesn’t have to be a negative or tense situation. With clear communication and understanding, splitting teh bills with your housemates, partner, friends or associates can be an experience that leads to keeping in line with your financial goals. With the help of the Hyperjar app, you can use features like the split bill section to make sharing bills stress free.

Colby Brin

Head of Copy

Colby Brin is Head of Copy at HyperJar. With over 17 years of professional writing experience, Colby’s been a journalist, ghostwriter, language consultant, and writing trainer. Having previously served as Head of Copy at Wise, he’s worked in fintech for over six years. A native of New York City, Colby graduated from the University of Michigan, and has lived in London for two years.

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