A Financial Pro on Managing Money as a Couple
One of You Saves, the Other Spends — Now What? A Financial Pro on Managing Money as a Couple
August 16, 2025 by Laura Bogart
What’s the best way to manage money with a partner?
You’re sitting at the breakfast table with your partner. Gazing into their eyes, you think about how much you love them, how much they — to quote “Jerry Maguire” — “complete you,” and how fortunate you are to have them.
Just as you’re about to fall even deeper in love, they open their mouth to tell you they might have, ahem, put a little more on the credit card than they planned. Or perhaps to chide you for not taking your employer match on your 401(k).
Ah, love. Ain’t it grand? It still can be — even if your money habits clash — when you learn how to balance different financial styles. That process might sound complex and uncomfortable, but according to Emma Johnson, founder of Wealthy Single Mommy and author of “The 50/50 Solution” and “The Kickass Single Mom,” it starts with something simple: listening to each other.
GOBankingRates caught up with Johnson to get her take on how happy couples can stay happy couples when it comes to managing money together.
Respect Each Other’s Financial Independence
One of Johnson’s first pieces of advice is to recognize that you and your partner are, well, your own people. You each had fully formed identities and managed your own money before you got together. Acting like a parent or boss with your partner’s finances can only breed resentment.
“Each partner needs some financial autonomy – money you can spend without checking in first,” Johnson said. “You’re both adults.”
Therapists back this up. Given how often couples argue over money, it’s not surprising that services like Ascencion Counseling include financial advice right on their websites. To keep your financial independence while managing joint responsibilities, you and your partner need to communicate and plan together.
One common approach is to open a joint account for major shared expenses like rent, utilities and groceries, while keeping separate accounts for personal spending. Once you agree on how much each of you will contribute — ideally based on income rather than splitting everything 50/50 — you can still maintain individual control over your own separate accounts.
This kind of setup gives each partner more confidence in their financial abilities while also minimizing potential resentment. That’s a win-win.
Love Each Other Through Your Differences
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