How To Split Bills With Roommates
How to split bills with roommates can be such a downer. You finally found a roommate who doesn’t snore like a banshee and eat your hummus, but now you have to tackle the tough topic of splitting bills. You’re already in over your head budgeting for yourself…now you have to do it for others?
Girl, don’t worry. Follow these five easy steps and you will see that splitting bills with roommates can be a breeze.
1. How To Split Bills With Roommates: List Shared Expenses
Gather round, roomies. We need to write all this down. The first step in splitting bills with roommates is to find out exactly what it is you are splitting.
Rent usually falls in it’s own category. We’re talking about other bills; things like cable/internet, shared streaming services, water/electric, trash/recycling, a cleaning service or cleaning supplies, etc.
It’s also helpful to discuss upfront whether you’ll split optional shared purchases, like furniture for common areas or shared appliances. Being clear about what counts as a communal expense ensures transparency and prevents misunderstandings. The more thorough your list of shared expenses, the easier it becomes to track spending and maintain fairness in your living arrangement.
2. How To Split Bills With Roommates: Budget-Friendly vs. Premium Items
When figuring out how to split bills with roommates, you’ll also want to come to a general consensus about the level of items you will be using in the home. One roommate might not care about itchy generic paper towels, while another finds that using Bounty is their only option.
Make sure you see eye-to-eye on these items. If you don’t, it may be wise to cut these items from the shared list and just let each roommate provide their own items for their own use.
3. How To Split Bills With Roommates: Decide on a Splitting Method
Are you going to divide expenses evenly or by room size? What if one roommate is traveling through the summer and barely there? Does it matter?
However you decide to do it, just make sure all roommates are on the same page.
4. How To Split Bills With Roommates: Put It In Writing
Write it down! Write it down! Write it down! Believe me, any awkwardness that comes with writing a contract between roommates at the beginning is a trifle compared to the torrential arguments that could happen when you don’t write it down.
Even if you just scribble it down on a napkin, put something in writing that outlines who owes what and when and how.
5. How To Split Bills With Roommates: Check Out Payment Systems Like Splitwise
When it comes to how to split bills with roommates, the operative word is “how.” Literally, how?
Are you going to exchange cash? Use online payment systems like Venmo or Zelle? An app like Splitwise can help you simplify the bill splitting.
Splitwise can help you keep track of shared expenses with a group and figure out who owes who what. It even operates in more than seven languages.
However you decide to log and share expenses, make sure all roommates have access and are comfortable with the app.
6. How To Split Bills With Roommates: Communicate
Splitting the bills with roommates should be an ongoing conversation. There may be issues that come up and need to be discussed. Setting up a WhatsApp group or other comfortable method of communication can help keep everyone in the loop and notify all roommates of any changes.
Now how about ordering a pizza and decorating your home for the holidays with all the roommates?! Just don’t forget to add the pie to the Splitwise!
