Woman divides opinion on whether income should affect her partner's bill payments
One woman has sparked a debate online about whether the highest-earning partner in a couple could contribute more to bills.
One woman has sparked a debate online about whether the highest-earning partner in a couple could contribute more to bills.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, many couples are struggling to make ends meet and similar debates are being carried out in peoples’ homes.
This issue was raised as the individual enquired to Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert (MSE) Forum for advice.
Her question was: “Should my partner contribute more to household bills as he works from home?”
The dilemma was posted by one of MSE’ staff members on the online forum for further discussion.
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The MSE reader wrote: “I work part-time from my workplace and look after our child one day a week to save on childcare costs.
“My partner works full-time from home, using two computers, cooking food and having the lights and heating on as required.
He contributes more towards bills than I do, as I reduced my hours, and therefore pay, to care for our child.
“But I think he should contribute even more, as he uses much more energy, water and so on than I do. Should I ask him to pay more?”
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It should be noted that these questions are not answered directly by someone from Martin Lewis’ team.
Instead, they are intended to provoke further discussion and debate between other MSE readers.
In the comment section of the post, the majority of readers shared their disgust at the woman’s suggestion that her partner has to pay more.
One commenter named Turnitaround stated: “I swear some people have no idea of the meaning of the word partner.
“How does a relationship in which you were secure enough to bring children into the world turn into a business transaction?
“Mutual support is everything in a relationship and quibbling about should my partner pay more is not conducive to a happy relationship.
“Perhaps look at it another way. He is lucky to be able to work from home as it cuts down on travel costs and wear and tear on a vehicle.”
Martin Lewis is the Founder and Chair of MoneySavingExpert.com. To join the 13 million people who get his free Money Tips weekly email, go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip.