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Three fair methods:1. Equal split: Total expenses ÷ number of roommates. Simplest. Works when everyone earns similarly.2. Income-based split: Each pays proportional to their income. Fairer when there is a big income gap.3. Usage-based: Split rent by room size. Split utilities equally. Personal items are individual.Pro tips: Use FinanceGuide Split Expense feature to track who paid what. Share the statement via WhatsApp. Set a monthly settle-up date. Keep a shared spreadsheet for transparency.The key is agreeing on the method BEFORE moving in together.

Three approaches that work:1. Fully combined: All income into one pot. All expenses from one account. Simple but requires full trust and alignment.2. Split proportionally: Each contributes a percentage of income to shared expenses (rent, groceries, bills). Rest is personal spending.3. Yours, mine, ours: Joint account for shared expenses. Individual accounts for personal spending. Most popular.Key rules: Set a spending limit for purchases without consulting partner ($100-200). Have monthly money meetings (15 mins). Use FinanceGuide to track shared expenses and split bills.

Saving on low income is harder but absolutely possible:1. Track every expense — Use FinanceGuide (free). Most people find 10-15% waste they did not know about.2. Cut subscriptions — Cancel anything unused. Even $10/month = $120/year.3. Cook at home — Eating out costs 3-5x more than cooking.4. Automate savings — Even $25/paycheck. Move it before you can spend it.5. Use the 24-hour rule — Wait 24 hours before any non-essential purchase. Most impulse buys disappear.6. Find one side income — Even $200/month extra changes everything.Remember: it is not about how much you earn, it is about the gap between earning and spending.

The widely recommended guideline is no more than 30% of gross income on rent. Some financial advisors suggest 25% for more breathing room.Examples:$50,000/year salary → Max rent $1,250/month$75,000/year → Max $1,875/month$100,000/year → Max $2,500/monthIf you are spending more than 30%, look at: getting a roommate, moving to a cheaper area, or increasing income. Housing is typically the biggest expense — getting this right fixes most budget problems.Budget guide: 50/30/20 Rule

Do BOTH simultaneously with this approach:Step 1: Save a $1,000 starter emergency fund first (2-4 weeks).Step 2: Attack high-interest debt aggressively (credit cards at 20%+).Step 3: Once high-interest debt is gone, build full 3-6 month emergency fund.Step 4: Pay off remaining lower-interest debt.Why $1,000 first? Without ANY savings, every unexpected expense goes back on the credit card — creating an endless cycle.More details: Emergency Fund Guide