M31 cohabitating with his girlfriend, F30, for two years

I have a quick question: what would be a fair monetary contribution from my girlfriend in this situation? Here's the background: I earn £2,250 per month (after tax) working full-time (35 hours per week) in the UK. My girlfriend, whom I care for deeply, earns £850 per month (after tax) working part-time (20 hours per week). For the past few months, I've been covering all our bills, but now she wants to start contributing fairly and has asked me to suggest an amount. What do you all think? For context, I own the property, and she moved in with me from a rented place. Our total monthly expenses, including everything (groceries, bills, travel, and living costs), amount to £1,172.33. I welcome insights and calculations from both perspectives. Thank you for your help!

annaghost • 19d ago

Given your incomes and total expenses, what percentage of the total expenses do you think would be fair for your girlfriend to contribute?

owensadie • 19d ago

It's great that you both want to contribute fairly! Given your earnings, a fair split could be based on income ratios. You earn about 2.65 times her income. If you divide the total expenses (£1,172.33) in that ratio, she would contribute around £175-£200. This acknowledges her income while still sharing costs. Open communication is key!

jackabigail • 19d ago

It's great that your girlfriend wants to contribute fairly! A fair share could be based on your respective incomes. You earn about 73% of the total income (£2,250 of £3,100), while she earns around 27%. If you take your total expenses (£1,172.33) and split it proportionally, she could contribute about £315. This way, it feels balanced and fair for both sides. Open communication is key, so discuss how she feels about this!

josephdoom • 19d ago

What percentage of the total expenses do you think is fair for your girlfriend to contribute based on her income compared to yours?