Living with other people means a steady stream of shared costs: rent, energy, internet, cleaning supplies, and the groceries everyone dips into. Small amounts add up, and unclear balances are one of the most common sources of friction between housemates.
1. Create a group for the household
Start one group for the home and invite each housemate with a link or QR code. Everyone sees the same expenses and the same balances, so there is one shared source of truth.
2. Decide how each kind of cost is split
- Rent often splits by percentage when rooms differ in size.
- Utilities and internet usually split evenly.
- Groceries and one-off purchases can use exact amounts when only some people share them.
3. Log costs when they are paid
Whoever pays the energy bill or does the big shop adds it right away, with who paid and who it covers. Balances stay current without a monthly reconciliation session.
4. Settle up on a regular rhythm
Many households settle once a month. ScratchSplit shows the fewest payments that clear the whole house, so you make a couple of transfers instead of many. No money moves through the app: you pay each other however you prefer and record the settlement.
Keeping it friendly
- Write down the household's split rules when someone moves in.
- Keep personal purchases out of the shared group.
- When someone moves out, settle their balance before they leave.
Try ScratchSplit
ScratchSplit is a private shared-expenses app for iPhone and Android, coming soon. Core expense tracking, splits, balances, and settlements are free. Learn more about ScratchSplit.
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