Decide what belongs to the household
Make a list of shared expenses and keep personal spending outside that list. Decide who pays each bill, where the payment is recorded and when you review the plan together.
In Ausgaben.ch, a household is a shared financial workspace. Members with access can view and edit its finances. A person or account label is for organisation, not a private boundary inside that household. Keep finances that should stay private in a separate household.
Choose a contribution rule
An equal split is easy to explain. A split based on take-home income may suit a household with different earnings. Neither method is automatically fair for everyone: caring responsibilities, debt commitments and what each person uses can matter too.
Here is a fictional income-based split of CHF 3,000 in shared monthly costs. One person receives CHF 4,000 and the other CHF 6,000, so their agreed shares are 40% and 60%.
| Person | Income share | Monthly contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Person A | 40% | CHF 1,200 |
| Person B | 60% | CHF 1,800 |
| Total | 100% | CHF 3,000 |
Record the expense once
A contribution to a shared account and the bill paid from that account are different events. If both accounts are included in the same household, record the contribution as a transfer and the bill as an expense.
When someone pays a shared bill personally, agree whether you are tracking a reimbursement or adjusting the next contribution. Do not create a second grocery expense for the reimbursement. Add a clear note so another member can understand the entry later.
Review changes together
Set a regular moment to compare actual shared spending with the plan. Check annual bills as well as the current month. Update contributions when the household changes rather than letting a temporary arrangement run indefinitely.
Before inviting someone, check that this is the household you want to share. The owner manages membership and encryption access. Export a copy before major changes if needed. Deleting the owner’s account also deletes the households they own, including their data for the other members.
Common questions
Do we need a joint bank account?
No. You can organise shared finances using separate bank accounts. Be consistent about which accounts and payments are included so reimbursements are not counted twice.
Can flatmates see only their own transactions?
A shared household is not a private per-person ledger. Members with access can view and edit the household finances. Keep private records in a separate household.
Practical guides from Ausgaben.ch, prepared with AI assistance. Examples are fictional. Linked reference sources explain the Swiss context; your own bills and contracts determine your budget.
Accounts, budgets and expense tracking · Privacy policy · Help