Money hacks How to split the bill without causing long-term divisions

Income disparity in friendships can sometimes lead to conflict.

- Mimi Ibrahim

Think of others' finances... A study published last year by a US financial services company, Bread Financial, found 26% of people felt they were "financially incompatible" with their friends, while 21% said they had lost a friendship due to money. According to Talia Loderick, a money coach, the wealth gap between friends is something more people should be mindful of. "It's so easy to let friendships fall by the wayside because we're so awkward and money's so emotional," she says. When dining with friends, it is important to understand everyone's views on how the costs should be divvied up before you split the bill. This is a topic that divides opinion. When the comparison website Compare the Market carried out a survey of diners, it found 34% thought a bill should be split evenly, including the tip, while 36% said it should be divided according to who had what. Vivi Friedgut, is the founder of Blackbullion, a free-to-use money management app for students. She says that whether it is splitting the cost of household items or eating out, it is vital to have open and honest conversations right at the outset to make sure that "everyone is clear that somebody is fully paying, or that everything is being split across the group equally".