Financial Compatibility Audit

The Financial Compatibility Audit is a tool to help you identify where and why there are money problems in your relationship. You can use the Financial Compatibility Audit in various ways.

  • You can do the audit simply for yourself - use it as a tool to identify exactly which areas are making you unhappy.
  • You can do it with your partner, try to be as honest as possible. Use the areas where you are compatible as a starting point - maybe it is not all bad, then move on to the areas that indicate less compatibility and see if they can be discussed and resolved.
  • If your partner refuses to do the audit or is simply not available, then you can try to fill it in on their behalf using your own belief of what they would say. This will also give you a clear indication of where you see the incompatibilities between you.
  • An interesting exercise is to complete the chart for yourself, then to complete the chart in the way you think your partner would complete it and then to get your partner to complete it for themselves and for how they think you would complete it. These 4 results will give you the most comprehensive and revealing information about where you are compatible, where there are significant areas of disagreement and how your perceptions of each other are colouring your judgement on this issue.

For each question below, grade your answer scoring 1 to 5.

5 means strongly agree
4 means agree
3 means don't feel strongly either way
2 means disagree
1 means strongly disagree


  Question You Partner
1. I think it is important to save money every month, however little.
2. You only live once and you should be able to spend what you earn. The future will look after itself.
3. I think couples should keep their own bank accounts and avoid having a shared account.
4. Couples should have a budget that they stick to every week.
5. I prefer to save up before purchasing large items rather than buying on credit cards.
6. I always pay off my credit card in full at the end of the month.
7. If I get a build up on my credit cards I consolidate it all into one loan.
8. I spend more on holidays every year.
9. Having a good car is important for my self image.
10. If we can't afford it I would rather not go on holiday however much I need a break.
11. I plan to retire early by making as much money as possible.
12. If one of us brings in the most money, then the other should do the most domestic chores.
13. When my parents die they will leave me a lot of money. I think that I should control the money, not both of us.
14. I buy things when I am fed up to cheer me up even though I know I can't really afford it.
15. I expect my partner to contribute equally to the costs of our living expenses.
16. If I earn more than my partner, I should be able to spend more on myself as I have worked harder for it.
17. I think however much money comes into the partnership and regardless of where it comes from it should be shared out equally.
18. I prefer to spend spare money on property rather than cars and holidays.
19. If we split up I think the person who has earned most should be able to take most of the possessions.
20. I sometimes hide the fact that I have spent more money or say it cost less than it did.
21. I think my partner waste money on some things.
22. I think my partner is over careful with money and I am sometimes embarrassed by their meanness.
23. I am afraid to discuss money issues with my partner as it always ends in a row.
24. I would like to know more about what is happening to our money but my partner controls it all.
25. We often disagree on what we should spend our money on.
26. I don't understand financial arrangements and I avoid the detailed stuff.
27. I think it is OK if one partner wants to handle all the money affairs.