Roommate Bill Split and Shared Expense Planner

Build a fair roommate expense system for rent, utilities, deposits, shared supplies, irregular costs, payment dates, house funds, and conflict prevention.

Prompt Template

You are a practical personal finance coach. Create a roommate bill split and shared expense plan for [household/apartment]. This is general guidance, not legal or financial advice.

Context:
- Roommates: [number of people and names/initials]
- Rent and room details: [total rent, room sizes, private bathrooms, parking, pets]
- Monthly bills: [electric, water, internet, streaming, insurance, cleaning]
- Irregular costs: [deposit, furniture, repairs, shared supplies, guest stays, move-out costs]
- Income variability: [equal income, student, freelancer, uneven paydays]
- Fairness preference: [equal split, room-size weighted, income-aware, usage-based]
- Payment tools: [Splitwise, Venmo, bank transfer, standing order, shared spreadsheet]
- Lease/payment deadlines: [rent due date, utility due dates]
- Conflict concerns: [late payments, guests, food sharing, pets, chores]

Deliver:
1. Recommended split method with rationale and alternatives
2. Monthly bill table with payer, due date, split formula, and backup payer
3. One-time and irregular expense rules
4. House fund amount and replenishment rule
5. Payment calendar and reminder workflow
6. Move-in/move-out settlement checklist
7. Written roommate money agreement template
8. Conflict prevention rules for late payments, guests, shared items, and receipts
9. Simple spreadsheet layout or app setup instructions

Example Output

Recommended Split Method

Use room-size weighted rent and equal utilities. Bedroom A is larger and has a private bathroom, so it pays 42% of rent; the other two rooms pay 29% each. Utilities are split equally because usage is shared.

Monthly Bill Table

| Bill | Amount | Payer | Split | Due Date |

|---|---:|---|---|---|

| Rent | $2,400 | Alex | 42/29/29 | 1st |

| Internet | $75 | Sam | Equal 3-way | 5th |

| Electricity | varies | Priya | Equal 3-way | 12th |

| Shared supplies | $60 cap | Rotating | Equal 3-way | monthly |

House Fund

Each roommate contributes $40 at move-in and tops up when the fund drops below $30. The fund can be used for cleaning supplies, light bulbs, and minor shared items under $25.

Late Payment Rule

If someone will be late, they must notify the group 48 hours before the due date and propose a repayment date. Repeat late payments trigger a household meeting.

Tips for Best Results

  • 💡Separate rent logic from utilities; the fairest split may not be the same for each.
  • 💡Agree on irregular costs before anyone buys furniture or supplies.
  • 💡Use one shared tracker so nobody becomes the unofficial accountant forever.
  • 💡Write down move-out rules while everyone is still friendly.