Jointly is a platform that empowers couples to manage their money better, together. Money is one of the greatest sources of tension in relationships. According to a 2013 study, “financial problems” were cited as a major contributor to divorce by at least one partner in over half of the couples surveyed. And according to a 2010 American Express survey, nearly one-in-three couples say finances cause the most stress in their relationship.
Studies and our own research shows that couples are getting married later, living together longer, and bringing more financial baggage to their relationships. This has made the process of managing money together more stressful and more complex. And 44% of couples say it’s hard to find financial advice that meets their needs.
Managing shared finances has been a source of stress in our own relationships, and this is what brought us together to found Jointly. When searching for solutions, we found that existing tools and advice were almost entirely focused on the individual. So we set out to do better for ourselves, and for the millions of couples we know are struggling with the same challenges and experiencing the same tension.
At Jointly, we believe that personal finance tools are a means to an end, to living the kind of life that you want to live. We envision a world where managing household finances is collaborative, and couples work as a team. While we know that every couple is unique, there are tips, tricks, practices and approaches that can benefit many couples in different life circumstances. We’re here to share these tips, guide the conversation, and arm you with the tools that will make joint household money management less stressful. We believe, and research shows, that two heads are better than one when it comes to making financial decisions. But we know that a lot of things get in the way of optimizing your shared power when it comes to money, with emotions and time being two of the biggest barriers.
Jointly was started to help couples have a more productive conversation about money, gain control of shared spending, and manage the financial aspects of their life “projects” as a true team. We’re doing this by providing applications, tools, and frameworks that enable couples to understand each other’s relationship with money and organize their shared financial tasks and goals.
As we build out our application and platform, we’ll be sharing our own stories, as well as those of others. Stay tuned for regular posts and updates. We hope you’ll join the conversation and share these posts with others!