Sharing a flat? Split the bills too

A bill-splitting app for everyday flat costs

One flatmate pays the power bill. Another buys the shared groceries. Someone else covers the internet. By the end of the month, working out who owes what can mean scrolling through bank transfers and old messages.

Tiki Tour can keep those shared expenses together. Although it is built for group trips, you can start a trip called "Our flat", invite your flatmates and use its expense splitting for household bills. Add each bill yourself, include the people who share it and review the balances together.

Agree the split before adding the bill

A bill-splitting app can calculate shares, but your flat needs to agree what is fair. Start with a simple rule for each type of cost.

1. Power and internet: agree whether everyone pays equally or whether a particular bill needs different shares.
2. Groceries and household supplies: include only the people sharing that purchase. Keep personal shopping out of the split.
3. Rent and time away: agree the amounts separately. A bigger room, a couple sharing a room or a flatmate away for part of the month may need a different arrangement. Do not assume the app knows your agreement.

Record what you agreed in a place everyone can check. If the rule changes, agree it before the next bill rather than changing the split after someone has paid.

How to track flat bills in Tiki Tour

1. Create a trip called "Our flat" and invite the flatmates who will use the shared record.
2. When you pay a shared cost, add the expense with its date, amount and a clear description, such as "November power" or "Shared groceries, 8 November".
3. Choose the people who shared that expense. Use equal shares when that matches your agreement, or custom amounts when the shares differ.
4. Review the Balance screen together. Check for missing bills, duplicate entries and people included by mistake before anyone transfers money.

A simple three-flatmate example

Alex, Jordan and Sam agree to split these bills equally. Alex pays $180 for power, Jordan pays $90 for internet, and Sam pays $60 for shared cleaning supplies. All amounts are in NZD.

The total is $330, so each person's share is $110. Alex has paid $70 more than their share. Jordan owes $20 and Sam owes $50. Jordan paying Alex $20 and Sam paying Alex $50 settles these bills.

If a grocery shop was only for Alex and Sam, add it separately and include just those two. Do not spread it across all three because the other household bills were split equally.

Make settling up a small, regular job

Pick a regular time to check the record together, such as the end of each week or month. Confirm the bills are complete, agree the balances and keep a separate note of transfers so nobody pays twice. Before a flatmate moves out, check the last bills and agree how any later bill or refund will be handled.

For rent due dates, supplier payments and any tenancy obligations, keep using your agreed process. An expense balance is not a substitute for checking that the actual bill has been paid.

Can I use Tiki Tour for flat bills?

Yes. Use a trip as the flat's shared expense group. Expense splitting is free, with equal or custom shares and a Balance screen showing who owes what.

For a flat that wants a manually maintained shared record, it is a useful way to bring the costs together. If automatic recurring bills are essential, that feature is not available yet.

Try Tiki Tour for your flat. You can also read how to split group expenses fairly.