Hannah and Max have been splitting their finances 50/50 for years, even when one earned significantly more. Max, 31, a tech worker turned pizza entrepreneur, once pulled in £70,000 while Hannah, in the charity sector, earned less. Their solution? A joint account where all income goes, followed by equal personal spending allowances. "We aren't accountable to each other for things like clothes or going to the pub," Max explains, presumably without a hint of irony.

This financial utopia wasn't always smooth sailing. Max came from a family where "money was totally taboo," leaving him clueless about salary negotiation. Hannah's family, by contrast, discussed finances openly. When buying their first home, they had to confront the realities of stamp duty and solicitor fees - costs that apparently don't come up in polite conversation.

Their system faced its biggest test when Max was made redundant last year, forcing them to rely on Hannah's salary (between £40,000 and £60,000, if you're curious). They cancelled gym memberships and Sky TV, then Max used £20,000 of his redundancy to buy a horsebox trailer and convert it into a pizza truck. The business now grosses £4,000 - £6,000 monthly, paying enough to cover the mortgage. Hannah initially wanted him to keep a day job, but they "ran the numbers" and decided childlessness is the perfect time for risky career moves.

Research from wealth manager Quilter suggests nearly half of couples don't share financial planning equally - 46% act alone, and over 10% leave one partner solely responsible. Relationship expert Karen Doherty has three pieces of advice on starting money conversations, which we assume involve not waiting until someone is holding a pizza truck receipt.

Hannah's advice: start talking about money before a big decision forces the conversation. "Start with the small things like your salaries," she says, which is definitely not awkward at all.