Starting out right with 2Up

It’s a tale as old as time. You’re at the supermarket, minding your own business, when you and a dreamboat reach for the same tin of spaghetti. Your eyes meet. Your palms are sweaty. This is it for you, and before you reach the checkout you’ve already planned the name of your French Bulldog and where you’ll be glamping when you’re grey nomads together.

But before you start wearing matching jumpers and mooshing all your finances together, maybe hit pause on commitment. Not forever. Just while you get set up. The better you plan ahead now, the more likely you are to be shopping together when you’re 95.

The reality is, starting a life together means making decisions that aren’t always easy. Sometimes love is nicer when you don’t risk it all. That’s why we created 2Up – a more flexible kind of shared account that you can build as you go, from a Netflix bill to a bicycle built for two.

Be separate, together

Moving in together is a big commitment, especially if you’ve never done it before. There are all kinds of lovely things about it. Rolling over to see your beloved’s face every morning, sharing the mug they stole from their work. But there are some real choices you’re about to face, and they can cause conflict. Truth bomb here – having different ‘money styles’ can break up even the most loving couples.

Instead of jumping into totally shared finances right away, 2Up gives you the option to take banking-for-two for a test run. You can get started in the app with a few taps.

This is how it works: you both keep your existing Up accounts. All of your Savers, Pay splitting and Round Ups stay in place, so can keep cracking on with your existing goals. You can’t see theirs and they can’t see yours.

Then, you can both transfer funds into your 2Up - it’s right there in the same app, like a good roommate that cooks and cleans but doesn’t go through your stuff - and start making joint payments from it, like rent, electricity and hiring an emotional support ferret.

The features you love in your existing Up spending account are in 2Up, too. All transactions, categories, forwards and covers will be where you expect them to be, and you’ll each get your own digital 2Up card. The only difference is this account has two beautiful people in it, ready to give love a go.

Make your boundaries healthy and fun!

OK. You’re all set up, but maybe you’re feeling a bit personal-space starved. You might be the kind of person who likes to keep things close to their chest. And do you know what? That’s great. Part of having a respectful, positive relationship is knowing where to draw the lines.

2Up makes it easier to set boundaries. Maybe you’re not ready for your partner to know exactly how much you spend on Halal Snack Packs or skincare. If keeping your finances private is important to you, it should be important to them, too. With 2Up, you can choose which expenses are paid together and which are kept separate.

You’ll both have equal access to your joint funds, and Up avatars will show you who’s spending what. But your personal money – and boundaries? Those are yours to keep.

Normalise the big conversations now

Talking about money can be pretty intimidating. It tends to be one of those things we’re taught to keep to ourselves, like politics at family Christmas. There’s plenty of taboo around discussing what we earn, how much we spend and what we can afford to put away.

Being clear with your partner from the beginning can help normalise these tricky chats. That way, if one of you loses shifts and can’t afford the regular Friday night beers, you won’t feel like you’re ‘confessing’. If subscribing to three different streaming services is stretching your budget too far, you can feel comfortable explaining they’re not a priority for you right now. (And if that hottie gets weird and pushy about it, you just learned something really important about them.)

Your 2Up account helps to make it clear. Because every transaction is automatically categorised, it’s easier to point to where money is being spent and where you might be able to cut back.

These are all practice for the big conversations you’re going to have later. In five years, when you’re talking about starting a family or buying an apartment, you’ll already know how to introduce the money topic in a safe, shared way.

Plan to spend money together – it’s romantic, actually

We don’t mean like, oh baby, your bank balance is so sexy (although, yes). But it can be romantic to save for future plans. Where do you see yourselves together? Maybe you’d like to take a caravan on a coastal road trip, finding hidden beachside treasures and making out in the moonlight. Or maybe heading to a festival is more your style, or making a regular donation to an animal sanctuary, or buying the kind of library that needs an actual ladder.

2Up accounts are a great way to figure out your budget. Add Trackers to your categories so you can both have clear spending limits. Make time to review your Monthly Insights so you know where your money is going.

Then, open a budget-friendly bottle and toast to your teamwork. And kiss, or whatever.

More than ever, it’s okay to walk away.

Every story ends differently. Hopefully with a happily ever after, but even the most unbelievable meet-cutes don’t always work out 💔

Making financial decisions after a breakup can really waste energy better spent crying to Phoebe Bridgers or getting back on the swipe-right wagon.

At Up, we love love. We absolutely believe that what you’re feeling is forever. We’re setting up our Savers for your 50th anniversary gift. But if things don’t go to plan – and they will, we’re sure of it – we want to make it easy for you to move on with your life without jeopardising your financial future.

Closing the door on your 2Up account won’t add to your heartache: simply withdraw your Money, cancel your direct debits and shut it down. And next time you find a likely looking Player 2, you’ll know how to ease your way into the game.