Settling Up Shared Expenses

For each roommate, add up everything they paid and subtract their fair share of the rent and bills. A positive balance means the household owes them; a negative one means they owe the household. When every charge has a recognized payer, the balances add to zero exactly in cents. Each charge is allocated in whole cents: any remaining cents go to the largest fractional shares, with ties following the roommate list order.

To settle up, the roommate who owes the most pays the one owed the most, as much as one of them needs, and you repeat. This greedy method is not guaranteed to use the minimum number of payments. Resolve any missing or unknown payers before relying on a settlement. Many households settle up monthly when the rent is due.

Last reviewed 2026-10-29. General information, not legal or tax advice. Check your lease and your state and local law.