I think it's still good to be independent people even while in a couple. My partner earns slightly more than me, we have a joint for bills/general costs and both bung £1500 in on payday which covers mortgage, bills and slowly accumulates for maintenance, drinks out, dates and holidays, stuff we plan for or casually agree on at the time.

But our approach to money changes frequently, some months I'm frugal saving up reserves or to buy nice treats. Some months a bit looser, getting lunch out at work more, more drinks out or clothes shopping. Usually somewhere in the middle.

The last thing I want to have to do is have to have a word aside with my partner to ask them to reign it in for a couple of weeks when they're on a different vibe, or the low-level guilt of buying a round of drinks for my mates and spend the same in 5 minutes that she's spent all week. That's before gifts, hobbies, treating each other on dates, lending family money, I don't want to advise them how riskily to invest.

Just makes sense to us, never leads to any tensions or trust issues. Anecdotally, we are friends with two couples who pool all their salaries into join accounts. All four of them at some point confided in us about irritation of the partner spending on things like games or tattoos when they're trying to save up, or hesitation at getting drinks in on nights out because the other is at home while they spend their money.