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Paper short abstract

The socio-cultural and technological changes over the last few decades have transformed the environment in which romantic couples operate. Based on qualitative interviews, I will attempt to explain the way in which partners manage the household budget and how it is shaped by modern reality.

Paper long abstract

The socio-cultural changes that have taken place in Poland over the last few decades have significantly transformed the environment in which working-class romantic couples operate. The increase in women's participation in the labour market, technological and cultural changes have led to a significant extension of the repertoire of possible and acceptable family life practices. In line with these dynamics, there have been significant changes in the financial sphere of cohabiting couples—the way in which partners share money and manage the household budget. In recent years, traditional systems of managing money in the family have become less common, while systems based on financial independence have gained popularity. The aim of the study is to understand the financial practices of dual-earner couples running a joint household. Based on qualitative interviews conducted with 32 individuals in the second quarter of 2026, I will attempt to describe and explain how the economic and technological changes of recent years have shaped the everyday financial practices and knowledge of couples. The interviews will include following aspects: practices in household financial management; the motivations behind the selection of the way of managing finances; circumstances and conditions (e.g. marriage, engagement, joint property) of major (e.g. joint account) and minor (e.g. everyday purchases) financial decisions; technological conditions and their impact on everyday financial practices (e.g. banking apps, expense tracking apps); the course of financial negotiations and role of financial knowledge. The results will provide deeper understanding of the changes in romantic relationship models and their technological and economical foundations.