Personal Finance Financial Planning

How fintech is transforming money management in modern relationships

Nasia Seyuba|Published

As relationship structures evolve in South Africa, so too does financial management between partners. This article explores how declining marriage rates and changing household compositions are driving new approaches to money management, with fintech playing a crucial role in creating transparency and trust between couples. Learn how real-time visibility and shared control are becoming essential in modern relationships

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Research shows that relationship trends are reshaping money dynamics. More couples are choosing not to marry - in South Africa, marriages have been declining consistently for more than a decade.

Approximately 106 499 marriages were registered in 2021 compared with 161 112 in 2012, while the proportion who report being legally married declined from about 29.9 % to about 24 %, reflecting a long-term downward trend in formal unions. At the same time, a Finchoice survey finds that many households that use credit are blended, multigenerational, or led by women.

With more households relying on multiple income streams, including side hustles alongside formal work, traditional single‑income models are fading. As a result, monthly money chats aren’t enough; families need real‑time visibility and the ability to adjust as life unfolds.

New relationship structures are making money a shared project. Fixed roles are loosening, and open conversations are becoming the norm. Technology is quietly carrying part of the load. Fintech isn’t just changing how people pay, save, and borrow; it’s reshaping how couples relate to money and to each other in the context of evolving unions.

Now, more couples want visibility and shared understanding, even if one partner earns more or handles the day‑to‑day payments. This shift matters especially in households with tight cash flow, where emergencies strain the system. In many contexts, cohabiting partners, domestic partnerships, or non‑marital unions are common, widening the pool of relationships that benefit from transparent money management.

Trends accelerating this shift include:

  1. Real‑time budgeting and visibility: Apps and mobi-sites provide a single view of money, forming a base for faster, more informed decisions.
  2. Shared access to financial life: Real‑time access to balances, policies, payment dates, and reminders helps prevent missed payments and reduces blame‑driven arguments.
  3. Flexible, responsible fintech: Short-term loans, when used carefully, can help bridge emergencies like medical costs or urgent home repairs. Funeral cover can protect families from sudden financial pressure in an already painful time. The key is that these tools should support stability, not create long-term debt. Features like affordability checks and the ability to adjust payment amounts and dates can make a big difference for couples managing a shared budget. Responsible fintech also plays a role when life doesn’t go according to plan.
  4. Frequency of engagement: Many people now review policies and accounts several times a week, not just monthly, enabling proactive spending prioritization and issue resolution. 

This transparency builds trust. When partners can access the same information, there’s less room for blame and more space for planning. “Technology can become a neutral third party. It removes emotion from the numbers and helps couples focus on solutions rather than assigning blame.

As relationship trends evolve, the role of fintech in money management becomes more central. The strongest money relationships remain grounded in open dialogue and mutual trust, but fintech tools can amplify both by making shared financial responsibility easier to manage.

* Seyuba is the weaver people executive overseeing Finchoice and PayJustNow.

PERSONAL FINANCE