Group of 6 Friends Open Joint Bank Account, Chip in Weekly to Pay for Girls’ Trips

Three years ago, during a weekend trip to Hobart, Australia, six women in their early to mid-30s found themselves dealing with a familiar problem — splitting expenses after vacation.

After hours of trying to figure out who owed what, one of them suggested an easier idea: why not create a shared bank account just for their trips? The group agreed, and the plan stuck.

Since then, Kim Brindell, 34, and her friends — most living in Melbourne, with a couple nearby — have been adding money to a communal travel fund. Whenever they go on a trip, whether it’s a beach getaway or a city adventure, the account pays for everything from hotel rooms to cocktails.

The system has made planning smoother, cut down on stress, and brought them closer together. What started as a simple fix is now a tradition that keeps friendship and travel at the center of their lives.

“We actually started with $10 AUD ($7 USD) a week because the priority was it feeling accessible for everyone,” Brindell tells PEOPLE. “Once we realized how much easier and more fun it made holidaying, we upped it to $20 AUD ($13 USD).”

At one point, the account balance reached $3,000 AUD (nearly $2,000 USD). The women use the money to book cheap flights and secure accommodations early — a strategy that keeps trips affordable but still enjoyable.

They also use the fund for everyday expenses like meals, drinks, groceries, and transportation.

The friend who first suggested the account is still the only one with direct access. “The rest of us don’t even know how much is in the account. If we need to know the balance, she just sends us a screenshot,” Brindell explains. “We’ve honestly never thought twice about it; it’s all built on trust.”

When they travel, the group shares a physical card, passing it around for groceries, gas, or other needs.

Brindell says people often ask how they handle situations when someone orders more expensive meals or drinks more than others. “The short answer is: we don’t sweat the small stuff. If someone orders a pricier meal or an extra cocktail, we still put it on the card. It usually evens out in the end.”

Challenges have been rare. On one trip, when a friend was pregnant, they decided alcohol purchases would be paid separately to keep things fair. In another case, when someone had to cancel last minute, they refunded her share from the account.

Creating a shared fund has helped the group actually take the trips they once only talked about. “Before this, we’d always plan ideas, but they often fizzled out because of cost or logistics,” Brindell says. “Now with the account, we’ve managed three years of girls’ trips in a row.”

Their travels have taken them across Australia, from wineries in Adelaide to beaches in Noosa Heads and shopping in Hobart — the city where it all began. After every trip, they make a list of dream destinations and let flight prices decide the next adventure.

“There’s no more scrambling with calculators at the end of dinner or sending awkward texts asking for money,” Brindell tells PEOPLE. “Once the trip starts, money disappears as a stress factor and we just focus on hanging out and eating good food — the best part.”

Most of the women have known each other for over 20 years, some since high school and others through early jobs. Their long friendships made it easy to trust each other with money.

Brindell’s advice to others? “Keep it simple and start small. $10 a week adds up faster than you’d think. And trust your friends! It’s about the experience, not the dollars. Don’t micro-manage the account — just enjoy yourself.”