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When a couple decides to marry or move in together, often they also choose to look into shared finances – which can be a sensible move. But what some may not realise is that putting money into a joint or personal savings account might also help you plan your future together.

It might be that you’re saving for the wedding itself, as well as the many associated costs that come with it. Walking up the aisle can be an expensive affair and this is likely to become apparent when you start to add up the price of the dresses, the venue, the food and the honeymoon. Of course, for many, marriage may be further off and the focus might instead be getting on the property ladder. As it is such a sizeable sum, saving up the deposit is likely to be your main goal, which means saving together sooner rather than later could be an essential first step.

Recent research published by Halifax has shown, however, that not all couples save their money in a joint account, In fact, there are over three-quarters of us in a relationship who keep our cash separate from our partners. When it comes to those of us who fall into the 18 to 24 year old age range, this figure rises to 94 per cent. Commenting on these findings, Head of Halifax Savings, Flavia Palacios said: "It’s interesting to see how social changes, such as people settling down later in life and increased levels of personal wealth, have changed this and it’s not just single people that are now looking for individual financial stability."

Whether you think it’s best to save individually or as a couple, at Halifax, we think we have just the product for you. The Halifax Web Saver Extra, for example, can be opened either in joint names or as a single account. It allows for unlimited deposits and, while it can only be managed online, this means it has a number of benefits. The first of these is that you have the flexibility of being able to access your money whenever you want, night or day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also make unlimited withdrawals on the account - although it is important to note that after your first withdrawal you will lose the equivalent of 30 days' interest on the amount withdrawn.

So if you think the Web Saver Extra account sounds like it might be ideal for you - or if you want to know more about the many savings options we have for growing your money - our friendly advisers will be more than happy to help. You can compare savings accounts online, contact us over the phone or visit us in-branch.

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