“We pay the rent half and half”, says 26-year-old Gopika Haldani who recently moved in with her boyfriend, Rudra, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Not only did the couple negotiate the deposit amount with the landlord, but they also took a trip to the furniture store to set up their new home. Rudra and Gopika are just one of the many modern-day couples who are trying to build financial compatibility in their relationships. Had they met back in the 80s, discussing each other’s finances would have been considered taboo.

However, today financial intimacy is given just as much importance as emotional compatibility and actor Vijay Varma and digital content creator Srishti Dixit explore nuances of financial intimacy in relationships in the latest episode of Bumble’s series Dating These Nights. Watch the trailer and the full episode below.

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For those unfamiliar with the term, financial intimacy is when you know about your partner’s financial footing and both are comfortable discussing each other’s finances. You both are financially compatible and you don’t need to hide your expenses, savings or even your credit score from each other.

Having said that, many still believe that enquiring about your partner’s financial status at the start of the relationship can lead to some awkwardness. But the conversation still needs to take place and boundaries need to be set as two individuals may share similar interests but have significant differences in income and lifestyle which becomes more apparent as you get closer.

Talking about finances will only help maintain harmony in the relationship and prevent heated arguments over simple money matters later on. Whether you’ve been seeing someone for a while or just started dating, you need to discuss some essential points before moving ahead. You need to get comfortable discussing things like income, debts, savings, investments, expenses and more.

Take some time out today, set the table and discuss where both of you stand on money matters and whether your financial goals align. As with any relationship, you may both disagree on certain things. There are no right or wrong answers as long as you and your partner are on the same page. It is only once you have it all out in the open, that you can establish a truly intimate and inclusive relationship with your partner.

To watch more episodes of Dating These Nights, click here.