The runaway fund

More than a fifth of women have secret savings stashed away from their partners in case of a split. Would you hide cash from your loved one?

- BESS BROWNING, EIMEAR O'HAGAN

It is a pivotal moment in a relationship when you set up a joint account, symbolising your commitment to each other. You’re in it for the long run, but relationships can be unpredictable. And so, women are setting up a different sort of account when falling in love, one that won’t be shared with their other half.

More than a fifth of women are arming themselves with financial support by setting up a savings account in case things don’t work out. Where children are involved, that figure rises to a quarter.

Women such as mum-of-two Eimear O’Hagan, 39, believe it doesn’t matter how solid your relationship is, you may one day have a need for a back-up bank balance. But is it pessimistic and unreasonable to set up a secret savings account for the ‘what if’ scenario? Or is this a thoroughly sensible idea that all women should consider?

Woman’s Own explores runaway funds.

‘I wanted a financial safety net’

Eimear O’Hagan, 39, is a freelance writer and editor. She lives in the Scottish Borders with her husband, Malcolm, 39, and their sons, Ruadhan, five, and Donnacha, three.

It’s eight years since I first opened my secret savings account. Back in 2012, a week after I quit my job in London and moved to Scotland to live with my now-husband, Malcolm, I walked into the local bank and explained I wanted a savings account in my name only.

There’s now around £10,000 in it. I’ve dipped into it over the years, but also added to it most months, even if it’s just a tenner.