is life easier when you married and split the bills with your spouse?

Yes. However, if you have a good marriage, you don't call it splitting the bills. You just both contribute in any way you can whether that contribution is monetary or help with house work and other chores or some other form of contribution. Life is much easier with a loving spouse. I lost mine to breast cancer a little over fourteen years ago. I love her still and I always will.

Some couples find that easier. Some pool their money and pay the bills from that pool. Some decide one party will pay certain bills and the other party will pay other bills. It depends on their incomes and how they choose to handle finances together.

For example, if they don't have similar incomes, the splitting the bills in half may cause the one with the lower income to feel unfairly burdened.

1

It can be unless you get one like mine that acts like she has a hole in her pockets while I pay for all of the real bills.

Yes.

Statistically, especially for women, marriage increases your chances of NOT being in poverty.

2 can live more economically than one, yes.