There is a line which goes, "People still get married for the wrong reasons". Many reckon this is true and point to couples they know who are now divorced. And if it is true then divorce very much comes into the equation. In Britain the divorce rate in recent years is between 30% and 40%.

And you often see newspapers giving wide coverage to celebrities getting divorced with some cases being international news. If the figures quoted about the costs of the divorce are true, you will know that it's possible to spend a lot of money to become single again.

But times have changed in the way some couples go about getting divorced. It's not so long ago that the essentials involved in every divorce were court appearances, lawyers and some fairly hefty costs.

Not any more. The traditional route is still available and there are any number of solicitors who will take on your case. But as the world of communications has changed and the digital revolution is well and truly here, couples today can get divorced without a lawyer or a court appearance and, relatively speaking, for a pittance just by downloading uncontested divorce forms.

In Britain you can go on-line, complete the appropriate questionnaire, receive documents from the court, sign them, pay the fees and obtain your divorce. If you've got a young child, you won't even have to find a babysitter when you go to court because you don't go to court.

Now if all this sounds preposterous and possibly risky, it's not if you cover all the bases.

The biggest problem for many couples when divorce is about to happen is the lack of communication. The cheap almost DIY divorce explained above can only happen if the couple sorts out any differences.

• Who will get the house or flat?
• Who will have custody of the children?
• Will the non-custodial parent have visitation rights?
• Who will pay the costs of bringing up the child?

Now those are just some of the questions which need to be sorted before you apply for your divorce. Some won't apply obviously if there are no children. But whatever the questions, the key is communication. Talking to your partner in a civil and adult way is the key to a cheap or a very cheap divorce.

Even a non-contested divorce but using a solicitor can cost a few thousands pounds. It doesn't have to be that much but many uncontested divorces are costly. The DIY divorce mentioned above has really only the court costs to pay. A few hundred pounds. There are no solicitor's fees.

But is it risky? Well yes if your spouse tricks you into agreeing to something you don't want or need. But if you're in any way unsure, hire a solicitor to give an opinion of the proposed divorce settlement before you sign. Clearly you won't sign anything which disadvantages you or will cause you terrible suffering in the future such as not being able to see your child or children.

The solicitor might point out that the non-custodial partner is paying a fixed amount for child care and doesn't take inflation into account. So yes there are risks. But compared with the costs of a divorce where both partners engage solicitors or a divorce which goes to court and where solicitors argue back and forth over even the smallest detail, you are literally quids in. You could save tens of thousands of pounds.

Let's face it; divorce can be painful even with an amicable parting of the ways. Why make it a financial pain as well? Plan what you want. List your needs and wishes. Compare lists with your spouse. Sort out between yourselves so that you agree on all points. Apply to the court, pay your fees and get your divorce.

Solicitors won't like it and will argue against it quoting cases where one spouse was ripped off. But there are many examples where it has worked.

Alternatives

What if you don't like the DIY cheap version and you don't want the full-on court challenge where legal fees eat away at your assets? Is there an alternative? Well yes, there is a middle ground approach.

It's called mediation. There are mediators in all fields of disputes from wills and executors to warring neighbours, work and employment situations and many more fields. There are also mediators who concentrate on helping married couples produce a divorce agreement where both sides get a fair deal.

If you find it hard to deal directly with your partner, if you feel the emotional side of things won't allow you to think straight or even if you don't trust your spouse, a neutral mediator could be the ideal situation.

Make sure the mediator is experienced in working through divorces and reaching settlements for both sides and then attend with your wish list.

Professional mediators know the difficulties couples face when breaking up. They can see the issues from both points of view. There are costs involved but not nearly as much as protracted dealings between solicitors and certainly far less if going to court to slug it out.

There are many who say the quickie divorce cheapens the idea of marriage. Marriage suffers if people know they can obtain a divorce for a small fee and never have to go to court. And there is a certain amount of truth in that argument.

But what of the other side of the coin? What of the legal battles which are tiring, draining and even the cause of stress and depression? What of the massive fees which can be associated with some divorces?

Remember you have to continue living after your divorce. You will still need money to pay the bills and possibly raise a family. If you take the traditional method of obtaining a divorce and decide to fight your spouse over one or more issues, you might win but at what cost? Legal costs can mount up quickly and to sizeable amounts.

Consider all the methods of obtaining a divorce and if filling out the appropriate forms and sending them by email to a court gets you a divorce, then you certainly at least think about taking the cheap option.

Here are additional resources you might be interested in:

Divorce Information in the UK

How to Conduct a Do-It-Yourself Divorce in the UK?

How much does it Cost to Hire a Divorce Lawyer in UK?

Are you considering getting a divorce? There's an excellent ebook about deciding whether to Get a Divorce or Stay In the Relationship. Every couple should read this before making the decision.