Budget Calculator (50/30/20)
Split your monthly after-tax income using the 50/30/20 rule — 50% for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings. Customize the percentages to fit your life, or use one of our presets for common situations.
These are allocations of take-home income, not measured spending or a verified surplus. Annual amounts assume the same monthly income and split for 12 months. Check actual essential and irregular expenses before choosing a saving target.
Income Split Visualised
Frequently Asked Questions
Understand your result
Why Your Monthly Budget Breaks: Plan for Irregular Bills
Build a monthly budget that includes annual bills, uneven income and a realistic savings amount, with a complete worked example.
Formula and worked example
Each monthly allocation equals take-home income × category percentage ÷ 100. The three percentages total 100%. Changing one slider redistributes the remaining percentage between the other two; check the resulting split before using it.
With $3,000 a month and a 50/30/20 split, the illustration allocates $1,500 to needs, $900 to wants and $600 to savings or extra debt repayment. Keeping that income and split for 12 months allocates $7,200 to savings. It does not show actual money already saved.
Compare the allocation with your actual bills
If essential bills exceed the needs allowance, that is a mismatch to examine, not proof that the bills can be reduced. Allow monthly amounts for annual and irregular costs. The calculator divides income; it does not enter or track expenses, diagnose a surplus, or establish affordability.
What if income changes?
Annual figures simply multiply this month by 12. For variable income, try several income levels and compare the lowest scenario with essential commitments. A percentage target is a planning illustration, not a required budget rule.