Monthly Budget Calculator

Add up your monthly costs, see what's left, and compare your spending with the 50/30/20 guideline.

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Enter your numbers

After taxes and payroll deductions, for everyone in the household.

Car payment, gas, insurance, transit.

Your results will appear here as you type.

How this is calculated

Remaining = Take-home pay − all categories. Needs = housing + utilities + groceries + transportation + insurance + minimum debt payments. The 50/30/20 guideline suggests about 50% needs, 30% wants and 20% savings; treat it as a starting point, not a rule.

Assumptions

  • Uses the amounts you enter. The 50/30/20 split is a guideline, not a rule.

Estimates for planning and education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice, and not an official government calculation. Calculations run in your browser; nothing you enter is stored or sent.

How to use this calculator

Start with your take-home pay: what actually lands in your bank account each month. Then fill in each category using real numbers from your last two or three bank and card statements, not guesses. Irregular costs such as car registration or annual subscriptions should be divided by 12 and included.

What the 50/30/20 comparison means

The 50/30/20 guideline, popularized by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi in All Your Worth, suggests roughly 50% of take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and extra debt payments. It is a starting point. Many households in high-rent areas spend more than 50% on needs; the point is to see where your money goes and decide on purpose.

Example

With $4,200 a month take-home pay and $3,020 of needs, needs are 72% of income. That tells you housing and transportation are where changes would matter most, not the $15 streaming service.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, read how to create a monthly budget that actually works.

Frequently asked questions

Should savings be counted as an expense?

Yes. Treating savings as a bill you pay first ("pay yourself first") is one of the most reliable ways to actually save. The calculator includes it as a category for that reason.

What counts as a "need"?

Costs you must pay to live and work: housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, insurance and minimum debt payments. Upgrades within those categories, like a premium phone plan, are partly wants.

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