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- Splits your take-home pay into needs, wants and savings.
- Works with monthly, yearly, biweekly or weekly income.
- Lets you set a custom split, such as 60/20/20.
- Shows yearly savings and weekly spending money for wants.
How to use the 50/30/20 budget calculator
Enter your after-tax income
Your take-home pay, not your salary before tax.
Choose how often you are paid
Per month, per year, every two weeks or per week.
Read your budget
See how much goes to needs, wants and savings each month.
Adjust the split if needed
Open the custom split to change the percentages.
What is the 50/30/20 rule?
The 50/30/20 rule is a simple way to budget. Half of your take-home pay goes to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings and extra debt payments. It gives you structure without tracking every single purchase.
The 50/30/20 split
Needs = 50% of take-home pay
Wants = 30% of take-home pay
Savings and debt payoff = 20% of take-home pay
Example 1: $4,500 a month
Take-home pay.
- Needs $2,250
- Wants $1,350
- Savings $900
- Yearly savings $10,800
Example 2: $60,000 a year
Take-home pay of $5,000 a month.
- Needs $2,500
- Wants $1,500
- Savings $1,000
What counts as needs, wants and savings
Needs (50%)
Rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance, transport, minimum debt payments.
Wants (30%)
Eating out, entertainment, travel, hobbies, subscriptions.
Savings (20%)
Emergency fund, retirement, investing, extra debt payments.
Custom splits
High-cost areas may need 60/20/20 or similar.
Build a safety net with the emergency fund calculator, pay off debts with the debt snowball calculator, or plan a target with the savings goal calculator.
50/30/20 budget calculator FAQ
What is the 50/30/20 budget rule?
A guideline to spend 50% of take-home pay on needs, 30% on wants and 20% on savings and debt payoff.
Is the rule based on gross or net income?
Net income, meaning your take-home pay after taxes.
What if my needs are more than 50%?
That is common in expensive areas. Use a custom split and try to protect the savings share.
Do debt payments count as needs or savings?
Minimum payments are needs; anything extra counts toward the 20%.
How much should I save from $4,500 a month?
Under the 50/30/20 rule, $900 a month.
Is 50/30/20 a good budget?
It is a simple, flexible starting point that works well for many people.