Budget Calculator
Split your income into needs, wants, and savings using the 50/30/20 rule.
How to Use the Budget Calculator
- Enter your monthly after-tax income.
- Adjust the Needs, Wants, and Savings sliders — they're linked to always total 100%.
- See your dollar amount for each category, updated instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 50/30/20 budgeting rule?
It's a popular budgeting guideline that splits your after-tax income into three buckets: 50% for needs (rent, groceries, utilities, minimum debt payments), 30% for wants (dining out, entertainment, hobbies), and 20% for savings and extra debt payoff. It's a starting guideline, not a rigid rule — some households need a different split.
Can I change the percentages?
Yes — adjust the three sliders to any split that adds up to 100%, useful if your situation calls for a different balance than the standard 50/30/20.
Should I use my gross or net (after-tax) income?
Net (after-tax, take-home) income is the standard basis for this rule, since that's the amount you actually have available to allocate — using gross income would overestimate what's really available to spend or save.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No — every calculation happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript, so nothing you enter is ever sent to a server.