Free 50/30/20 Budget Calculator: Needs, Wants and Savings
The 50/30/20 rule is a simple way to start a budget: about 50% of your take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and extra debt payments. Enter your pay below to see what that means in dollars, per month and per paycheck. You can change the split if 50/30/20 doesn't fit your rent or goals.
It runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere. The numbers filled in below are a made-up example; change them to yours.
Split, %:
What goes in each bucket
- Needs: rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance, transportation to work, minimum debt payments, childcare. Bills you'd still pay in a tight month.
- Wants: eating out, streaming and subscriptions, hobbies, travel, upgrades. Things you could cut if you had to.
- Savings and extra debt payments: emergency fund, retirement, sinking funds and anything paid on debt above the minimum.
The math: bucket per month = take-home × its percent. Per paycheck = per month × 12 ÷ paychecks a year.
Example (made up): $3,000 a month of take-home is $1,500 for needs, $900 for wants and $600 for savings. Paid every two weeks, that's about $692.31, $415.38 and $276.92 per paycheck. If needs really cost $1,650 (55%), they're $150 over the needs bucket.
The split is a starting point, not a rule. This is general information, not financial advice.
Turn it into a real budget
The free Starter Budget Sheet is a simple monthly budget for Excel and Google Sheets: planned vs. actual income and spending, what's left, and a chart by category. If you budget by paycheck, the Paycheck Budget Spreadsheet ($7) shows what each check covers.
Get the free Starter Budget Sheet
We make these templates, so take that into account. The calculator above is free to use either way.
Related free guides
- The 50/30/20 Budget, Explained With Example Numbers
- How to Make Your First Budget (30-Minute Walkthrough)
- Budget Categories List for Beginners (With Examples)
- Zero-Based Budget for Beginners: Give Every Dollar a Job
More free tools: all calculators.
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