intaj50/30/20 rule budget calculator
Put in your monthly take-home pay and see how the 50/30/20 rule splits it. Add what you really spend to see where you stand. Everything stays in your browser.
What counts as a need, a want, or savings?
Needs (50%) are what you must pay to live and work: housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, transport, minimum debt payments. Wants (30%) are everything you could cut in a tight month: eating out, subscriptions, shopping, travel. Savings (20%) is money you keep: emergency fund, investments, and paying debt down faster than the minimum.
The rule is a starting point
In expensive cities needs often pass 50%. That's fine if you know it and adjust the other two. The useful habit is checking your real numbers every month, not hitting the split exactly.
Questions
Should I use income before or after tax?
After tax. Use your take-home pay: the amount that actually reaches your account each month.
Should debt payments count as needs or savings?
Minimum payments are needs. Anything you pay above the minimum counts toward the 20 percent.
What if my income changes every month?
Pay yourself the same salary every month from a separate business account and apply 50/30/20 to that salary. Good months fill a buffer that covers the slow ones.
Is anything I type saved or sent?
No. The calculator runs in your browser and does not store or send the numbers you enter.
Read the full guide: how to budget on an irregular income