Budget & Expense Calculator
Add up your monthly income and expenses to see what’s left, with a 50/30/20 budget guide.
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left over each month
| Total expenses | – |
|---|---|
| 50% Needs (target) | – |
| 30% Wants (target) | – |
| 20% Savings (target) | – |
Monthly budget and expense calculator
This budget calculator helps you see exactly where your money goes each month. Enter your take-home income and your main expense categories, and it shows how much you have left over (or how much you are overspending). It also gives you 50/30/20 targets — a simple, popular rule for splitting income between needs, wants, and savings.
The 50/30/20 budgeting rule
The 50/30/20 rule suggests spending about 50% of your take-home pay on needs (housing, bills, food, transport), 30% on wants (eating out, hobbies, subscriptions), and putting 20% towards savings or paying off debt. It is a flexible guide rather than a strict rule, but it is a great starting point for taking control of your finances.
Turning a surplus into savings
If you have money left over, putting it to work makes a big difference over time. See how regular saving grows with our compound interest calculator, or plan for the long term with the retirement calculator. If you are overspending, the category breakdown shows where to trim first.
Use it as an expense calculator or spending tracker
As well as planning ahead, this works as a simple expense calculator: enter what you actually spent last month in each category and the total shows your true monthly spend. Comparing that spend against your 50/30/20 targets is the fastest way to spot categories that have crept up. Many people are surprised the first time they add up subscriptions, food delivery, and transport costs honestly.
A simple household accounts calculator
If you keep household accounts, use the calculator as a money-in, money-out summary: total income at the top, outgoings by category below, and the balance left over at the bottom. It works with pounds, dollars, or euros, so it suits both UK and US households. For salary-related figures, our take-home pay calculator estimates the income number to start from.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use gross or take-home income?
Use your take-home (after-tax) income, because that is the money you actually have to budget with.
I am paid weekly or every two weeks. How do I get a monthly figure?
Multiply a weekly wage by 52 and divide by 12 (about 4.33 weeks per month). For biweekly pay, multiply by 26 and divide by 12. This gives a steadier monthly budget than simply multiplying by 4.
How much should I have left over each month?
Under the 50/30/20 rule, aim to keep about 20 percent of take-home pay for savings or debt repayment. If your leftover is consistently below that, the expense breakdown shows which category to trim first; housing and transport are usually the biggest levers.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for general budgeting guidance only and is not financial advice.