50/30/20 Budget Planner
Split your take-home pay into needs, wants and savings using the 50/30/20 rule. Enter your net monthly income, then tag each expense as a need, want or savings item, and the planner compares your actual spending against the recommended 50, 30 and 20 percent targets. It shows the money you have left, a per-bucket variance, and whether you are balanced, over budget or in surplus.
How to use the budget planner
- Choose your currency from the menu in the top right if you are not budgeting in dollars.
- Enter your net monthly income (take-home pay) in the income field.
- For each line item, type a name and amount, then set the menu to Need, Want or Savings.
- Use the + Add expense button to add rows and the x button to remove any you do not need.
- Read the Remaining amount, the Balanced, Over budget or Surplus badge, and the Actual versus Target bars for each bucket.
Examples
A $5,000 budget with room to spare
Income 5000; Rent 1500 (need), Dining 400 (want), Emergency fund 500 (savings)
Targets: needs 2500, wants 1500, savings 1000. Actual 2400 allocated, remaining 2600, Surplus.
Spending more than you earn
Income 4000; Rent 1500 (need), Groceries 500 (need), Dining 700 (want), Subscriptions 300 (want), Investing 1200 (savings)
Targets: needs 2000, wants 1200, savings 800. Actual needs 2000, wants 1000, savings 1200, remaining -200, Over budget.
The starter example on load
Income 5000; Rent 1500 (need), Groceries 600 (need), Dining out 400 (want), Emergency fund 500 (savings)
Actual needs 2100, wants 400, savings 500. Remaining 2000, Surplus. Wants are 1100 under target.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 50/30/20 rule?
It is a simple budgeting guideline: aim to spend 50 percent of your take-home pay on needs, 30 percent on wants and 20 percent on savings or debt repayment. The planner draws those three targets from your income so you can see how your real spending compares.
What counts as a need, a want or savings?
Needs are essentials like rent, utilities, groceries and minimum debt payments. Wants are discretionary, like dining out, travel or subscriptions. Savings covers an emergency fund, investing and any extra debt payoff beyond the minimum. You control the tag on each line, so borderline items go wherever you decide.
Should I use gross or net income?
Use net (take-home) income, the amount that lands in your account after taxes and payroll deductions. The percentages are meant to describe money you can actually spend, so using gross income would inflate every target.
What does the status badge mean?
Balanced means your total expenses equal your income exactly, Over budget means the total exceeds your income so Remaining is negative, and Surplus means you have money left over. The badge is driven purely by income minus the sum of all expenses.
What is the variance shown next to each bucket?
Variance is your actual spending in that bucket minus its target. A positive, red number means you are over the recommended amount for needs, wants or savings, and a negative, green number means you are under it. It is calculated per bucket, so you can be over on wants while under on savings.
Can I budget in a currency other than dollars?
Yes. Pick your currency from the selector at the top of the tool and every amount, including the targets and remaining figure, is formatted in that currency. The math is identical regardless of currency.
Does surplus money count as savings automatically?
No. Anything left in Remaining is unallocated, not counted in the savings bucket, until you add it as a savings line item. That keeps the 20 percent savings target honest, since money sitting idle is easy to spend.
Is the 50/30/20 split right for everyone?
It is a starting framework, not a rule for every situation. People in high-cost cities often spend more than 50 percent on needs, while those paying down aggressive debt may push savings well past 20 percent. Use the variance to adjust the split to your own goals.
Is my budget data private?
Yes. The planner runs entirely in your browser and nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere, so your income and expenses never leave your device.
Learn more
- The 50/30/20 budgeting rule explained
Where the 50/30/20 split comes from, how to sort real expenses into the three buckets, and how to adapt it when life does not fit neatly.
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