Income versus spending by category — totals, what is left over, your savings rate, and the 50/30/20 targets for your income.
left over per month
How to use this tool
After-tax income — the money that actually lands in your account.
Six everyday categories; put anything unusual under "everything else".
Income minus spending, plus your savings rate as a percentage.
The classic split: 50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings — shown as cash targets for your income.
Formula & worked example
On $4,000 income with $2,800 of spending, $1,200 is left over — a 30% savings rate. The 50/30/20 targets for that income are $2,000 needs, $1,200 wants and $800 savings.
Limitations — read this before you rely on it
The 50/30/20 split is a guideline, not a rule: in expensive cities housing alone can exceed 50%, and the right response is to adjust the split, not to force it. Annual or irregular costs (insurance, holidays) should be averaged into monthly figures.
Frequently asked questions
Spend about 50% of after-tax income on needs, 30% on wants and 20% on savings and debt repayment. It is a starting point, not a law.
Needs are essentials: housing, basic food, transport to work, minimum bills. Wants are choices: dining out, streaming, holidays, upgrades.
20% is the usual target; anything above 0% is progress, and above 30% is strong. The rate matters more than the exact split.
Net (after tax) — that is the money you can actually allocate. Using gross income flatters the savings rate.
The "left over" figure goes negative and the savings rate goes negative too — that is the signal to cut a category or find extra income before debt grows.