What is the 50/30/20 rule?
The 50/30/20 rule splits your after-tax income into three buckets: 50% for needs (rent, groceries, utilities), 30% for wants (dining out, hobbies, subscriptions), and 20% for savings or debt repayment.
50/30/20 Budget Calculator
Enter your take-home pay and we'll split it into needs, wants, and savings using the popular 50/30/20 rule — however often you get paid. Not a fan of the default split? Adjust the percentages below to fit your own budget. Save each month to see how your numbers shift as income or spending changes.
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Needs (50%)
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Wants (30%)
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Savings (20%)
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Monthly equivalent
Debt payoff–
Remaining savings–
📅 Your budget history
Stored locally in this browser only — nothing is uploaded.
How does this work?
We first convert whatever you enter into a monthly-equivalent income (biweekly pay × 26 ÷ 12, weekly pay × 52 ÷ 12, or annual pay ÷ 12), then split that monthly figure using your chosen percentages — 50/30/20 by default, the split popularized by Senator Elizabeth Warren's "All Your Worth" budgeting method, but adjustable to fit your own priorities.
"Needs" covers the fixed, hard-to-avoid costs: rent or mortgage, groceries, utilities, insurance, minimum debt payments. "Wants" covers everything discretionary: dining out, hobbies, streaming subscriptions, travel. "Savings" covers retirement contributions, an emergency fund, or extra debt payoff beyond the minimum — if you're paying down debt aggressively, enter an amount in the debt-payoff field and we'll break it out from the rest of your savings bucket. Treat the percentages as a starting point, not a strict rule — adjust based on your cost of living and goals. Save each month and you'll build a private record of how your income and split evolve.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 50/30/20 rule work with irregular income?
It works best when you use an average of your take-home pay over a few months. If your pay is biweekly or weekly, convert it to a monthly figure first so the percentages are calculated on a consistent base.