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50/30/20 Budget Calculator

Split after-tax income into needs, wants, and savings with a balanced starter rule.

前提条件

The 50/30/20 rule suggests half of after-tax income to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings and extra debt payments.

Needs — 50% · 50%

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Wants — 30% · 30%

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Savings & debt goals — 20% · 20%

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Suggested monthly allocation

シミュレーション結果
  • Needs — 50%

    Rent, groceries, utilities, transport, minimum debt payments

  • Wants — 30%

    Dining out, entertainment, subscriptions, hobbies

  • Savings & debt goals — 20%

    Emergency fund, extra debt payments, investing for the future

The 50/30/20 rule is a starting guideline, not a strict rule — adjust to your circumstances.

The 50/30/20 rule is a simple budgeting framework popularized by Senator Elizabeth Warren: about 50% of after-tax income to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings and debt repayment. It is a starting template, not a rigid law.

Needs: the non-negotiable 50%

Needs are bills you would face serious consequences for skipping: rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, basic transport, insurance, minimum debt payments, and essential medicines.

If needs exceed 50%, the most powerful fixes are structural — housing and transport are usually the two biggest levers — rather than trimming small pleasures.

Wants: the flexible 30%

Wants include dining out, entertainment, subscriptions you can live without, premium versions of necessities, and leisure travel. They are legitimate — budgeting that forbids all joy rarely survives contact with real life.

Because wants are the most adjustable month to month, they are the natural buffer when an unexpected bill arrives. A 24-hour pause before discretionary purchases reduces regret spending without a complex system.

Savings & debt: the future-facing 20%

The 20% funds your emergency reserve, employer-plan contributions (especially to capture any match), extra debt repayment, and long-term goals. If you carry high-interest debt, directing more than 20% there often makes mathematical sense.

Treat this bucket as a non-optional transfer scheduled on payday. Percentages can flex — 60/20/20 in a high-rent city is still a healthy budget if the future bucket is protected.

Calculator FAQ

Is 50/30/20 a strict rule?

No. It is a simple starting framework. Adjust the ratios to your income, city, family situation, and goals. Protecting a consistent savings rate matters more than hitting exact percentages.

Where does debt repayment go?

Minimum payments are needs (inside the 50%). Extra payments toward debt belong in the 20% bucket alongside savings, since both improve your future net worth.

What if I cannot save 20%?

Start with whatever is sustainable, even 1–3%, and automate it. Increase the rate by 1% whenever your income rises. Progress and consistency beat an ideal number you cannot maintain.

Does the calculator connect to my bank?

No. Everything you enter stays in your browser for the simulation. We never ask for bank credentials, card numbers, or transaction passwords.