50/30/20 Budget Calculator - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

What does a 50 30 20 budget look like? ›

Do not subtract other amounts that may be withheld or automatically deducted, like health insurance or retirement contributions. Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings.

The 50/30/20 rule can be a good budgeting method for some, but it may not work for your unique monthly expenses. Depending on your income and where you live, earmarking 50% of your income for your needs may not be enough.

It's a simple rule of thumb that suggests you put up to 50% of your after-tax income toward things you need, 30% toward things you want, and 20% toward savings.

Some Experts Say the 50/30/20 Is Not a Good Rule at All. “This budget is restrictive and does not take into consideration your values, lifestyle and money goals. For example, 50% for needs is not enough for those in high-cost-of-living areas.

Bottom Line. Living on $1,000 per month is a challenge. From the high costs of housing, transportation and food, plus trying to keep your bills to a minimum, it would be difficult for anyone living alone to make this work. But with some creativity, roommates and strategy, you might be able to pull it off.

Alternatives to the 50/30/20 budget method

For example, like the 50/30/20 rule, the 70/20/10 rule also divides your after-tax income into three categories but differently: 70% for monthly spending (including necessities), 20% for savings and for 10% donations and debt repayment above the minimums.

The average monthly expenses for one person in 2022 were $3,693, up 8.5% from 2021. That translates into an increase of $287.75 per month. The 2022 average for annual expenses was $44,312. That is less than half of the average expenses for a family of four, which was over $100,000.

When following the 10-10-80 rule, you take your income and divide it into three parts: 10% goes into your savings, and the other 10% is given away, either as charitable donations or to help others. The remaining 80% is yours to live on, and you can spend it on bills, groceries, Netflix subscriptions, etc.

The 50/30/20 budget rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must have or must do. The remaining half should be split between savings and debt repayment (20%) and everything else that you might want (30%).

Earning 5K a month equals $60,000 in a year! This is a serious amount of money, and it's enough to live a very comfortable life in many countries. In this post, I'm covering some legit side hustles, business ideas, and career moves you can use to make this amount of money.

Does 50/30/20 include 401k? ›

A 401(k) can count as savings in a 50/30/20 budget plan. But if 401(k) contributions are automatically deducted from your paycheck, they're not included in your take-home pay calculation.

Calculating your target budget

What does this look like? If you make $3000 a month after taxes, then 50% ($1500) would go toward needs, the next 30% ($900) goes toward your wants or discretionary spending, and the remaining 20% ($600) goes toward your savings.

50% of your net income should go towards living expenses and essentials (Needs), 20% of your net income should go towards debt reduction and savings (Debt Reduction and Savings), and 30% of your net income should go towards discretionary spending (Wants).

How much should you spend on rent? It depends. One popular guideline is the 30% rent rule, which says to spend around 30% of your gross income on rent. So if you earn $3,200 per month before taxes, you could spend about $960 per month on rent.

The 40/40/20 rule comes in during the saving phase of his wealth creation formula. Cardone says that from your gross income, 40% should be set aside for taxes, 40% should be saved, and you should live off of the remaining 20%.

Try the 50/30/20 rule as a simple budgeting framework. Allow up to 50% of your income for needs, including debt minimums. Leave 30% of your income for wants. Commit 20% of your income to savings and debt repayment beyond minimums.

Alternatives to the 50/30/20 budget method

For example, like the 50/30/20 rule, the 70/20/10 rule also divides your after-tax income into three categories but differently: 70% for monthly spending (including necessities), 20% for savings and for 10% donations and debt repayment above the minimums.