Budget calculator
Where should each dollar go? Start from your real take-home pay, check your plan against the 50/30/20 rule, see how each category compares with what households at your income actually spend, and import your bank transactions to find out where the money really goes.
Quick answer: A single filer earning $85,000 in Texas takes home about $5,719 a month, so the 50/30/20 rule budgets $2,859 for needs, $1,716 for wants and $1,144 for savings and debt payoff.
By John Crane, MBA & the Editorial Team · Updated for the 2026 tax year. How we check our numbers
Short each month
$200
Take-home $5,719, budgeted $5,919. Trim wants or raise income to close the gap.
| Needs | $3,850 | 65.0% |
|---|---|---|
| Wants | $1,497 | 25.3% |
| Savings and debt payoff | $572 | 9.7% |
- Take-home a month
- $5,719
- Needs
- 67%
- Wants
- 26%
- Savings and payoff
- 10%
- Savings rate with 401(k)
- 10%
- Emergency fund goal
- $23,100
Your split vs 50/30/20
| Group | Target | Yours | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needs | $2,859 (50%) | $3,850 (67%) | +$991 |
| Wants | $1,716 (30%) | $1,497 (26%) | -$219 |
| Savings and debt payoff | $1,144 (20%) | $572 (10%) | -$572 |
Where the money goes
The emergency fund goal is six months of needs; three months is a common minimum. Starting amounts are what U.S. households earning $70,000 to $99,999 spend in each category (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2024); replace them with your own.
How this is calculated
Take-home and the split
Take-home pay comes from the same engine as the paycheck calculator, for your state and filing status. The split rule divides it into needs (housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, health care, childcare, debt minimums), wants and savings; 401(k) contributions already taken from pay count toward your savings rate.
Similar households
Category averages come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for 2024, by household income before taxes. They describe the average household of about 2.4 people in each income range, so treat them as context, not targets.
Your transactions
Imported transactions are sorted by keywords in each description (for example, grocery chains to Groceries, gas stations to Transportation). Paychecks, transfers between your own accounts and card payments are ignored so nothing is counted twice. Monthly averages divide by the number of months in the file.
Sources
Related guides
- The 50/30/20 budget rule, with real numbersHow the 50/30/20 rule splits take-home pay into needs, wants and savings, what that looks like at three incomes, and how real household spending compares.
Questions
What is the 50/30/20 rule?
A simple way to split take-home pay: about 50% for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and paying down debt. In high-cost areas 60/20/20 or 70/20/10 can be more realistic; choose a split above.
How much does the average household spend on groceries?
About $519 a month in 2024 across all U.S. households (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey), rising with income. The Similar households tab shows the average for your income range.
How big should my emergency fund be?
Three to six months of essential expenses is the usual guide. The calculator shows six months of the needs in your budget; aim higher if your income is irregular.