Guide · 8 tools
Budgeting and saving
Split your pay with the 50/30/20 rule, size an emergency fund, hit a savings goal by a date and see what compound interest and inflation do to money over time.
Saving is a habit with maths behind it. These calculators set the targets (how much, by when), show the effect of rate and time, and translate a savings rate into what it is really worth once inflation is counted.
They work in any currency and need no country settings.
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Set the plan
A budget split, a safety net and a goal with a date.
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Let it compound
What time and rate do to a lump sum or a monthly amount.
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Your bigger picture
Where you stand and how far you are from not needing to work.
Common questions
Budgeting and saving: the questions people ask
- How much should I save each month?
- The 50/30/20 rule puts 20% of take-home pay towards saving and debt repayment. If that is out of reach, the budget calculator shows which category is over and by how much.
- How big should an emergency fund be?
- Three to six months of essential spending is the usual range; longer if your income is irregular or you are the sole earner. The emergency fund calculator sizes it from your actual outgoings.
- What is the rule of 72?
- Divide 72 by the annual return to get the years it takes money to double: about 10 years at 7%. It also shows how fast inflation halves the value of cash.
Results are estimates based on the figures entered, for general information only, and not financial, investment, tax or legal advice.