Guide · 6 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.
Finance & FinTechEmergency Fund CalculatorWork out how many months of expenses you should hold, how far you are from it, and when to stop saving cash and start investing.You should hold 3.5 months of expenses: $11,000Open the calculator Finance & FinTechSavings CalculatorProject a savings balance from a starting amount, regular deposits, interest rate and saving period.Projected savings balance: $28,000Open the calculator Finance & FinTechPercentage CalculatorCalculate a percentage of a number, the percentage one value is of another, or the percentage change between two values.25% of 200: 50Open the calculator
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Let it compound
What time and rate do to a lump sum or a monthly amount.
Finance & FinTechCompound Interest CalculatorProject how a lump sum and regular contributions can grow when returns compound over time.After 10 years you'd have: $74,000Open the calculator Finance & FinTechSavings Rate Comparison CalculatorCompare your savings rate with the best available and inflation, in real terms, and see what switching earns you.Switching would earn you extra over the period: $2,000Open the calculator Finance & FinTechInflation CalculatorEstimate how inflation changes future prices and the purchasing power of today’s money.In 10 years the same things cost: $1,700Open the calculator
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.