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80/20 budget calculator

Save 20% the day you are paid. The other 80% covers everything else with no categories.

$
BucketSharePer monthPer year
Spend80%$3,200$38,400
Save first20%$800$9,600

Want to plug in your real bills? Open the full budget calculator — it remembers your numbers.

How the 80/20 rule works

Often called “pay yourself first”: move 20% to savings on payday and spend the rest freely.

Good fit: People who hate tracking categories but want to save reliably.

Trade-offs

  • ✓ Almost no tracking
  • ✓ Saving happens automatically
  • ✗ No warning if bills outgrow the 80%
  • ✗ No debt-payoff plan built in

Other splits: 50/30/20, 70/20/10, 60/20/20.

Questions people ask

What is the 80/20 budget rule?

Save 20% the day you are paid. The other 80% covers everything else with no categories. Often called “pay yourself first”: move 20% to savings on payday and spend the rest freely.

How much is 80/20 on $4,000 a month?

Spend: $3,200, Save first: $800.

Who is the 80/20 rule for?

People who hate tracking categories but want to save reliably.

80/20 or 50/30/20?

80/20 is simpler: you only decide the savings amount. 50/30/20 gives more control by capping wants. Pick 80/20 if tracking categories makes you quit.

Keep going

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