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Tools / Pay Yourself First
Savings Calculator

Pay yourself first

The single most powerful habit in personal finance: save before you spend. Enter your take-home pay and see your 50/30/20 split — then watch it grow.

Your Numbers

Adjust to match your situation

Monthly Take-Home Pay
$
Needs (Housing, Food, Bills) 50%
Wants (Fun, Dining, Subscriptions) 30%
Savings & Investing 20%
Auto-calculated (100% − needs − wants)
Expected Annual Return10%
S&P 500 historical avg ≈ 10% before inflation
Your Monthly Split $3,500 / mo
Needs
Rent, groceries, utilities, transport
$1,750
Wants
Dining, streaming, hobbies, clothes
$1,050
Savings & Investing
Emergency fund → index funds → retirement
$700
If You Invest Your Savings Every Month Compounded monthly
10 Years
$0
$0 invested
+$0 gains
20 Years
$0
$0 invested
+$0 gains
30 Years
$0
$0 invested
+$0 gains

Numbers assume a consistent monthly contribution starting today, compounded monthly at the chosen return rate. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

How to Actually Do This
🏦
Open a separate savings account. Don't keep your savings and spending money in the same account. When payday hits, auto-transfer your savings amount immediately — before you can spend it.
🔄
Automate it. Set up an automatic transfer for payday. You won't miss money you never see. Most banks and apps let you schedule this in 2 minutes.
🚨
Build your emergency fund first. Before investing anything, save 3–6 months of expenses. Put it in a high-yield savings account (HYSA) earning 4–5% while you build it.
📊
Then invest in index funds. Once your emergency fund is set, open a Roth IRA at Fidelity or Vanguard and put your monthly savings into a total market fund like VTI or FZROX. Zero minimums, zero fees.