Monthly Expense Calculator
See exactly where your money goes, then compare it against your income. Getting Started and Catching Up can use the total to size what's left to invest; Final Stretch can use it to check whether retirement income will cover real spending.
Thinking about retiring early? See the FIRE number for these expenses →
Income
How to use the Monthly Expense Calculator
- Choose whether to enter your gross pay and a tax rate, or the take-home pay you already know.
- Open each category and fill in what you spend. Use the period buttons to type weekly, biweekly, monthly or yearly amounts; everything is converted for you.
- Check "Left to invest" at the top, then follow the FIRE Calculator link to see what your spending means for retiring early.
Common questions
How do I turn weekly or yearly costs into a monthly amount?
Multiply by how many times a year you pay it, then divide by 12. A $50 weekly cost is $50 × 52 ÷ 12, about $217 a month. This calculator does that for you when you switch the period buttons.
Should I budget with gross pay or take-home pay?
Take-home pay. Gross pay is what you earn before taxes and deductions; take-home pay is what actually lands in your account, so it's the money you can spend or invest.
What should I do with the money left over?
Common next steps are building an emergency fund, paying down high-interest debt and investing for retirement. The Pay It Down calculator and the Investment Simulator can help you weigh those.