Budgeting basics: The 50-30-20 rule (2024)

FAQs

Budgeting basics: The 50-30-20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals. Let's take a closer look at each category.

The rule says that 50% of your after-tax income must be spent on needs and obligations that you have to meet, such as rent and utilities. The remaining half should then be split between 20% savings and debt repayment and 30% to your wants and entertainment.

The 50/30/20 rule can be a good budgeting method for some, but it may not work for your unique monthly expenses. Depending on your income and where you live, earmarking 50% of your income for your needs may not be enough.

Our 50/30/20 calculator divides your take-home income into suggested spending in three categories: 50% of net pay for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and debt repayment. Find out how this budgeting approach applies to your money.

Applying the 50/30/20 rule would give them a monthly budget of: 50% for mandatory expenses = $2,500. 20% to savings and debt repayment = $1,000. 30% for wants and discretionary spending = $1,500.

The 70-20-10 budget formula divides your after-tax income into three buckets: 70% for living expenses, 20% for savings and debt, and 10% for additional savings and donations. By allocating your available income into these three distinct categories, you can better manage your money on a daily basis.

Bottom Line. Living on $1,000 per month is a challenge. From the high costs of housing, transportation and food, plus trying to keep your bills to a minimum, it would be difficult for anyone living alone to make this work. But with some creativity, roommates and strategy, you might be able to pull it off.

Drawbacks of the 50/30/20 rule: Lacks detail. May not help individuals isolate specific areas of overspending. Doesn't fit everyone's needs, particularly those with aggressive savings or debt-repayment goals.

The basic concept behind the 50/30/20 rule works for just about anyone. But depending on your income and debt load, you may need to adjust the exact breakdown of your expenses. For example, a low-income household may need to spend more than 50% of their after-tax pay on needs.

The 50-30-20 rule provides individuals with a plan for how to manage their after-tax income. If they find that their expenditures on wants are more than 30%, for example, they can find ways to reduce those expenses and direct funds to more important areas, such as emergency money and retirement.

What is the easiest budget method? ›

1. The zero-based budget. The concept of a zero-based budgeting method is simple: Income minus expenses equals zero. This budgeting method is best for people who have a set income each month or can reasonably estimate their monthly income.

What is the 50/30/20 rule? The 50/30/20 rule is an easy budgeting method that can help you to manage your money effectively, simply and sustainably. The basic rule of thumb is to divide your monthly after-tax income into three spending categories: 50% for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings or paying off debt.

The 50/30/20 rule allows you to set aside a portion of your income for flexible spending while still meeting your financial goals. Because this budgeting method leaves room for spending money on things you want even if you may not need them, it can be easier to stick to than a more strict personal finance strategy.

Benefits of using the 50-20-30 rule

Other budgets often require you to track many spending categories, but this one gives you three general categories to think about. Provides flexibility: Different people have different essential expenses, nonessential expenses and financial goals.

Fidelity Investments recommends saving 1x your salary by 30. At the end of 2021, the average annual salary was $49,920 for 25 to 34-year-olds and $58,604 for 35 to 44-year-olds. So the average 30-year-old should have $50,000 to $60,000 saved by Fidelity's standards.

Using them, you allocate your monthly after-tax income to the three categories: 50% to “needs,” 30% to “wants,” and 20% to saving for your financial goals. Your percentages may need to be adjusted based on your personal circ*mstances and goals.

You allocate 50% of your post-tax income to “needs” and another 30% to “wants.” That leaves you with at least 20% of your net income that you're able to save or use to pay down existing debt.

Important reminder: The 50/30/20 budget rule only considers your take-home pay for the month, so anything automatically deducted from your paycheck — like your work health insurance premium or 401k retirement contribution — doesn't count in the equation.