Build a budget that actually balances
A monthly budget is simply a plan for every unit of income before the month begins. This builder lets you list income, fixed costs, variable spending, and savings goals, then does the arithmetic for you so you can see at a glance whether your plan balances. Each total recalculates as you type, and you can export the finished outline straight into any spreadsheet.
How it works
The tool groups your money into four buckets and sums each one:
- Income — net (after-tax) money arriving each month.
- Fixed expenses — bills that stay roughly constant, like rent and insurance.
- Variable expenses — flexible lifestyle spending such as groceries and dining.
- Savings & investing — amounts you set aside, treated as a planned outgoing.
It then computes total outgoings as fixed + variable + savings, and your monthly result as income − outgoings. A positive result is a surplus; a negative one is a deficit, which is highlighted so you can rebalance. The savings rate is savings ÷ income × 100, a quick check against the 20% target from the 50/30/20 rule.
Tips and example
Suppose you earn 3000, with 1370 in fixed bills, 750 in variable spending, and 500 toward savings. Outgoings total 2620, leaving a 380 surplus and a savings rate of about 16.7%. Nudging savings up to 680 would hit a 20% rate while keeping the budget balanced. Build the plan once, export the CSV, and reuse it each month — adjust only the lines that change.