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Personal Budget Planner (50/30/20 Rule) — Free UK Tool

Personal Budget Planner

Build a monthly budget around the 50/30/20 rule. Enter your take-home pay and spending to see where every pound goes — and get a free PDF report with your full breakdown.

£

Not sure? Use our Take-Home Pay Calculator to convert your salary first.

Needs ~50%

£0

Wants ~30%

£0

Savings & debt ~20%

£0

Get your full budget report — free PDF

  • Category-by-category breakdown of every pound
  • Your 50/30/20 split vs. the recommended targets
  • Monthly surplus / deficit and an emergency-fund target
  • Personalised tips on where to trim and where to save

This planner is a guide only and not financial advice. The 50/30/20 split is a popular benchmark, not a rule that suits everyone — adjust the targets to your own circumstances. Figures you enter are not stored unless you request the emailed report.

How the personal budget planner works

A budget is simply a plan for your money — and the 50/30/20 rule is one of the easiest ways to build one. It splits your monthly take-home pay into three buckets: 50% for needs (rent or mortgage, bills, food and transport), 30% for wants (eating out, subscriptions, hobbies) and 20% for savings and debt repayment. This planner adds up what you actually spend, shows each bucket as a percentage of your income, and tells you instantly whether you have a surplus or a shortfall.

Enter your monthly take-home pay (use our take-home pay calculator if you only know your salary), then fill in your spending. The planner compares your split to the 50/30/20 targets, flags any bucket that is too high, and the free PDF report adds personalised tips and an emergency-fund target. Small changes — switching energy, trimming the grocery bill, or moving your savings to a top regular saver — can quickly turn a deficit into a surplus.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 50/30/20 budgeting rule?
The 50/30/20 rule splits your monthly take-home pay into 50% on needs, 30% on wants and 20% on savings and extra debt repayment. It is a simple benchmark rather than a strict rule — this free planner shows how your actual spending compares so you can adjust it to your circumstances.
How do I make a monthly budget?
Start with your monthly take-home (net) pay, list every essential cost, then your lifestyle spending, then what you save. Subtract total spending from income to find your surplus or deficit. The planner does this automatically and groups everything into needs, wants and savings.
What counts as a need versus a want?
Needs are essentials you cannot easily avoid: housing, council tax, utilities, a basic food shop, transport to work, insurance and minimum debt payments. Wants are lifestyle choices like takeaways, streaming subscriptions, new clothes, hobbies and holidays.
How much should I have in an emergency fund?
A common guideline is three to six months of essential outgoings held in an easy-access savings account. The planner shows your monthly essentials so you can multiply up and set an emergency-fund target.
What if my spending is more than my income?
The planner will show a deficit. Look first at your “wants” bucket, as subscriptions, eating out and shopping are usually the quickest to trim, then at essentials like energy and insurance where switching provider can cut costs. Aim to bring total spending below your take-home pay so you can start saving.
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