It simply means being more conscious about your money by finding areas in your budget where you’re needlessly overspending. Personal Budget Templates Keep track of your personal expenses with the simple templates designed for personal use. Income is any money you plan to get during that monththat means your normal paychecks and any extra money coming your way through a side hustle, garage sale, freelance work and the like. And if you discover that you’re spending too much on your wants, it’s worth thinking about which of those you could cut back on.Īs a side note, following the 50/30/20 rule doesn’t mean not being able to enjoy your life. The first step to create your monthly budget is simple: Enter your income. Using the same example as above, if your monthly after-tax income is €2000, you can spend €600 for your wants. Entertainment subscriptions (Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime).Wants are defined as non-essential expenses-things that you choose to spend your money on, although you could live without them if you had to. With 50% of your after-tax income taking care of your most basic needs, 30% of your after-tax income can be used to cover your wants.

It can make it easier to reach your financial goals, whether you’re saving up for a rainy day or working to pay off debt. One question we hear a lot when it comes to budgeting is, “Why can’t I save more?” The 50/30/20 rule is a great way to solve that age-old riddle and build more structure into your spending habits. The exact percentages for each category depend on your personal financial situation, local cost of living, inflation, and many other factors. However, the 50/30/20 rule should only be used as a rule of thumb for budget planning. Students can use budgeting apps and tools like Excel and Mint to manage.

And with only three major categories to track, you can save yourself the time and stress of digging into the details every time you spend. To create a budget, start by calculating how much you spend on your needs and wants. 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.īy regularly keeping your expenses balanced across these main spending areas, you can put your money to work more efficiently. The 50/30/20 rule is an easy budgeting method that can help you to manage your money effectively, simply and sustainably.

Personal budget sample guide