How it works
What this estimate calculates
The snapshot adds essential bills, required debt payments, planned savings, and flexible spending. It subtracts that total from the monthly take-home income you enter. A negative result means the entered categories are greater than the entered income.
Assumptions to keep in mind
- All values are monthly amounts supplied by you; take-home income is the cash available after deductions.
- Essential bills and debt payments are kept separate so the combined required monthly total is visible.
- The snapshot does not connect to financial accounts, import transactions, predict spending, or provide financial advice.
Reviewed references
Sources behind this calculator
Last reviewed: . These references support the concepts and context; their publishers do not review or endorse TrueCost.
- Assess your spending (opens in a new tab)Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Adding monthly spending categories and comparing the total with monthly take-home pay to see what remains.
Questions people ask
What should count as an essential bill?
Use recurring costs you expect to pay to keep your household running, such as housing, utilities, insurance, groceries, and transportation. Keep debt payments in their own field so they remain visible.
Should I use gross income or take-home income?
Use the money that reaches your checking account after payroll deductions for the period you are planning. That makes the remaining-cash figure easier to compare with bills you actually pay.
Where is my budget saved?
It is not sent to TrueCost. If you choose to save a scenario, it stays in this browser and can be cleared from the calculator.
Use the result as a starting point
Try a conservative scenario and an optimistic one. If the decision only works under one narrow set of assumptions, that is useful information. For a purchase, loan, tax, or investment decision, confirm the final figures with current documents and an appropriately qualified professional.
Read the full financial disclaimer