Your monthly budget, with the expert rules or your own split
Enter your salary and an estimate of your annual bonus, pick the 50/30/20 rule or set your own percentages, spread annual bills such as car insurance over 12 months, and build a savings plan you can follow.
Budget planner
Five short steps. Results update as you type and stay in your browser only.
Your income
Use your net income — what actually lands in your bank account after tax and social contributions.
Split your income
Pick a rule recommended by personal-finance experts, or set your own percentages.
Monthly expenses
Enter what you pay each month. Classify each line as a need (essential), a want (comfort) or savings. Rename, add or delete lines freely.
Annual and irregular bills
Car insurance, property tax, school fees, holidays… Enter the amount of each payment, how often it comes and the month of the first payment. Each bill is turned into a monthly provision.
Payments due over the next 12 months
Savings
Emergency fund first, then your goals. The monthly amount available comes from your budget and from the share of the bonus you save.
Emergency fund
Savings goals
Monthly effort for your goals
Projection of your savings
Budget rules compared
Rules of thumb used by personal-finance experts. They are starting points, not obligations.
| Rule | Needs | Wants | Savings | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50/30/20 | 50% | 30% | 20% | Most households: simple and balanced |
| 60/20/20 | 60% | 20% | 20% | Expensive cities, families with high fixed costs |
| 80/20 | 80% (needs + wants) | 20% | People who dislike tracking every expense | |
| Zero-based | every unit is assigned | Tight budgets, irregular incomes |
Two other benchmarks are often cited: keep housing around 30% of income or less, and keep housing plus debt repayments under about 36% of income (the 28/36 rule used by mortgage lenders on gross income). The planner shows them as indicative alerts.
Articles
Practical guides to build, follow and improve your budget.
The 50/30/20 rule explained, with a worked example
Half for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings: the simplest budget rule, explained step by step with real figures.
Annual bills: the monthly provision method (sinking fund)
Car insurance, taxes, school fees: annual bills wreck budgets because they arrive all at once. The fix is to save for them every month.
Emergency fund: how much to keep, and where
Three to six months of essential expenses is the usual target. Here is how to calculate yours and build it without stress.
Annual bonus or 13th month: how to use it wisely
A bonus can transform your finances — or disappear in a few weeks. Here is how to decide in advance where it goes.
Needs or wants? How to classify your expenses
The line between a need and a want is not always obvious. Here is a simple test and examples for the most common expenses.
Car insurance, tax and maintenance: budgeting your car over 12 months
Fuel is only part of the story. Insurance, tax, servicing and tyres often double the real monthly cost of a car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the planner really free and private?
Yes. There is no account and no form. Your figures are saved only in your own browser (local storage) so you find them on your next visit. Nothing is sent to our servers.
Should I use net or gross income?
Net income — what you actually receive. The 50/30/20 rule was designed for after-tax income. Mortgage lenders, however, usually calculate their ratios on gross income.
Where do loan repayments go?
The minimum monthly payment of a loan is a need. Any extra repayment you choose to make counts as savings, because it improves your net worth.
How do I handle car insurance paid once a year?
Enter it in step 4. The planner divides it by 12 and adds that amount to your monthly needs, so the money is ready when the bill arrives.
Should I count my annual bonus in my monthly budget?
Only if it is guaranteed. If it varies, keep it outside the monthly budget and decide in advance which share goes to savings — that is the default option.
How big should my emergency fund be?
The usual recommendation is 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. Choose more (9–12 months) if your income is irregular or if you are the only earner in the household.
Is this financial advice?
No. Mizane is an educational tool. The results are estimates based on what you enter; for important decisions, talk to a qualified adviser.