Comprehensive Budget Planner

How this planner works

Unlike a simple percentage-based calculator, this planner asks you to enter your real income and real expenses — line by line. That friction is intentional. The act of assigning a number to every category is where most people find their first insight.

The 50/30/20 analysis at the end is a reference point, not a rule. Your actual numbers tell you where to look. The personalised tip adjusts based on your profile and goal.

What counts as a need vs a want?

Grey areas are normal. A car is a need in a rural area and a want in central Amsterdam. The goal is awareness, not perfection.

What to do with your results

1. 1.

   Look at the biggest slice: Open the expense breakdown. The largest category is where cuts have the most impact. Small trims on a large category beat eliminating a small one entirely.

2. 2.

   Check your savings rate first: Before cutting expenses, see your savings rate. Under 10% is a warning sign. Under 5% means the emergency fund conversation is urgent.

3. 3.

   Fix the leak, not the symptom: If housing is above 35%, that is a housing problem — not a budgeting problem. No amount of cancelled subscriptions fixes a rent that is too high for your income.

4. 4.

   Automate what you decide: Every spending decision you make manually, you will eventually unmake. Set up standing orders for savings on payday, before you can see the money.

5. 5.

   Review monthly, adjust quarterly: A budget is not a contract. Revisit it when something changes — new job, new rent, new debt — and tweak the inputs. The numbers should reflect reality.