Savings Goal Calculator

Working backwards from your goal

Most savings calculators tell you what a monthly contribution will grow to. This one does the reverse: you tell it what you want to end up with and when you need it, and it tells you exactly how much to set aside each month.

That makes planning much easier. Instead of saving randomly and hoping it adds up, you start with the target and work the math backwards.

Choosing the right interest rate for your goal

The rate you use matters a lot over long horizons but very little over short ones. For a goal in the next two years, the difference between 2% and 4% is small. For a goal 20 years away, the difference is enormous.

Short-term vs long-term goals

For money you need within three years, keep it in a savings account or spaardeposito. The interest rate is lower but the money is there when you need it and will not drop 30% the week before you spend it.

For goals five or more years away, you have the option of investing instead. An index fund returning 6–7% per year means you need to save significantly less each month to hit the same target. The trade-off is that returns are not guaranteed and the balance will fluctuate.

Rule of thumb: if you cannot afford to see your balance drop 25% for a year without panicking or needing the money, keep it in savings.

Automate it or it will not happen

The single most reliable thing you can do is set up an automatic transfer to a separate savings account on the day your salary arrives. Before you see the money, it is already moved.

Most Dutch banks — ING, Rabobank, ABN AMRO, Bunq — let you create named savings pots with automatic transfers. Name the pot after the goal. Seeing "Holiday 2027" at €4,800 of €6,000 is more motivating than a number on a spreadsheet.

Frequently asked questions