How should I split my pay?

Split it into buckets for bills, savings, debt and spending, with the exact percentages suited to your situation. A common starting point is around half for needs, some for wants, and the rest for savings and debt.

Why split my pay on payday?

Automating the split the day you are paid means money for bills and savings is set aside before you can spend it, which is one of the most effective budgeting habits there is.

How do I set up payday splits?

Set up automatic transfers from your main account to separate accounts for bills, savings and debt on your pay date. This calculator shows the amounts to move.

Payday Split Calculator

This calculator helps you divide each pay into buckets for bills, savings, debt and spending, so every dollar has a job the moment it arrives. You enter your take-home and your target percentages, and it shows exactly how much to move to each account on payday. Built around the proven approach of automating your money the day you are paid, it makes a simple, powerful budgeting habit easy to set up.

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Take-home per pay

Bills %

Savings %

Debt %

Spending %

move these amounts on payday

Bills$0

Savings$0

Debt$0

Spending$0

The percentages should add to 100. Set up automatic transfers on your pay date so bills and savings are set aside before you can spend them. Adjust the split to suit your situation. General information to support your budget.

How it works

The calculator applies each percentage to your take-home pay to show the dollar amount for bills, savings, debt and spending. It checks the percentages add to 100 so nothing is left unallocated or over-committed. Setting up automatic transfers for these amounts on payday means the money lands in the right place before you are tempted to spend it, which is what makes the habit so effective.

Worked example

On $1,500 take-home with 55% bills, 15% savings, 10% debt and 20% spending, you would move $825 to bills, $225 to savings, $150 to debt and keep $300 for spending. Automating those transfers means your savings happen every payday without thinking about it.

Related calculators

Budget Calculator: full household budget.
Savings Goal Calculator: set a goal.
Debt Snowball Calculator: pay down debt.
Emergency Fund Calculator: build a buffer.

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