Sharekhan Blog

50/30/20 Budget Rule Explained

  • Apr 18, 2024

Are you someone who gets confused often while managing your own finances? Then the 50-30-20 budgeting technique is for you. You will discover a simple yet effective approach to enhancing your financial management with the 50 30 20 rule of budgeting. Easily allocate 50% of your income for necessities, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings after taxes. Following this rule, you streamline your spending across essential areas, optimising your financial resources. Simplifying your budget into three categories reduces the stress of tracking every expense, fostering disciplined spending habits.

If you want to know what is the 50 30 20 rule of budgeting, you can follow this comprehensive guide.

What is the 50/30/20 Rule?

The 50/30/20 budget rule is a simple way to handle your money wisely. You split your monthly income after taxes into 50% for necessities, 30% for things you want, and 20% for savings or paying off debt. Keeping your spending balanced in these areas helps you use your money better.

Since there are only three main categories, it saves you time and stress. But remember, it's just a rough guide. The exact percentages might change based on your situation and where you live. If you've ever wondered why saving money is hard, this rule can help. It adds structure to your spending, making it easier to reach your financial goals, whether saving for emergencies or paying off what you owe.

How do you budget your money with the 50/30/20 Rule?

The 50 30 20 calculator India makes budgeting easy by splitting your income after taxes into three main categories: essentials, desires, and savings or debts. Having precise amounts for each category makes it simpler to follow your budget and control your spending.

Here's what a budget rule following the 50/30/20 rule typically looks like:

1. Needs: 50%

The necessities are the essential living costs you cannot live without. This includes the necessities of clothing, food, and shelter. Because you cannot live without them, your needs take up most of this category, which has room for personal interpretation owing:

  • Rent
  • Utility bills, such as those for water and electricity, etc.
  • Food
  • Home or vehicle interest payments
  • Costs associated with educating children.
  • Costs associated with insurance.

The 50 30 20 rule states that you must use half of your post-tax income to maintain a minimal living standard, including all your financial responsibilities. They are thus always on the list of those in need of money. If you make these payments, you will probably avoid getting into difficulty or accruing more debt for the following month, including interest and late fees.

The 50 30 20 budget examples do not include TV cable, Netflix, eating out, lifestyle, or leisure costs. Your needs account for more than half of your post-tax income. You can reduce your luxury spending, even though this is unwanted. It would help if you found ways to either boost your income or find other options that would allow you to reduce the size of your current lifestyle.

2. Wants: 30%

This is the second part of the budget rule. These costs are regarded as necessities of existence, yet they are not required for survival. Put another way, even though you wouldn't need these articles, you can live without them. It covers any expense that contributes to a higher quality of life. Several of these costs consist of the following:

  • Entertainment costs include Netflix, movies, etc.
  • Eating out
  • Access to the gym
  • Shopping
  • Travelling
  • Hobbies

There is an endless list. There's always a chance to control these costs. The majority of the desires are costly. However, there are other less expensive options. Two examples are purchasing a hatchback instead of an SUV or traditional timepieces over fancy timepieces.

3. Savings: 20%

In the 50 30 20 rule, saving money and paying off debts are essential, but how much you allocate to each depends on your situation. This is the final and most crucial part of the budgeting guideline that makes financial planning easier. This money assists in covering some of your future expenses. It guarantees you can continue living the same way and paying more. This is the 20 of the 50 30 20 budget example:

  • Funds for Emergencies
  • Gold, equities, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other investments
  • Tax-saving funds.
  • Credit Advance payment.
  • Making plans for future objectives such as educating your children, marriage, retirement, etc.

Calculate Your Financial Goals Now & Secure your Future!

You should constantly strive to save more money over time and ensure you have enough to reach your financial objectives. This savings part must also be properly organized. Consider setting aside a specific sum of money for emergencies.

Conclusion

You should feel in charge and powerful when you have a budget. The 50 30 20 rules can help by offering an adaptable framework for your situation.

Recent posts

How to calculate your Term Insurance Sum Assured?

21 Mar 2025

Generally speaking, the sum assured for any insurance policy for life or even a term should be sufficient to sustain the same income level and lifestyle for the insured’s loved ones and ensure that they are able to fulfil their goals in future.&nb

Read More

Term Insurance – Is the hype justified?

20 Mar 2025

While people have availed of health and life insurance schemes since time immemorial, term insurance remains to be a comparatively recent and lesser-known type of the same that is slowly gaining popularity among investors. 

Read More

What makes Endowment Life Insurance Plans better than Mutual Funds?

19 Mar 2025

Endowment life insurance plans promise guaranteed returns while mutual funds, like all equity instruments, are vulnerable to uncertainty. Let's compare both these investment products and find out how and why endowment plans can be better than mutu

Read More

All You Must Know About F&O Margin

17 Mar 2025

Your futures broker will take margins whenever you make a purchase or sale. In order to make a deal, your trading account will often need to have margins deposited into it. Whether

Read More

What Is Phishing and How to Protect Yourself from It?

17 Mar 2025

Phishing messages give a false impression of urgency and alarm to attract attention and compel you to take a step that can only be destructive and dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself.

Read More
Team Mirae Asset Sharekhan
by Team Mirae Asset Sharekhan

Guiding Wealth Creation since 1995

We've been ranked as India’s No. 1 Retail Broker by Asiamoney Brokers Poll 2023. Here, we bring you the latest in the world of Trading and Investments in our effort to Make the Markets work for YOU!

Recent posts

How to calculate your Term Insurance Sum Assured?

21 Mar 2025

Generally speaking, the sum assured for any insurance policy for life or even a term should be sufficient to sustain the same income level and lifestyle for the insured’s loved ones and ensure that they are able to fulfil their goals in future.&nb

Read More

Term Insurance – Is the hype justified?

20 Mar 2025

While people have availed of health and life insurance schemes since time immemorial, term insurance remains to be a comparatively recent and lesser-known type of the same that is slowly gaining popularity among investors. 

Read More

What makes Endowment Life Insurance Plans better than Mutual Funds?

19 Mar 2025

Endowment life insurance plans promise guaranteed returns while mutual funds, like all equity instruments, are vulnerable to uncertainty. Let's compare both these investment products and find out how and why endowment plans can be better than mutu

Read More

All You Must Know About F&O Margin

17 Mar 2025

Your futures broker will take margins whenever you make a purchase or sale. In order to make a deal, your trading account will often need to have margins deposited into it. Whether

Read More

What Is Phishing and How to Protect Yourself from It?

17 Mar 2025

Phishing messages give a false impression of urgency and alarm to attract attention and compel you to take a step that can only be destructive and dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself.

Read More
}
OPEN FREE* DEMAT ACCOUNT