Zero-Based Budget Calculator

Use our Zero-Based Budget Calculator to give every dollar a job. Enter your monthly take-home income, then assign it to categories — giving, savings, housing, food, debt payoff and the rest — until nothing is left unassigned.

The goal is simple: income minus everything you assign equals zero. Zero doesn’t mean an empty bank account; the dollars you assign to savings still grow. It means no money is left without a plan.

The results show what’s left to assign, a perfect zero, or how far you’re over budget, along with each category’s share of income and how much goes to savings and debt payoff. The calculator starts with a sample plan that balances exactly.

Plans change from month to month, so treat the results as an estimate. To compare your spending with common guidelines, use our Monthly Budget Calculator; to see how far the month came in under or over your plan, our Budget Percent Calculator.