Budget Simulation

It is effective to split expenses into fixed costs and variable costs. Fixed costs (housing, insurance, telecom, subscriptions) are stable amounts each month, so start by tallying them up. Variable costs (food, transport, leisure, clothing) have more room to adjust based on spending habits. By subtracting fixed costs from your take-home pay first and allocating what remains between variable costs and savings, you get a clearer picture of your spending structure.

Frugal targets housing 25%, food 10%, savings 30% to prioritize the future. YOLO allocates 40%+ to leisure, dining, and hobbies with a lower savings ratio. Choose based on your financial goals.

A negative monthly surplus means current spending exceeds take-home pay. First review fixed costs for items that can be adjusted — telecom plans, subscriptions, and insurance structure. Then set spending limits on variable costs such as dining out, leisure, and clothing. If housing takes a large share, exploring ways to reduce housing costs over the medium to long term is the most fundamental approach to recovering your savings rate.

Items that do not apply to you — such as education, medical, or subscription costs — can simply be left at 0 and they are excluded automatically. The donut chart only shows items with non-zero values, so entering only your actual expenses still produces accurate results. If many items feel overwhelming, set the relevant ones and leave the rest at 0, then watch how the chart responds.

This simulator is a reference tool and does not replace professional financial advice. Please consult a certified financial planner for personalized guidance.

There is no single correct housing cost ratio — the right level depends on income, location, and household composition. General financial planning guidance suggests keeping housing costs as a low share of take-home pay to preserve room for savings and flexibility. In high-cost cities, housing naturally takes a larger share, making it even more important to offset that by trimming variable expenses elsewhere.

The most effective way to cut food expenses is to reduce dining out and cook at home more often. Planning weekly meals in advance helps prevent impulse purchases and minimizes ingredient waste. Buying in bulk, using discount apps, and taking advantage of store promotions also contribute to savings. Most importantly, tracking grocery and dining-out costs separately makes it easier to identify spending patterns and prioritize where to cut first.

Selecting a preset (Frugal, Average, Comfortable, or YOLO) resets all item sliders at once based on a percentage of your salary. After that, adjusting any individual slider changes that item to a custom value, and the donut chart, cumulative bar, and surplus figure all update in real time. Use a preset as a starting point, then fine-tune each item to match your actual spending patterns.