How to budget using the 50/30/20 method

This is a great strategy for anyone who wants an easy and structured budgeting method.

To achieve our financial goals, we need to know where our money is going. This is why having a budget is so important.

What’s even more important is to find a budget that matches your personality.

The 50/30/20 budget method is ideal for people who like tracking expenses and want to follow a guideline.

Although it’s called the 50/30/20 method, you can change the percentages so they work for you.

Here’s how it works:

Think of your money as going into three different buckets.

Bucket number one is for your needs. 50% of your take-home pay goes towards your essential expenses like housing, groceries, transportation, utilities and other general expenses. Try your best to keep your needs to around 50% of your budget.

Bucket number two is for your wants. 30% of your money should go towards travel, subscriptions, and discretionary things like dining out with your family and friends. Try to keep your wants to 30% of your budget.

Finally, bucket number three is for your savings and also for paying down debt. This remaining 20% of your money can go towards an emergency fund, investing for retirement, paying down loans, or really any other financial goals you may have.

So, 50% for your needs, 30% for your wants, and 20% for your savings. That’s the 50/30/20 budget.

Most importantly, feel free to personalise it! 50/30/20 is just a guide.

You can vary the percentages and create a plan that works with your income and your obligations.

You might just be starting your savings journey ... and 20% may seem unattainable. Or maybe you can save more than 20%, and that's also great. What matters is that it needs to work for you.

The bottom line

The 50/30/20 method is a solid strategy for you to organise your cash flow.

You make progress towards your goals with your savings, but also enjoy the journey with your wants.

Vanguard
October 2023
vanguard.com.au

Any advice contained in this website is of a general nature only and does not take into account your circumstances or needs. You must decide if this information is suitable to your personal situation or seek advice.

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