How to budget $8,000 a month
Two common ways to split a monthly take-home pay of $8,000, rounded to the nearest $10. Use them as a starting point and adjust for your rent and debts.
The 50/30/20 rule
| Category | Share | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Needs (rent, groceries, transport, bills) | 50% | $4,000 |
| Wants (eating out, shopping, fun) | 30% | $2,400 |
| Savings and debt repayment | 20% | $1,600 |
The six-jar method
| Jar | Share | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Necessities | 55% | $4,400 |
| Financial freedom (investing) | 10% | $800 |
| Long-term savings | 10% | $800 |
| Education | 10% | $800 |
| Play | 10% | $800 |
| Give | 5% | $400 |
Get Money Manager
Set a budget for each category above and log every expense. Works offline, no bank login, no SMS access. Free.
Questions
- How much should I save on $8,000 a month?
- The 50/30/20 rule puts $1,600 a month (20%) toward savings and debt. The six-jar method puts $1,600 (20%) into investing and long-term savings. Treat either as a starting point.
- What if my needs are more than 50%?
- It is common when rent takes a large share. The usual move is to cut wants first, protect savings, and log spending for a few weeks to see where the money really goes before resetting the percentages.
- How do I stick to this budget?
- Set a monthly budget for each category in an expense tracker and log every expense. Money Manager does this offline, with no bank login and no SMS access.