By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Personal Financing PlannerPersonal Financing Planner
  • Home
  • Investing
  • Personal Finance
  • Banking
  • Mortgages
  • Credit Card
  • Loans
  • Budgeting
  • Retirement
Notification Show More
Personal Financing PlannerPersonal Financing Planner
  • Home
  • Investing
  • Personal Finance
  • Banking
  • Mortgages
  • Credit Card
  • Loans
  • Budgeting
  • Retirement
Follow US
Personal Financing Planner > Budgeting > How do the 60 30 10 rules work for budgeting?
Budgeting

How do the 60 30 10 rules work for budgeting?

June 1, 2025 16 Min Read
Share
16 Min Read
60 30 10 rule
SHARE

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • What is the budget for 60/30/10?
  • Who is the ideal?
  • 60/30/10 Pros and Cons of Budget
    • Strong Points
      • Progress faster towards financial goals
      • Disciplined spending on what excites you
      • Motivating your income in creative ways
    • Cons
      • Limited discretionary spending options
      • Adjust your lifestyle
      • Mathematics may not work for your income soon
  • 60 30 10 How do you set the budget for the rules?
    • Step 1: Decide your takeaway salary
    • Step 2: Assign to financial goals first
    • Step 3: Meet your needs
    • Step 4: Spend the last 10% on what you want
  • Expert Tips: Focus on having a specific savings goal
  • Things to avoid on this budget
  • How is the budget for 60/30/10 different from 50/30/20?
  • Is the budget for 60/30/10 right for me?
  • What is the example of the 60/30/10 rule?
  • Other articles related to budgeting
  • 60/30/10 Save more money on your budget!

60/30/10 Budget will turn traditional budgeting rules upside down. Instead of focusing on discretionary spending, this budgeting rule emphasizes sprinting towards our financial goals. And while the 60/30/10 rule budget doesn’t work for everyone, many people can use it to take their finances to the next level. Here’s what you need to know about the budget for the 60/30/10 rule:

60 30 10 rules

What is the budget for 60/30/10?

The numbers on 60/30/10 each represent the percentage of the financial plan.

  • With this system, you can use 60% of your takeaway salary to build a savings or early retirement account, invest, save on down payments, and pay off your debts.
  • Then spend 30% on your needs. These include transportation such as food and modest meals, rent or mortgage payments, utility, healthcare, and car payments.
  • Finally, use the remaining 10% of your budget to pay for your discretionary expenditure payments. These requests may include new accessories, spa days, or other ways to pamper yourself. You may also spend money on hobbies, entertainment, or other essential expenses.

Who is the ideal?

After looking at the percentage, you might want to know who will flourish under the 60 30 10 rule budget. Ambitious savers are perfect for this budgeting style, especially if they have the ultimate lifetime monetary plan that includes big money goals.

If you have big financial goals, prioritizing your savings may seem right.

For example, let’s say you want to pay off a large amount of debt quickly. Having 60% of my takeaway payments aimed at that goal will help me achieve that goal faster.

Another example is those interested in achieving fire. Financial independence will be resigned early. It is no secret that those seeking fire must save a significant amount of money.

60/30/10 Pros and Cons of Budget

As with all economic choices, sticking to the idea of ​​60/30/10 has several advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons to consider before diving.

Strong Points

Let’s start with the budget advantages of the 60/30/10 rule. This idea has several important benefits.

Progress faster towards financial goals

The most obvious advantage is to accelerate your financial goal timeline. Whether you want to build savings for emergency funds or save money for an amount of items, saving 60% of your income in a savings account can help you achieve that more quickly.

See also  8 Best Places to Cash Your Check Without a Bank Account

Disciplined spending on what excites you

You can still enjoy your spending. But you need to be intentional and only spend on things that are really important to you. It helps you determine what you really want when using the 60 30 10 rule budget.

For example, if you really value travel and usually spend extra money on coffee or shopping, you need to change your spending. I stop spending on these categories and focus on savings for my next vacation.

Motivating your income in creative ways

If you want to boost discretionary spending within the rules, you need to increase your income. It might be the perfect way to stick to the fuss on your side.

Budget rules help you achieve your financial goals. Additionally, it helps to clarify whether the types of discretionary spending are really important to you.

Cons

Of course, there are some drawbacks to consider. Such an extreme budget is not the case for everyone.

Limited discretionary spending options

It may be difficult to reduce your discretionary spending depending on your desires. Some people prefer a more luxurious lifestyle, and this budgeting method limits these types of purchases.

For example, if you’re used to spending half of your income on discretionary costs, that’s a big adjustment. But if you really want to prioritize your money saving goals, you can do it!

Adjust your lifestyle

You may need to reduce your life needs to maintain it within the 30% rule. This may include house hacking, transportation, and housing reductions through car costs. They also find ways to eat and eat at home and save money significantly.

It is clear that there may be some need to cut spending within this budget. You will need to decide for yourself whether the cutback is worth it.

Mathematics may not work for your income soon

Unless you have a very large income, this budget can be challenging without some major lifestyles and economic changes.

For example, even if you’re making $10,000 a month, this should still be very low ($3,000) for this to work. So if you have this income and the cost is $5,000, you will need to switch between a percentage or change your lifestyle dramatically.

To do this, you can either increase your income, reduce your costs, or both.

60 30 10 How do you set the budget for the rules?

If you want to move forward with the 60/30/10 rule budget, here is how to set it up. Please see the following guidelines:

Step 1: Decide your takeaway salary

60/30/10 The basis for the budget is take-out wages. It includes the money you earned after explaining your taxes.

If you’re an employee, it might be as easy as looking at your salary to determine your salary. However, if you are an independent contractor or business owner, it can be more difficult to identify take-out wages and monthly income.

See also  52 Best Frugal Living Tips to Make a Big Impact

The IRS offers free tools to help you determine how much you should expect to withhold taxes. However, if you come across a question, I recommend talking to a tax expert to help you determine exactly what the pay you pay is.

Step 2: Assign to financial goals first

Once you have decided on your take-home salary, it’s time to allocate 60% of your funds to your financial goals. The best part is that your financial or savings goals are completely unique to your situation. You may decide to build an emergency fund from your credit card or student loan, start an investment, or pay off your debts.

Take your time to find and select examples of financial goals that are right for your future before taking action.

Perhaps you want to start investing. That’s a great step! But you need to consider what your long-term goals are.

As an example, one of my main savings goals is retirement. Let’s say you need to save $1,000,000 to reach your goal. Based on my current income and this budget, it may take about 20 years to reach this number.

But now we have financial goals with numbers, time limits and long-term plans.

Additionally, you need to determine the best investment for your retirement goals in 20-30 years.

Step 3: Meet your needs

Next, use 30% to cover your needs. Essentials include the essence of life. Some examples include housing, utilities, food, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

You may need to shop to build a lifestyle that falls within 30% of your income.

For example, you might choose to drive an old car or cook more at home to save money. Additionally, you may need to get a roommate to reduce your home payments.

Step 4: Spend the last 10% on what you want

Last but not least, the remaining 10% of the money will be spent on what you want.

Whether you want to take a luxurious vacation or upgrade to a more luxurious wardrobe, you’ll know what your spending limits are.

Don’t want to skip spending on what you want. It’s important to treat yourself in what’s important to you. Otherwise, it’s easier to collapse the entire budget plan.

Expert Tips: Focus on having a specific savings goal

You won’t spend that much money on this budget, so it’s important that your savings goals feel very valuable to you. They need to be specific to your situation, or to something very fun or interesting.

For example, I really value being a homeowner, so saving on down payments is worth it.
Or perhaps you’re traveling the world for a year and want to save a lot to retire.

No matter what, make sure your goals are important to you. Also, use a vision board or create a mini goal to stay focused.

Things to avoid on this budget

There are a few things you should avoid including not realizing unexpected costs. There is little room for error as this budget essentials are low. Be aware of the increased necessities such as housing costs and food, including how inflation affects households.

Another thing to remember is not to confuse or make your category an essential, and not to confuse or MXI what special non-essential spending is. Remember the percentages and keep your spending down!

Finally, do not take on additional credit card debt. I think not to increase my debt burden will help me pay things off in a timely manner and will help me to make this budget work in the long term.

How is the budget for 60/30/10 different from 50/30/20?

The difference between budgets 60/30/10 and 50/30/20 is percentage. The 50/30/20 Budget was created by Elizabeth Warren and her daughter Amelia Warren Tiagi. The idea is that 50% of your income is paying for costs and needs, 30% is for desire, and 20% is for savings.

The 50/30/20 budget is not extreme, so it is easy for many to achieve. Using this approach, you can save 20% of your income rather than 60%.

However, many people believe that savings are better, especially with rising costs of living. So, the percentage you really think is best to save or invest is really up to you. You may choose to lean more towards a higher savings rate or spend more on living expenses, depending on your unique situation.

Is the budget for 60/30/10 right for me?

This rule is an attractive choice for those who want to improve their financial situation. Before you dive in, take a moment to be realistic about your current income. If your income is low, this plan may be too extreme at first.

Ultimately, this budget strategy is possible for everyone. However, you may need to consider increasing your income through unique aspects of stolen income. Or significantly reduce your spending on expensive items such as homes and meals.

Of course, there are many other types of percentage budgets. This can be tried first if necessary to put it in the drain of your savings.

For example, the 70-20-10 budget, the 30-30-30-10 rule, the 50/30/20 budget, or the 80/20 rule have a budget from the start.

If these don’t suit you, you can go back to the 60 30 10 rule budget! The main thing to remember is to pay yourself first. That way you can save money before saving money.

What is the example of the 60/30/10 rule?

Let’s use this system to take a look at some of the actual monthly budgets. Let’s assume my monthly salary is $5,000. Next, we will divide it into categories. 60% of $5,000 is $3,000, 30% is $1,500, and 10% is $500.

In this scenario, we saved $3,000 for the down payment and emergency fund. Pay your bills at $1,500 including rent, groceries and insurance. Then $500 would be mine as I like.

For example, I might go to a movie or on a weekend holiday.

If you have a high income, you can see how this type of budget works.

For example, let’s say your budgeter has a takeaway salary of $12,000 a month. This will give you much more money to save on bills and more. Save $7,200 (60%), spend $3,600 (30%) on your essentials, and spend $1,200 (10%) on your look.

Even with high income, this rule is best used when you have a large savings goal and the required costs are very low.

Other articles related to budgeting

If you enjoyed learning about this budget and how to apply it to your finances, check out these other posts next!

60/30/10 Save more money on your budget!

A budget of 60 30 10 will help you change your finances. It will significantly accelerate your progress towards long-term financial goals. However, you may need to spend time increasing your income through multiple sources of income to make this budget a comfortable reality.

If you need help creating a budget that suits you, take advantage of our completely free budgeting course. Find useful guidance on setting a budget that matches your goals and finances. For more great financial tips, join our clever girl knowledge podcasts and YouTube channels!

TAGGED:Budgeting
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Articles

I’m a credit card editor who hates annual fee cards

This may be a surprise, but I am a credit card editor…

Business Loan Agreement: What do you know before signing

Key takeout A business loan agreement is a document that outlines everything…

How to get rid of private mortgage insurance (PMI)

FG Trade/getTyimages; Illustrations by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeout Federal law requires that…

Are BP stocks undervalued? | Motley Fool uk

Image Source: Getty Images The decline in crude oil prices has been…

Best business cards with no foreign transaction fees

Foreign transaction fees It's just one of a few annoying travel fees…

Is $40k a good salary? Hourly, biweekly, and monthly breakdowns

Landing a job that brings 40k after tax, that is the cause…

You Might Also Like

A woman counting coins in piles on a desk and then putting them into a jar labeled "savings".
Budgeting

8 clever ways to save money all year round

By Personal Financing Planner
How to Refinance Your Auto Loan to Save
Budgeting

How to Refinance Your Auto Loan to Save

By Personal Financing Planner
How to automate your finances
Budgeting

How to automate your finances: a stress-free guide!

By Personal Financing Planner
Real and accurate credit score monitoring
Budgeting

Real and accurate credit score monitoring

By Personal Financing Planner
personalfinancingplanner
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Topics
  • Banking
  • Budgeting
  • Credit Card
  • Investing
  • Loans
  • Mortgages
  • Personal Finance
  • Retirement
  • Banking
  • Budgeting
  • Credit Card
  • Investing
  • Loans
  • Mortgages
  • Personal Finance
  • Retirement
Legal Pages
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
Editor's Choice
PayPal Honey App Review 2025: How to save automatically
Apple’s stocks fall after Trump threatens foreign-made iPhone tariffs
What income do I need to earn a credit card?
How to make $30,000 a month (18 realistic ideas)

© 2025 All Rights Reserved | Powered by Personal Financing Planner

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?