Budget Like A ProHow much can I afford to spend?
Affordability isn't about what's in your account today — it's about what's still promised to something else. Enter your numbers and see what's genuinely free each month, and what that adds up to over three, six and twelve months.
Everything that reliably lands in your account each month.
Rent or mortgage, bills, insurance, travel, subscriptions, debt payments.
What you want to keep putting away, including your emergency fund.
Yearly bills, Christmas, a car service — spread across the months.
Available to spend
£320
a month on whatever you like
That's £960 over three months, £1,920 over six and £3,840 over a year — before you add anything you're already planning.
Add something you're planning
A holiday, a new sofa, a weekend away. Enter what it costs and when it lands to see the effect on the year ahead.
The whole thing — flights, hotel, spending money.
When you'll actually pay for it.
The next twelve months
| Oct | £20 |
|---|---|
| Nov | £20 |
| Dec | £20 |
| Jan | £20 |
| Feb | £320 |
| Mar | £320 |
| Apr | £320 |
| May | £320 |
| Jun | £320 |
| Jul | £320 |
| Aug | £320 |
| Sept | £320 |
- Over 3 months
- £60
- left after everything planned
- Over 6 months
- £720
- left after everything planned
- Over 12 months
- £2,640
- left after everything planned
Setting aside £300 a month for 4 months covers it, leaving £20 a month for everything else.
An estimate based on the figures you entered. It assumes your income and costs stay roughly the same, and doesn't include interest, pay rises or anything you haven't listed. It's a planning tool, not financial advice.
Three questions before any large purchase
- 1. Is it covered by money that isn't spoken for? Bills, savings and known future costs come out first. Whatever survives that is the real budget.
- 2. What does it do to the next three months? A £600 purchase isn't a one-off if it quietly removes £200 a month from the following quarter.
- 3. Would an expensive month still be fine? If a car repair or a vet bill would tip you over, the purchase is affordable only on paper.
Keep planning
- Holiday budget calculator
- How to plan for big purchases without damaging your savings
- How we work out your available spending
Questions people ask
How do I know if I can afford something?
Check it against money that isn't already promised. If the purchase can be covered out of what's left after bills, savings and known upcoming costs — and you'd still be fine if next month were an expensive one — it's affordable.
Should I include savings as money I can spend?
Only if you're deliberately choosing to spend them. Treating savings as spare money is the most common reason a purchase feels affordable at the time and painful three months later.
What about irregular income?
Plan on a conservative month rather than an average one. If your income varies, base your monthly figure on a typical quiet month and treat busier months as a bonus.