Save Money Calculator Build a realistic savings plan — with goal tracking, automation, and behavioral tips to grow your w...
Save Money Calculator
Build a realistic savings plan — with goal tracking, automation, and behavioral tips to grow your wealth.
Goal-Based
Auto Transfer
Round-Up
Expense Swap
$0
Monthly to Save
$0
Total Saved
$0
Interest Earned
—
Time to Goal
Savings Growth Over Time
How to Save Consistently
✅ The 3 Golden Rules of Saving**:
- Pay yourself first** — automate transfers *before* bills
- Start small, scale up** — $25/wk > $0 hoping to save “later”
- Use friction** — put savings in a separate HYSA, not checking
401(k) Match = Free ROI**:
- 50% match up to 6% → 3% free money → **50% ROI** on your 6%
- 100% match up to 3% → **100% ROI** on your 3%
📈 Case Study: $500/mo @ 4% APY → **$18,500 in 3 years** (vs. $18,000 without interest)
Common Saving Mistakes
⚠️ Avoid these traps:
- “Save what’s left”** — lifestyle inflation eats surplus
- Saving in checking** — 0.01% APY vs. 4.5% HYSA = $450/yr lost on $10K
- No emergency fund** — credit cards for $1K crisis → $200/yr interest
- All-or-nothing thinking** — $5/wk still builds habit + $260/yr
✅ Fix it**:
- Open a **high-yield savings account** (Ally, SoFi, Marcus: 3.5–5.25% APY)
- Set up **auto-transfer** on payday (even $10 counts)
- Build a **Starter Emergency Fund**: $500 → $1,000 → 1 month → 3 months
2025 Saving Benchmarks
| Strategy | Annual Impact | 10-Yr Value @ 7% |
|---|---|---|
| $5/day coffee → home brew | $1,825 | $25,400 |
| Cut 1 streaming service ($15) | $180 | $2,500 |
| $25 bi-weekly auto-save | $650 | $9,100 |
| Round-up $0.75 × 15 txns/wk | $585 | $8,200 |
📉 U.S. Savings Reality**:
- Avg. savings rate: **3.2%** (BEA, Q1 2025)
- 45% of Americans can’t cover a $1,000 emergency (Bankrate)
- Top 20% save **15–25%** of income
How to Use This Calculator
➡️ Goal-Based
Set a target ($5K emergency fund) → see monthly savings needed.
➡️ Auto Transfer
Model weekly/bi-weekly/monthly deposits — see compound growth.
➡️ Round-Up
See how apps like Acorns/Chime build wealth painlessly.
➡️ Expense Swap
“What if I cut $80/mo dining out?” → redirect → see impact.
Note: APY = Annual Percentage Yield (includes compounding). Assumes monthly compounding.