Saving Goals Calculator Set, track, and achieve your financial goals — with realistic timelines, compound growth, and beh...
Saving Goals Calculator
Set, track, and achieve your financial goals — with realistic timelines, compound growth, and behavioral science to keep you on track.
Emergency Fund
Major Purchase
Vacation
Freedom Fund
$0
Goal Amount
$0
Monthly to Save
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Time to Goal
$0
Interest Earned
Goal Progress
How to Set Effective Goals
✅ SMART-ER Goals**:
- S**pecific: “$10K emergency fund” vs. “save more”
- M**easurable: Track progress weekly
- A**chievable: $300/mo, not $2,000/mo
- R**elevant: Aligns with values (security, freedom, family)
- T**ime-bound: “by December 2026”
- E**valuate: Monthly check-ins
- R**eward: $50 treat at 25%, 50%, 100%
📉 Emergency Fund Tiers** (CFPB):
- Starter**: $500 — covers minor surprises
- Basic**: $1,000 — standard for debt snowball
- 1 Month**: Essential for gig/contract workers
- 3–6 Months**: Full coverage for most households
Why Most Goals Fail (and How to Fix It)
⚠️ Top failure reasons:
- No automation** — relying on willpower → 73% fail by Month 3 (Fidelity)
- All-or-nothing thinking** — missing one month = abandon goal
- No milestones** — 12-month goals feel endless
- Lifestyle inflation** — raise → spend more, not save more
✅ Behavioral Fixes**:
- → **Auto-transfer** on payday (even $25 counts)
- → **Round-ups** — $0.28 → $1.00 per purchase
- → **$500 Milestones** — celebrate small wins
- → **“Pay Yourself First”** — treat savings like a bill
2025 Saving Benchmarks
| Goal | Target | At $300/mo + 4% APY |
|---|---|---|
| Starter Emergency | $500 | 2 months |
| Basic Emergency | $1,000 | 4 months |
| 3-Month Fund | $10,500 | 3.2 years |
| Down Payment (5%) | $20,000 | 5.6 years |
| FU Money | $25,000 | 6.8 years |
📉 Reality Check**:
- 45% of Americans can’t cover a $1,000 emergency (Bankrate)
- Avg. emergency fund: $8,000 — but median = $3,000 (Federal Reserve)
- Top 20% save 15–25% of income; bottom 50% save <1%
How to Use This Calculator
➡️ Emergency Fund
Enter monthly expenses → see tiered targets and time to fund.
➡️ Major Purchase
Car, home, wedding — set amount, current savings, and monthly contribution.
➡️ Vacation
“Japan trip: $5,000 in 12 months” → $408/mo needed.
➡️ Freedom Fund
FU money, sabbatical, escape plan — behavioral finance for life design.
You’ll get:
- Exact monthly savings needed
- Time to goal (with interest)
- SVG progress ring and timeline
- “On Track” status badge
Note: Assumes monthly compounding. Inflation not deducted (use real return = APY − 3.4% for long-term goals).