10-10-80 Budget Calculator

What Is the 10-10-80 Budget Rule?

The 10-10-80 rule is a simple order-of-operations for your paycheck, rooted in a biblical view of money: give first, save second, and live on what’s left. Instead of budgeting giving and saving as afterthoughts — whatever’s left over at the end of the month — this framework puts them first, before a single dollar goes to rent, groceries, or anything else.

• Give 10% — your tithe and any additional giving, set aside off the top (Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:10).
• Save 10% — emergency fund, retirement, and other goals, treated as non-negotiable rather than optional.
• Live on 80% — housing, food, transportation, debt payments, and everything else your household needs.

It’s not a law and the exact numbers aren’t magic — it’s a discipline. The calculator above defaults to 10-10-80 but lets you try your own split; what matters most is that giving and saving happen before lifestyle spending, not after.

Want the full picture, including how to apply this if you’re in debt, self-employed, or on a variable income? Read the Complete Guide to Biblical Budgeting.