50/30/20 rule
A simple way to arrange a budget: half for the essentials, 30 % for the rest of life, 20 % put aside.
Everything is worked out in your browser: nothing is sent, nothing is kept.
How it is worked out
Needs are what cannot be avoided: housing, energy, groceries, transport, insurance, loans. Wants are the rest of life: going out, hobbies, holidays, subscriptions one could do without. Savings include paying a debt off early.
It is a guide, not a law. With a high rent, needs often go over 50 %: the idea is then to see where to take a little back.
Going further
Questions
What if my needs go over 50 %?
It is common in cities. Look at the fixed costs one by one: a subscription, an insurance or a phone plan can often be renegotiated.
Income before or after tax?
After: the amount that really reaches the account.
Does it suit a couple?
Yes, on the shared income, or each on their own if the accounts stay separate, as in fleen.