# Paycheck Budget Split Template — free download from DollarWise (dollarwise.xyz)

Three paycheck splits, a fill-in worksheet, and a payday routine you can run in five minutes. Pick the split that fits your life and start on your next payday.

## Paycheck budget split template

Monthly take-home pay: $________

## The 50/30/20 split

| Category | Percent | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Needs (rent, bills, groceries, transport) | 50% | $________ |
| Wants (eating out, entertainment, hobbies) | 30% | $________ |
| Savings and debt payoff | 20% | $________ |

## The 70/20/10 split (for aggressive savers)

| Category | Percent | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Living expenses | 70% | $________ |
| Savings and investments | 20% | $________ |
| Giving and fun | 10% | $________ |

## The 80/20 split (for beginners)

| Category | Percent | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Everything you spend | 80% | $________ |
| Savings | 20% | $________ |

## Fill-in worksheet

Rent or mortgage: $________
Utilities: $________
Groceries: $________
Transport: $________
Insurance: $________
Phone and internet: $________
Minimum debt payments: $________
Total needs: $________

Eating out: $________
Streaming and subscriptions: $________
Shopping and clothes: $________
Entertainment: $________
Total wants: $________

Emergency fund: $________
Retirement or investments: $________
Extra debt payoff: $________
Total savings: $________

## Payday routine

1. Payday arrives: transfer the savings amount first, before anything else.
2. Pay all bills due before the next payday.
3. Move the wants amount to a separate account or envelope.
4. Live on what remains — when the wants money is gone, wants wait until next payday.
5. At month end, move any leftover wants money into savings.

## Rules that make splits work

1. Needs over 50% is a warning sign, not a failure — adjust the split, do not abandon budgeting.
2. Savings come first on payday, never from what is left at month end.
3. One bad week does not break the system. Reset at the next payday and continue.
4. Review the split every three months or whenever your pay changes.
5. Keep the system simple enough to run in five minutes per payday.