How this calculator works
Bills come on different clocks — weekly, monthly, quarterly, twice a year, once a year. To compare them, the calculator puts each on a yearly basis (weekly × 52, every 2 weeks × 26, monthly × 12, quarterly × 4, twice a year × 2, yearly × 1), adds them, then divides back into a monthly, weekly and daily figure.
- Per year = weekly × 52 + every 2 weeks × 26 + monthly × 12 + quarterly × 4 + twice a year × 2 + yearly.
- Monthly average = per year ÷ 12. Weekly = per year ÷ 52. Daily = per year ÷ 365.
- Set aside monthly for non-monthly bills = (quarterly × 4 + twice a year × 2 + yearly) ÷ 12.
Worked example
With these inputs: weekly costs $180; every-2-weeks costs $0; monthly bills $2,400; quarterly bills $150; twice-a-year bills $600; yearly bills $400.
The result is total expenses per year $40,360.00, with per month on average $3,363.33 and per week $776.15.
Why weekly × 4 undercounts
A month is about 4.33 weeks, not 4, so a $180 weekly grocery bill is $9,360 a year — $780 a month on average, not $720. Converting everything to a yearly figure first avoids that gap. The same goes for every-two-weeks costs: 26 a year, which is two extra payments beyond a simple 24.
Using the yearly total
The yearly figure is what your take-home pay has to cover. If you enter your pay, the calculator shows the share your expenses use and what's left over; if expenses are higher than pay, it says so.
The set-aside line turns lumpy bills into a steady monthly amount. Move that much into a separate pot each month and the insurance renewal or registration is already paid for when it arrives. The Sinking Fund Calculator handles the case where a bill is due sooner than a full cycle away.
For a line-by-line list of what counts as a bill, see the monthly bills list; to see your bills by date, use the bill calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my yearly expenses?
Convert each bill to a yearly amount — weekly × 52, monthly × 12, quarterly × 4, twice a year × 2 — and add them up. In the example ($180 weekly, $2,400 monthly, $150 quarterly, $600 twice a year, $400 yearly) that's $40,360 a year, or $3,363.33 a month on average.
How do I turn yearly expenses into a monthly budget?
Divide the yearly total by 12. Then set aside the non-monthly part each month so it's ready when those bills arrive: $183.33 a month in the example.
What should I include?
Everything that recurs: housing, utilities, phone and internet, insurance, loan and card payments, groceries, fuel and transport, childcare, subscriptions and memberships, and yearly costs like registration, property tax or an annual fee.
Should I use gross or take-home pay?
Take-home pay, because that's the money your bills are paid from. Taxes and payroll deductions have already come out of it.