Savings Goal Calculator
By The Dime Daily Editorial Team · Published June 2025
Find out exactly how much to save each month to reach any financial goal — house down payment, emergency fund, vacation, or anything else.
Skip the fluff — TL;DR
Enter your goal, timeline, and interest rate, and this calculator tells you exactly what to save each month to get there.
Frequently asked questions
A classic rule is 20% of your take-home pay (the '50/30/20' rule puts 50% to needs, 30% to wants, 20% to savings). But honestly? Save what you can, start small, and increase it whenever you get a raise. Any savings is better than none.
For goals under 5 years, use a high-yield savings account (HYSA) earning 4%+. For goals 5+ years out, consider investing in index funds through a brokerage. For retirement specifically, max out your 401(k) and IRA before a brokerage account.
For money in an HYSA: use 4–5%. For a conservative investment portfolio: 5–6%. For an all-stock portfolio: 7–8%. For an emergency fund (which you shouldn't invest): just use 4–5% in your HYSA.