Salary planner
Your pay isn't the problem — the lack of a plan is. Enter your take-home, adjust each line to your real life, and see your plan, emergency fund and freedom number.
Which sounds most like you?
A steady salary and a typical household.
Your monthly plan
Suggested amounts to start — type your real figures and everything updates.
Essentials
Rent / housing
30%Food & groceries
10%Transport
5%Bills & utilities
3%Insurance & other essentials
3%Commitments
Debt repayments
5%Family support
5%Lifestyle
Fun money
10%Your future
Investing
13%Emergency fund
10%Goals & other savings
8%- Rent / housingKsh 18,000
- Other essentialsKsh 12,000
- Debt repaymentsKsh 3,000
- Family supportKsh 3,000
- Fun moneyKsh 6,000
- InvestingKsh 7,500
- Emergency fundKsh 6,000
- Goals & savingsKsh 4,500
Every shilling has a job.
How your plan measures up
- Housing30%30–35% of take-home
- All essentials50%around 50%
- Fun money10%5–10%
- Investing13%20% is a strong goal
At 13% - a fine start. Build toward 20% over time.
Where to put money first
- 1
Starter buffer
About 1 month of essentials, so a small shock doesn't push you into debt.
Target Ksh 30,000
Ksh 6,000 / month in your plan
- 2
Clear expensive debt
Paying down high-interest loans often beats the return on investing.
Ksh 3,000 / month in your plan
- 3
Invest steadily
A fixed amount every month; the habit matters more than the number.
Ksh 7,500 / month in your plan
- 4
Complete your emergency fund
3–6 months of essentials, kept safe and easy to reach.
Target Ksh 90,000–Ksh 180,000
Emergency fund
Ksh 90,000 – Ksh 180,000
3–6 months of your essentials. At your top-up you'd hit the 3-month mark in about 15 months.
Your freedom number
Ksh 12,600,000
Ksh 42,000 a month (essentials, debt, family and fun) × 300
Illustrative estimates only, not personal financial advice. Rent, tax, insurance, inflation and investment returns vary by location and personal circumstances, and your results may differ.
What this planner assumes
- Housing around 30–35% of take-home pay and essentials (housing, food, transport, bills, insurance) around 50%. Many households spend a different share.
- An emergency fund of 3–6 months of essential costs (more for variable income), built after a small starter buffer and any expensive debt.
- Gross-to-take-home figures are estimates from published statutory rates and can differ from your payslip.
- Freedom number = monthly spending × 300 (about 25 years of spending, from the "4% rule"). It ignores tax, inflation, fees and investment performance.
- Take-home pay is what reaches you after tax and any other deductions.
- Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any product.
The 6 rules behind your plan
These are starting points, not laws, and this isn't personal financial advice. Adjust them to your own situation.
1. Watch your housing
Keep rent around 30–35% of take-home pay. On Ksh 60,000 that's roughly Ksh 18,000–21,000.
2. Keep essentials around half
Rent, food, transport, bills and insurance together should land near 50% — about Ksh 30,000 on Ksh 60,000.
3. Give yourself fun money
5–10%, completely guilt-free. The trick is deciding the amount before you spend it.
4. Build an emergency fund
3–6 months of essential costs in something safe and easy to reach, like a money market fund or savings account. It's there so a lost job or surprise bill isn't a crisis.
5. Invest every month
20% is a strong goal. Can't do that yet? Start at 5%, then 10%, then more. The habit matters more than the number.
6. Know your freedom number
Monthly spending × 300 (about 25 years of spending, from the 4% rule). Spend Ksh 40,000 a month and it's Ksh 12 million; spend Ksh 30,000 and it drops to Ksh 9 million.
Frequently asked questions
How should I budget a Ksh 60,000 salary?
As a starting point: around Ksh 18,000–21,000 on rent (30–35%), about Ksh 30,000 on all essentials together (50%), Ksh 3,000–6,000 of guilt-free fun money, and 5–20% invested every month, with the rest building an emergency fund. These are illustrative rules of thumb, not advice — your own rent, family obligations and goals will move the numbers.
What is the 50/30/20 rule, and how is this different?
The 50/30/20 rule splits take-home pay into needs, wants and savings. This planner follows a similar spirit with six rules: housing 30–35%, essentials about 50%, fun money 5–10%, an emergency fund, investing around 20%, and a freedom number based on your spending.
What is a freedom number and why multiply spending by 300?
It's an estimate of how much you'd need invested to cover your spending without working. It comes from the 4% rule — roughly 25 years of spending (25 years × 12 months = 300). It depends on your spending, not your income, and ignores tax, inflation, fees and investment returns, so treat it as a direction, not a guarantee.
How much emergency fund should I keep?
A common guide is 3–6 months of essential costs, kept somewhere safe and easy to reach — such as a savings account or a money market fund — rather than in anything that could lose value or be hard to withdraw when you need it. Freelancers and single-income households often aim for the higher end.
Should I use take-home pay or gross salary?
Take-home pay: what actually reaches your account after tax and other deductions. Your budget can only spend money you actually receive.
Is this financial advice?
No. It's an educational planner using general rules of thumb. Rent, tax, insurance, inflation and investment returns vary by location and personal circumstances, so your results may differ. Consider speaking to a qualified professional before making major financial decisions.