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Can I afford this? Start with what is left this month
Before you ask about one purchase, find out what is left after everything already promised. Here is the maths, and a calculator.
Short answer
What is left this month is your take-home pay minus rent, EMIs, SIPs, bills and dues, minus what you have already spent. Example: ₹75,000 pay, ₹39,000 dues and ₹14,000 spent leaves ₹22,000. Kubear shows what is left this month from your records, and you tap the number to see how it is worked out.
How much is actually left this month?
The number in your bank account is not the number that is free to spend. Rent, EMIs, SIPs and bills leave on their dates. Some have not left yet, so they are still ahead of you. Count them first, then count what you have already spent. What remains is the money left this month.
The formula is short:
Left this month = take-home pay − fixed dues − already spent
What counts as a fixed due?
- Rent or house maintenance.
- EMIs on loans, and card dues.
- SIPs and other money you have already decided to set aside.
- Bills such as electricity, mobile, broadband, school fees and insurance premiums.
- Money you send to parents or others every month.
List dues that are still to be paid, and dues already paid, in the same place. Paid dues count too, because the money has gone. Do not count the same amount twice: if you already added a due to "already spent", leave it out of the dues list.
What does the calculator show for my numbers?
Type your numbers below. The result shows what is left this month and what is left per day for the days remaining. It does not say whether a purchase is right or wrong. It only gives the numbers.
Left this month calculator
Fixed dues this month (₹)
Tap to see how it is worked out.
Left this month = take-home pay − fixed dues − already spent. Per day left = left this month ÷ days left. The dues are the ones you list: rent, EMIs, SIPs, bills and card dues. If the result is below zero, it stays below zero.
This runs in your browser. The numbers you type are not sent anywhere.
What does a worked example look like?
Two examples, with the days counted to the next pay day.
| Line | Example 1 | Example 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | ₹75,000 | ₹48,000 |
| Rent | ₹22,000 | ₹15,000 |
| EMIs | ₹8,500 | ₹6,000 |
| SIPs | ₹5,000 | ₹3,000 |
| Bills and card dues | ₹3,500 | ₹6,500 |
| Total dues | ₹39,000 | ₹30,500 |
| Already spent | ₹14,000 | ₹16,000 |
| Left this month | ₹22,000 | ₹1,500 |
| Days left | 15 | 10 |
| Per day left | ₹1,467 | ₹150 |
In Example 1, ₹75,000 − ₹39,000 − ₹14,000 = ₹22,000. Spread over 15 days, that is about ₹1,467 a day. In Example 2, ₹48,000 − ₹30,500 − ₹16,000 = ₹1,500, which is ₹150 a day over 10 days.
If a one-time cost of ₹5,000 comes up in Example 2, the number becomes −₹3,500. A negative number stays negative. It is not hidden or rounded up to zero.
Why does this page not say yes or no?
Because only you know your plans, your savings and what the purchase means to you. A calculator cannot judge that. What it can do is show the money that is left, so you decide with the real number in front of you. For a cost that repeats, such as an EMI, see the EMI calculator. For how long your savings last, see the emergency runway tool.
How does Kubear show what is left this month?
Kubear shows what is left to spend this month, and today, after your bills and plan. Tap the number to see how it is worked out. It uses the records you have added and confirmed, so it is only as complete as your records. Kubear does not give a verdict on a purchase.
Questions
Quick answers.
01What do I subtract to find what is left this month?
Subtract all fixed dues (rent, EMIs, SIPs, bills, card dues) and what you have already spent from your take-home pay. For example, ₹75,000 − ₹39,000 − ₹14,000 = ₹22,000 left this month.
02How do I find what is left per day?
Divide what is left this month by the days left, counting today. ₹22,000 over 15 days is about ₹1,467 a day. Calculate it again each day, because spending changes the number.
03What if the number is negative?
Then dues and spends so far are more than your pay for this month. The calculator shows the negative number as it is. Kubear also keeps overspend visible as a negative and does not turn it into zero.
04Do I count a SIP as spent?
Count it as a due, because the money is committed. Count each amount once, either as a due or as spent, not both.
05Does Kubear tell me whether I can afford something?
No. Kubear shows what is left this month from your records and how it is worked out. It does not give a yes or no on a purchase.
06Are my numbers saved when I use this calculator?
No. It runs in your browser, and the numbers you type are not sent anywhere.
Keep reading
Related pages.
General education, not advice. This page shows facts and maths. It does not tell you what to buy, sell, repay, insure or file. Example amounts are illustrations.