Free calculator
Free can I afford it calculator
Enter the price of the thing you want, what you already have, your monthly income and your monthly expenses. MakeSense shows your surplus, the amount still needed and how long it takes if you put aside the full surplus or only part of it.
Last updated: September 2026
Your numbers
= Rs. 25k
= Rs. 5k
= Rs. 4k
= Rs. 2.5k
- Monthly surplus
- Rs. 1,500.00
- Still needed
- Rs. 20,000.00
- Time to afford it
- About 14 months
How the formula works
Months to afford = (price - current savings) / (surplus x savings rate). Your monthly surplus is income minus expenses. The savings rate is the share of that surplus you actually put aside, so saving only half of your surplus doubles the time. The result rounds up to whole months.
Worked example
A purchase costs Rs. 100,000 and you have Rs. 5,000 saved. With Rs. 35,000 income and Rs. 25,000 expenses each month, your surplus is Rs. 10,000. Putting all of it aside, the Rs. 95,000 gap closes in about 10 months. Putting aside only half your surplus, it takes about 19 months instead.
What affects the result
The biggest lever is the amount you actually set aside, which is why the calculator lets you choose a savings rate instead of assuming you bank your entire surplus. Cutting expenses or raising income enlarges the surplus; lowering the price or adding to savings shrinks the gap. All four behave exactly as you would expect.
Common mistakes
- Counting your whole surplus as savings when part of it goes to irregular costs.
- Forgetting money already saved, which makes the gap look bigger than it is.
- Ignoring that the price may change by the time you get there.
- Assuming income and expenses stay fixed for many months ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I can afford something?
Compare the amount still needed against what you can save each month. If the time that takes is acceptable to you, you can afford it; if not, the purchase is out of reach at your current rate.
Why do you use monthly expenses instead of just income?
Because what you can set aside is income minus expenses, not income alone. Using the surplus is what makes the estimate close to real.
Should I save 100% of my surplus?
Not necessarily. Emergencies and surprises happen. The calculator lets you try a lower savings rate to see a more realistic timeline.
What if my expenses are higher than my income?
Then the monthly surplus is negative and the gap never closes. That is a signal to cut spending or raise income before taking on a new purchase.
Related tools
Results are arithmetic on the numbers you enter, not predictions. Validate important figures with an accountant before making financial commitments.