About to make a purchase? This is a neutral calculator. It turns a price into time, cash-flow impact, and optional “what-if” comparisons.
Count what counts.
Inputs
Fill what you can. The more you add, the more personal it becomes.
Don’t know? Use take-home paycheck ÷ hours worked.
Wage helper (take-home)
This only affects the suggested “hours” placeholder if you don’t know hours.
Optional. We’ll auto-fill “hours in pay period.”
Preview: —
Fast method: take-home ÷ hours in pay period.
If you only know hours/week, we estimate hours/pay-period using your frequency.
HELP
Rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, minimum debt payments, etc.
All monthly income (and bonuses).
Whatever money you’d actually lean on if life happens.
Look for: monthly payment + total paid.
ACTIVE
Look for: future value estimate.
ACTIVE
Just a what-if assumption — not a prediction.
This is “how long you imagine not spending it.” Example: 10 years.
Look for: annual cost + life-hours.
ACTIVE
Not a prediction—just “what if this became a pattern?”
Perspective tool only — not financial advice.
Breakdown
Time cost
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Enter your wage to turn price into time.
Monthly free cash after bills
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Take-home minus fixed expenses.
This purchase vs your monthly margin
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How big it is compared to your leftover money.
This purchase vs your savings
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What portion of your buffer this takes.
Emergency buffer after purchase
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About how many months of fixed expenses your remaining savings cover.
Shock Meter
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Low
Noticeable
Big bite
Oof
Max oof
This meter answers: “How hard does this purchase hit my cushion?” It blends two things:
how much of your savings it uses + how much of your monthly leftover it uses.
Savings bite—
If this is high, it means you’re taking a big chunk out of your safety net.
Monthly bite—
If this is high, it means this purchase eats a big part of your month’s “free cash.”