Decision tool / payday planner

Payday planner

Use the payday planner when bills and payday do not line up neatly and you need a clearer view of what the next few days require.

Until payday

Comfortable

You have $500 remaining for 10 days, or about $50/day.

Money remaining until payday$500
Daily allowance$50/day
Risk indicatorComfortable

Include bills and essentials due before payday for a more useful result.

Enter your numbers

How it works

current money - bills before payday = available money. Available money / days until payday = daily allowance.

  • Enter the money currently available.
  • Choose your next payday so the tool can count the days remaining.
  • Subtract bills due before that payday.
  • Divide the remaining money by the days left to estimate a daily allowance.

Payday example

With a $900 current balance, $400 of bills, and 10 days until payday, the result is $500 remaining and a $50 daily allowance.

FAQ

What if I get paid fortnightly?

Use your next payday date. If fortnightly pay and monthly bills keep clashing, plan each pay cycle separately.

Should I include groceries?

Include groceries if they need to be paid before payday. Otherwise the daily allowance may look too comfortable.

How much daily allowance is enough?

It depends on your essentials and household. The indicator is a prompt to check whether future commitments leave enough room for everyday spending.

Related advice

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What to do when bills are due before payday

If your bills are due before payday, here are practical ways to manage the gap, plan ahead, and avoid running out of money.

Read the guide

Managing payday and bills · 6 min read

How to plan fortnightly pay and monthly bills

Paid fortnightly but billed monthly? Learn a simple way to line up paydays, bills, and spending money without overcomplicating your finances.

Read the guide

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