Fixed Expense Ratio Calculator
Enter your monthly take-home income and total fixed monthly bills to see what percentage of your income is already committed each month — and what that number means.
Find your exact fixed expenses — free
Not sure what your fixed expenses total? Upload your bank statement and MindsBudget identifies every recurring charge automatically — fixed bills, subscriptions, and debt payments separated in 30 seconds.
Scan My Statement →CSV or Excel · File never stored · No account requiredFrequently asked questions
What is a fixed expense ratio?
Your fixed expense ratio is the percentage of your monthly take-home income committed to fixed recurring expenses — bills and payments that are the same amount each month regardless of your behavior. This includes rent, loan payments, insurance premiums, and fixed-price subscriptions.
What is a good fixed expense ratio?
Below 50% is excellent — more than half your income remains flexible for variable spending, savings, and discretionary choices. 50–65% is stable for most households. 65–75% is elevated. Above 75% means fixed commitments are consuming most of your income and warrants immediate review.
What counts as a fixed expense?
Fixed expenses are recurring charges that are the same amount each month: rent or mortgage payment, car loan or student loan payment, insurance premiums (health, auto, renters), fixed-rate subscriptions (streaming, gym, software), and minimum debt payments carried month-to-month. Variable expenses like groceries, gas, and dining are not fixed even if they recur.
Should I use gross or take-home income?
Use take-home income — the amount actually deposited to your account after taxes and any pre-tax deductions. Using gross income understates how constrained your cash flow actually is. Your fixed expenses compete with your take-home dollars, not your gross salary.
How do I find my exact fixed expenses?
The most accurate method is to export your bank statement and identify every recurring charge. Most people underestimate their fixed expenses by $100–200/month because of forgotten subscriptions, price increases, and automatic renewals. Upload your statement to MindsBudget's free scanner to get an accurate list of recurring charges automatically.