Season of Savings: Formula helps save for wants and needs

It’s our season of savings, and tomorrow is Christmas.

If you’re looking to get your budget back on track, there is a simple formula to help you save.

When planning on a budget, you might think about the amount to spend and the amount to save. One method is called the 50-30-20 rule. Fifty percent of your income should go toward needs like bills. Thirty percent toward wants like going out to dinner. The last 20 percent can go toward savings and debt payoff.

“You want to make sure that you’re constantly checking in because our spending goes up and down at different times of year,” NerdWallet writer Kimberley Palmer said. You want to make sure that your staying on track by every couple months, checking in, seeing if your spending is still in line with where you want it to be with those percentages.

Palmer adds if you want to save more than 20 percent, it’s not a bad idea.