Budget examples: 4 monthly budgets for real situations

Every amount here is made up, in round numbers, to show the method. They are not averages and not advice. The only sourced figure is the grocery line, from the USDA Low-Cost food plan for September 2026, rounded to the nearest $10. Use take-home pay, the money that lands in the bank. If you want a blank version, there is a monthly budget template.

Budget example for a single person on $3,500

This one follows the 60/20/20 rule: 60% needs, 20% wants and 20% saving or debt. On $3,500 that is $2,100, $700 and $700.

Budget example for a couple with separate money and uneven pay

Take-home is $4,500 for one person and $2,500 for the other, $7,000 together. Each person keeps their own account. The shared bills are split by each person's share of the pay, 4,500 / 7,000 = 64.3% and 2,500 / 7,000 = 35.7%, the method in splitting bills by income.

Together: needs are $3,760 (53.7% of $7,000), saving is $1,350 (19.3%) and own spending is $1,890 (27%). That is a lighter needs share than 60/20/20 and a bigger wants share. Try your own pay in the fair split calculator.

Budget example for a family of four on $7,500

This one follows the 70/20/10 rule: 70% spending, 20% saving and 10% extra debt or giving. On $7,500 that is $5,250, $1,500 and $750.

Budget example for irregular income

Say the last six months came in at $3,000, $4,200, $2,600, $3,800, $3,400 and $3,000. That is $20,000, or $3,333 on average. The lowest month was $2,600. This budget is built on $2,600 and treats everything above it as extra.

How to use these budget examples

Pick the one closest to your life and swap in your own numbers, keeping the method: start with take-home, list the bills that stay the same (see fixed expenses examples), then the ones that move, then decide what you keep. Check the total adds back to your pay. The budget rules are a line to measure against, not a target, and a monthly budget template gives you the blank page.