Payday Cashflow Calendar & Crunch Predictor

See if your balance can comfortably reach the next payday.

Map incoming pay, recurring bills, and everyday spending to spot potential crunch days before they arrive.

Inputs

Income timing, bills, and everyday spend

Adjust pay cadence, recurring bills, and spending estimates. Calculations stay on your device.

CurrencyPay frequencyNext paydayNet pay amountStarting balance (optional)Buffer thresholdForecast horizon

Recurring bills

AmountFirst due dateFrequencyAllow shifting in scenarios

Variable spending

ModeAmount (per week)

Scenario toggles

Variable spend change (%)Extra buffer reserved per payday

Shift selected bills by +7 days

Results

Forecast highlights

Horizon spans 60 days starting today. Buffer target: US$250.

Lowest balance (scenario)

-US$1,790

Base: -US$1,790

Buffer breach days

Base: 26

Negative days

Add a starting balance to surface negative days.

Safe-to-spend per day

Optional metric once a starting balance is set.

Base forecast

Includes scheduled pay, listed bills, and variable spend at the original rate.

Total income	US$4,800
Total bills	US$2,980
Variable spending	US$1,286
Lowest balance	-US$1,790

Scenario forecast

Applies your what-if toggles: variable spending change, buffer reserves, and bill shifting.

Total income	US$4,800
Total bills	US$2,980
Variable spending	US$1,286
Reserved buffer	US$0
Lowest balance	-US$1,790

Estimates are illustrative and for educational purposes only. This tool does not provide financial or investment advice.

Scenario comparison

Base vs toggles

Compare the unchanged plan with the current what-if settings. Rollups show monthly and annualized equivalents.

Metric	Base	Scenario	Monthly	Annualized
Total income in horizon	US$4,800	US$4,800	US$2,400	US$29,200
Total bills in horizon	US$2,980	US$2,980	US$1,490	US$18,128
Total variable spend	US$1,286	US$1,286	US$643	US$7,821
Reserved buffer per pay	US$0	US$0	US$0	US$0
Lowest balance	-US$1,790	-US$1,790	-US$895	-US$10,889

Forecast curve

Daily balance over the horizon

Scenario Base Payday Bill

Calendar view

Day-by-day events

Shows scenario paydays, bills, and daily spending. Highlighted rows flag buffer breaches and negatives.

Week 1

2026-01-28

Balance: -US$21

Variable spend: US$21

2026-01-29

Balance: -US$43

Variable spend: US$21

2026-01-30

Balance: -US$64

Variable spend: US$21

2026-01-31

Balance: -US$86

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-01

Balance: -US$162

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Broadband (55)

2026-02-02

Balance: -US$229

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Mobile (45)

2026-02-03

Balance: -US$390

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Utilities (140)

Week 2

2026-02-04

Balance: -US$411

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-05

Balance: -US$433

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-06

Balance: -US$604

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Electricity (150)

2026-02-07

Balance: -US$626

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-08

Balance: -US$647

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-09

Balance: -US$1,769

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Rent (1,100)

2026-02-10

Balance: -US$1,790

Variable spend: US$21

Week 3

2026-02-11

Balance: US$589

Variable spend: US$21

Payday: Payday (2,400)

2026-02-12

Balance: US$567

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-13

Balance: US$546

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-14

Balance: US$524

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-15

Balance: US$503

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-16

Balance: US$481

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-17

Balance: US$460

Variable spend: US$21

Week 4

2026-02-18

Balance: US$439

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-19

Balance: US$417

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-20

Balance: US$396

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-21

Balance: US$374

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-22

Balance: US$353

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-23

Balance: US$331

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-24

Balance: US$310

Variable spend: US$21

Week 5

2026-02-25

Balance: US$289

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-26

Balance: US$267

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-27

Balance: US$246

Variable spend: US$21

2026-02-28

Balance: US$224

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-01

Balance: US$148

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Broadband (55)

2026-03-02

Balance: US$81

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Mobile (45)

2026-03-03

Balance: -US$80

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Utilities (140)

Week 6

2026-03-04

Balance: -US$101

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-05

Balance: -US$123

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-06

Balance: -US$294

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Electricity (150)

2026-03-07

Balance: -US$316

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-08

Balance: -US$337

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-09

Balance: -US$1,459

Variable spend: US$21

Bill: Rent (1,100)

2026-03-10

Balance: -US$1,480

Variable spend: US$21

Week 7

2026-03-11

Balance: US$899

Variable spend: US$21

Payday: Payday (2,400)

2026-03-12

Balance: US$877

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-13

Balance: US$856

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-14

Balance: US$834

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-15

Balance: US$813

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-16

Balance: US$791

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-17

Balance: US$770

Variable spend: US$21

Week 8

2026-03-18

Balance: US$749

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-19

Balance: US$727

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-20

Balance: US$706

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-21

Balance: US$684

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-22

Balance: US$663

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-23

Balance: US$641

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-24

Balance: US$620

Variable spend: US$21

Week 9

2026-03-25

Balance: US$599

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-26

Balance: US$577

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-27

Balance: US$556

Variable spend: US$21

2026-03-28

Balance: US$534

Variable spend: US$21

Breakdown

Cashflow components

Totals based on the scenario run. Variable spending reflects the current percentage adjustment.

Totals in horizon

Income events	US$4,800
Bills total	US$2,980
Variable spend	US$1,286
Reserved buffer	US$0
Net change	US$534

Bill details

RentUS$2,200

ElectricityUS$300

UtilitiesUS$280

BroadbandUS$110

MobileUS$90

Impact notes

Top bill hits: Rent (US$1,100), Rent (US$1,100), Electricity (US$150)
Most stressful week: Week of 2026-02-04
Buffer target: US$250 flagged on breach days.

What this shows

Net change adds income, subtracts bills, variable spend, and reserved buffer. Large bill dates can compress the margin between the forecast balance and your buffer threshold. Use the calendar and chart to explore timing effects.

Scenarios

Scenario comparison

Save mixes of pay cadence, bills, and spending toggles to compare cashflow paths.

Save at least one scenario to build a comparison set.

Results explainer

You’ll see projected balances for each day, markers for paydays and bills, and counts of any days dipping below your buffer or into negative territory. The scenario view lets you test reduced spending, extra buffers, or shifted bill dates to see how the curve moves.

How it works

The calculator expands paydays and bills across your horizon, applies your spending estimate, and simulates the balance day by day. Scenario toggles adjust variable spending, reserve extra buffer on paydays, and optionally shift selected bills by a week.

Inputs used

Pay frequency, net pay, and next payday date
Recurring bills with frequencies and due dates
Variable spending estimate (weekly or daily)
Optional starting balance and buffer threshold
Scenario toggles for spend change, extra buffers, and bill shifts

Core formulas

Payday expansion by weekly, biweekly, or monthly cadence
Bills repeated monthly, weekly, or annually from the first date
Balance = prior day + income − bills − variable spend − reserved buffer
Buffer breach if balance < buffer target; negative day if balance < 0

Calculation steps

Build the calendar of paydays and recurring bills within the horizon.
Translate weekly or daily spending into a per-day outflow.
Apply scenario toggles for spending changes, buffers, or shifted bills.
Simulate each day’s balance, tracking lowest points and flagged days.
Summarize totals, rollups, and the most stressful week label.

Example scenario

Example: Biweekly pay of $1,800 with the next payday in 10 days. Bills: rent $1,100 on the 1st, utilities $140 mid-month, mobile $45, broadband $55. Variable spending set to $150 per week. Buffer target $250. The base forecast shows a low point just above the buffer; turning on a 10% spending trim and reserving $50 each payday raises the low point and reduces buffer breach days.

Interpretation notes

Payday timing strongly shapes the curve—moving a payday forward or back changes the low point.
Large bills clustered near each other can drive brief dips below your buffer target.
Variable spend changes have a cumulative effect over the full horizon.
Extra buffer per payday lowers available balance but may reduce mid-cycle swings.
Outputs reflect your inputs only; they are illustrative, not predictions.

Limitations & assumptions

The tool uses fixed amounts and dates with no linkage to bank data. It does not model interest, overdraft fees, or taxes. Bill shifts are what-if only. Variable spending is a flat rate across days. Treat outputs as directional forecasts to explore timing scenarios, not precise cash predictions.

FAQs

Quick answers

What does this tool calculate?

It maps upcoming paydays, recurring bills, and a simple spending estimate to project your daily balance and highlight potential crunch days within your selected horizon.

Do I need to connect my bank account?

No. All calculations run in your browser from the amounts and dates you enter. Nothing is shared or stored on our servers.

What does the buffer threshold mean?

The buffer is a target minimum balance you want to stay above. The forecast flags any days where the balance drops below that amount.

Is this financial advice?

No. Outputs are illustrative, scenario-based forecasts to help you explore timing and amounts. They are not financial advice.

Related tools

Do this first

Recurring Bill Escalation Simulator

Next steps

Mortgage Affordability Stress Tester Browse All Tools

Stress test

Lifestyle Inflation Detector

Habits & awareness

Real Car Cost & Depreciation Calculator