Working backwards from the goal
Most savings advice starts with what you can spare and hopes it adds up. This calculator runs the other direction: name the amount and the deadline, and it tells you the monthly figure that actually gets you there.
The answer is often clarifying in an uncomfortable way. A $20,000 deposit in three years needs $556 a month with nothing saved and no interest. If that number is impossible, you have learned something concrete — either the timeline or the target has to move, and now you know by how much rather than discovering it eighteen months in.
What the inputs do
Enter your target amount and how many years you have to reach it. Optionally add what you have already saved and the annual return you expect to earn. The calculator tells you how much to set aside each month, and splits your final total into what you contribute versus what interest adds.
Turn a big number into a monthly habit
A large goal — a deposit, a wedding, an emergency fund — can feel daunting as a single figure. Breaking it into a fixed monthly amount makes it a manageable habit you can build into your budget. Seeing the exact number also lets you sanity-check whether the timeline is realistic, or whether you need to extend the deadline or trim the target.
Let compounding help
When your savings earn interest, that interest starts contributing toward the goal alongside you, so your required monthly amount drops. The effect is small over a year but grows with time, which is a good reason to start early and to keep longer-term savings somewhere that earns a reasonable return. For money you will need soon, favour safety over yield — a guaranteed lower rate beats a risky one that might fall right before your deadline. All calculations run in your browser and nothing is stored.