What percentage of my income should go to housing, food, and transportation?

Rough guardrails help, though high-cost cities force adjustments. A widely cited target keeps housing at or below 30 percent of gross income, though many coastal renters exceed this; if yours runs high, other categories must shrink. Transportation, including car payments, insurance, gas, and maintenance, ideally stays under 15 percent, and food often lands around 10 to 15 percent split between groceries and dining. These are starting points, not laws; the real test is whether your total needs leave room to save 15 to 20 percent and still cover wants. If housing eats 45 percent of your pay, that is the number to attack, through roommates, relocation, or income growth, rather than squeezing groceries. Compare your actual splits against these benchmarks in the Budget Analyzer at wealthserene.com/tools/budget-analyzer.