Can I afford it?
Compare buying on EMI, paying from savings and saving up first — and see what happens in a weak month.
1 · What your numbers say
2 · Three options
3 · What could change this
This is based only on the numbers you entered today. It isn't a promise you'll be able to pay in future, and it isn't a loan approval.
How we calculate this
Left before = take-home − must-pay − current EMIs − yearly costs ÷ 12 − planned saving Left with EMI = left before − new EMI − running cost Weak month = (weak-month income or take-home × (1 − drop)) − must-pay (+10% if ticked) − … − new EMI Usable savings = savings − already promised Status = worst of: normal month, weak-month test, actual weak month Unknown ≠ zero: an unknown required field gives “We need more information”.
Calculation version 0.1 · Rules as of Oct 2026 · The 20% test is a Paisavy suggestion, not an RBI rule.
How to read your affordability check
This tool checks one thing: does your month still work after a new purchase, even when the month goes badly? It compares three ways to pay and shows which one survives a weak month.
What the numbers mean
The coloured box at the top gives one of four answers. “Your numbers cover this” means you still have money left in a normal month and in the weak-month test. “Your budget is sensitive to changes” means a normal month works but a weak one doesn’t. “This creates a shortfall” means even a normal month leaves you short. If you tick “I don’t know” for must-pay costs, you get “We need a bit more information”. We never treat an unknown cost as zero. Unknown fees give a separate prompt: “Check the fees first”.
Left before purchase starts from your take-home pay. We subtract must-pay costs, current EMIs (monthly loan payments), yearly costs spread over 12 months and planned saving.
Left with new EMI takes away the new EMI and any running cost, such as fuel or a data plan. It applies for as many months as the EMI lasts.
In a weak month repeats the sum with lower income. By default, income drops by 20%. Move the slider from 0% to 50%, or tick the box to push must-pay costs up by 10% as well. If you enter your weakest recent month and it is worse than the test, we show that number instead. The 20% figure is our suggestion, not an RBI rule.
Below that, Three options compares buying on EMI, buying a cheaper option from savings, and saving up first. “Savings” here means what you have minus money already promised, for example a fee due next month. “What could change this” lists the gaps in your inputs.
Worked example
The page opens with a fictional case. Take-home pay is ₹35,000. Must-pay costs are ₹22,000, current EMIs ₹4,000, yearly costs ₹3,000 a month, and planned saving ₹0. The purchase is a ₹30,000 phone at ₹3,000 a month for 10 months, with no fees. Savings are ₹40,000, but ₹15,000 is already promised.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Left before purchase | ₹6,000 |
| Left with new EMI | ₹3,000 |
| In a weak month (income −20%) | −₹4,000 |
| Status | Your budget is sensitive to changes |
In a weak month, income falls to ₹28,000. After all costs and the EMI, that leaves you ₹4,000 short. A ₹22,000 phone paid from the ₹25,000 of usable savings leaves ₹3,000 in savings and no new EMI. That option is still ₹1,000 short in the weak-month test, which tells you the budget itself is tight. Saving up for the ₹30,000 phone takes 1 month, because the tool assumes you put aside the whole ₹6,000 left before the purchase. With costs also up 10%, the weak month for the EMI option goes to −₹6,200.
What this tool doesn’t do
It isn’t a loan approval and it can’t predict future income. It uses only the numbers you type today. It doesn’t work out an EMI from a loan rate; use the EMI calculator for that, then bring the EMI here. Interest, GST and hidden charges count only if you add them to “Fees”.
Common questions
What EMI can I afford on my salary? There is no single safe percentage. Start from what is left after must-pay costs and existing EMIs in your weakest month. An EMI that fits inside that amount, with some room spare, is the safer choice.
Why test a weak month if my salary is fixed? Costs can rise even when pay doesn’t. Tick “Also test must-pay costs +10%” to see a month with a medical bill or a rent rise.
Why does the tool not just say yes? No calculator can promise you’ll be able to pay later. The status describes what your numbers show today.
Is my data sent anywhere? No. Everything stays on your device. “Save on this device” stores it in your browser, not with us.