What is your total budget in Emma?

Your total budget is the amount you plan to spend during your budgeting period.

There are two common ways to work it out.

Option 1: Budget based on what you want to save

If you want to make sure you have money left over for savings or debt repayments, subtract that amount from your monthly income.

For example:

If you earn £1000 per month after tax and want to save £100, you can set your total budget to £900. This means you aim to spend no more than £900, leaving £100 for savings or paying off debts.

Option 2: Budget based on expected spending

You can also use your Recurring payments as a starting point. These are the regular payments due within your budgeting period.

Add:

• The total of your recurring payments
• The amount you expect to spend on other expenses

For example:

If your recurring payments total £200 and you expect to spend £800 on other expenses, you can set your total budget to £1000.

Updated on: 26/02/2026