Money decisions need more than a rule of thumb.
ShouldISpend helps people pressure-test the spending decisions that look simple until real life gets involved: rent, groceries, weddings, medical bills, cars, college, baby costs, funerals, travel, debt, and emergency savings.
Reviewed and maintained by the site owner.
Written and maintained by Dustin Baker. Last reviewed: July 2026. ShouldISpend is maintained through regular reviews of calculator accuracy, clear ownership and methodology, working links, practical examples, and uncommon scenarios across the calculator library.
The site is independent and educational. It is built to help readers pressure-test spending decisions before money leaves their account, not to sell financial products or replace individualized professional advice.
Why I built ShouldISpend
I built ShouldISpend for the kind of money decisions that do not fit neatly inside a generic budgeting rule. A wedding, a car payment, a medical bill, a baby, a funeral - the question is not just whether you can pay for it today. It is whether it still feels manageable after the money is gone.
I wanted a site that gives a straight verdict instead of a lecture. Not a perfect financial plan. Not a magic answer. Just a clearer way to see the tradeoff before you commit to something big.
Price is only one part of the decision.
A $700 car payment can be fine for one household and a problem for another. A $30,000 wedding can be manageable in one situation and reckless in another. The number alone does not answer the question.
That is why ShouldISpend calculators look at the surrounding context: income, savings, debt, monthly obligations, outside help, emergency cushion, payment plans, and what the decision leaves behind.
Real-life inputs
The calculators are built around the details people actually juggle: income, savings, debt, family help, monthly bills, and the cost in front of them.
Straight verdicts
Results are designed to be clear: go, wait, rethink it, or proceed carefully based on the pressure the decision creates.
Conservative by design
If a decision leaves too little cushion, the site is supposed to say so. A cautious warning before you spend is better than regret after.
This is educational decision support, not financial advice.
ShouldISpend does not replace a financial advisor, tax professional, attorney, lender, doctor, insurance expert, or anyone who can evaluate your full personal situation. The calculators are educational tools built to help you think more clearly before making a spending decision.
The goal is not to tell everyone to spend less. The goal is to show whether the decision fits your actual situation, what tradeoff it creates, and whether you still have enough room after the money leaves.