PortioOpen appGuides · By the Portio team ·
Tithing calculator and budget apps that give first
The best budget apps for tithing and regular giving are the ones that take giving off the top, before the bills. Portio does it as a percentage: you choose the share once, and every income is reduced by it before anything else is planned. EveryDollar puts a Giving group at the top of its budget, with an amount you fill in each month. In YNAB, Goodbudget or a spreadsheet, you add a giving category yourself. Type your income and the share you give below to see what the rest of the month looks like.
- Giving10%300
- Bills35%1,050
- Left to split55%1,650
Giving 10% first is 300 a month, 3,600 in a year. After your bills, 1,650 is left to split.
Read the full guide
Which budget apps put giving first?
| App | Where giving sits | How the amount is set |
|---|---|---|
| Portio | the first line of every month, before bills | a percentage you choose once, applied to each income |
| EveryDollar | a Giving group at the top of the budget | an amount you type each month |
| YNAB | a category you add | an amount you assign each time you are paid |
| Goodbudget | an envelope you add | an amount you fill each time you are paid |
| A spreadsheet | wherever you put it | a formula, if you write one |
Portio is available in English, French and Arabic, with a right-to-left layout, in any currency. Giving also appears on its payday checklist, to tick when you have sent it.
Why give first and not from what is left?
Money that waits in your account gets spent. If giving is the last line of the month, it is paid in the months that go well and skipped in the others.
When it is the first line, it becomes a fixed habit, and the rest of the budget is planned on an honest number. On an income of 3,000, a 10% share is 300. You then budget 2,700, not 3,000.
What does a budget look like with giving first?
With 10% giving, 1,050 of bills, and the rest split into 25% savings, 20% investment, 15% trips and 40% debt:
| Step | Amount | Left after |
|---|---|---|
| Income | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Giving, 10% | 300 | 2,700 |
| Bills | 1,050 | 1,650 |
| Savings, 25% | 412.50 | |
| Investment, 20% | 330 | |
| Trips, 15% | 247.50 | |
| Debt, 40% | 660 | 0 |
At 5% the giving is 150 and 1,800 is left to split. At 2.5% it is 75 and 1,875 is left.
Should giving be a percentage or a fixed amount?
A percentage. It follows your income: it grows after a raise and shrinks in a slow month, without a new decision each time. A fixed amount is a promise you may not be able to keep when your income drops.
A fixed amount makes sense for a commitment to someone else, such as a monthly sponsorship. Treat that as a bill.
How much is a tithe?
A tithe is a tenth of your income. Whether the tenth is counted before or after tax is a question people answer differently. Decide once, with your own community if that matters to you, and keep to it. Budgeting is easier when the rule does not change from month to month.
How does zakat fit into a monthly budget?
Zakat is not a share of your salary. It is generally 2.5% of the wealth you have held for a lunar year, above a minimum called the nisab, and it is counted once a year. For the exact rules that apply to you, ask a scholar you trust.
A monthly budget helps in two ways:
- Set a small share aside each payday, so the amount is ready when your zakat is due and does not arrive as one large payment.
- Keep a line for sadaqah, voluntary giving, which has no fixed rate.
What about money I send to my family?
Treat it like giving if it moves with your income: a percentage, off the top. Treat it like a bill if they rely on a fixed amount each month. Many people do both: a fixed amount as a bill, and a share of anything extra.
What if I cannot cover my bills after giving?
Then lower the share until your bills are covered. A small share given every month is worth more than a large one you stop after two months. On an income of 1,100 with 1,050 of bills, 10% leaves you 60 short. At 2% you give 22 and the bills are paid.
Raise the share again when your income grows or a debt is cleared.
Where do I start?
- Choose your percentage. If you are unsure, start low.
- On payday, move that share first.
- Pay your fixed bills.
- Split what is left. How to split your salary compares the common rules.