How the savings goals planner works
Last updated 10 November 2026
Most people save for more than one thing at a time: an emergency fund, a holiday, a deposit. This planner treats each goal separately and then totals them, so you can see where your monthly saving is going and which goals need attention.
How it works
- Each goal has a target, an amount already saved and a monthly saving.
- The planner simulates the balance month by month with the interest rate you give, to find when the target is reached.
- If you enter a deadline in months, it works out the monthly saving that would reach the target by then: the same formula as the savings goal calculator.
- Progress is the amount saved as a share of the target.
Worked example
Take the first example goal, Emergency fund: R 54 000 with R 12 000 saved and R 2 000 a month.
- Progress is 22%.
- At the current saving it is reached in 1 year 8 months.
- To hit the deadline of 18 months it needs R 2 150 a month, so it is behind.
How to read your result
The headline figure is the total you are putting away each month across all goals. The rows below it show the total of all targets, how much is already saved, overall progress and how many goals are behind their deadlines. Each goal also has its own line in the table, so you can see which one is slowing the rest down.
For a goal with a deadline, the planner shows two numbers side by side: what you save now and what would be needed to finish on time. If the first is smaller than the second, the goal is marked as behind. If there is no deadline, the planner only reports how long the current monthly saving takes.
A closer look at deadlines
The deadline is a number of months, not a date. A goal due in a year is twelve months, and a goal due in two years is twenty-four. Leave it at 0 if the goal has no end date.
The monthly amount needed depends on the interest rate you enter. A higher rate means less is needed each month. Because the rate is an assumption, try the plan at 0 as well, so you can see the amount needed if nothing is earned.
Common mistakes
- Setting a target in today’s prices for something you will buy years from now.
- Giving the same money to two goals. Each goal has its own monthly amount, so the total at the top should match what you really set aside.
- Using a rate that your account does not actually pay, or forgetting that the rate can change.
- Expecting the planner to know about a bonus or a tax refund. It only uses the monthly amount you enter.
What this does not cover
The planner does not decide which goal comes first. It does not know about tax on interest, fees on savings products or changes in your income. It also treats each goal separately, so money saved for one goal is not moved to another when that goal is done. Update the monthly amounts yourself when a goal is complete.
Things to watch
- Interest rates change and returns on investments are not guaranteed. Use 0% if you want a plain answer.
- Savings rates and tax on interest are not included.
- Inflation makes future goals cost more. Raise the target if prices are likely to rise.
These are estimates, not advice. See the disclaimer. To build a bigger picture, see the net worth calculator.