Beat inflation, numbers in hand
Boost your savings: the calculators that put a number on every one
Consumer prices are up 3.4% over a year, and gasoline 27.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for August 2026. The trouble with money-saving tips is that none of them tells you which one is worth it in your house.
These 14 calculators run the numbers with yours: what an expense really costs you, the object or habit that cuts it, and how long it takes to pay back. When the answer is "never", they say so.
- All prices
- +3.4%
- Gasoline
- +27.4%
- Electricity
- +3.8%
The three calculators to open first
Live prices by state
What does gas cost in my state this week?
Your state's official weekly average for regular and diesel, from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
What you get: The cost of a full tank, of your own driving per month, and how much more you pay than a year ago.
Updated every week from the EIA Calculate here →
Monthly comparison
Is an electric car worth it compared with my current car?
Your car today, paid off, on a loan or leased, against an EV payment, with your state's gas and electricity prices.
What you get: Which one costs less per month at the miles you really drive, and the mileage where the answer flips.
$400 EV vs paid-off car: about 2,670 miles a month Calculate here →
Line-by-line breakdown
What is my personal inflation rate?
Your monthly spending, line by line, run through the price changes the BLS measured over twelve months.
What you get: Your own inflation next to the national rate, what it costs you in dollars per year, and the line driving it.
Gasoline +27.4% vs +3.4% overall Calculate here →
Driving for less · 2 calculators
Driving for less: the car budget calculators
Gas is only part of what a car costs. These tools put a number on the rest, and say when an EV or a simple gauge pays for itself, and when nothing does. The full reasoning is in the guide to driving for less.
Cost breakdown
What does my car really cost per mile?
Depreciation, insurance, interest, registration, upkeep and gas, spread over your miles.
What you get: The true cost of a mile, how far off your guess was, and what a trip you skip is worth.
AAA: 77¢ a mile for a new car Calculate here →
Break-even
How much gas do under-inflated tires waste?
Your average pressure shortfall, miles and mpg, at your state's gas price.
What you get: What it costs per year and how fast a pressure gauge pays for itself.
0.2% of your mileage per psi Calculate here →
Groceries & food · 2 calculators
Groceries: the food budget calculators
Before hunting for a lower price, count what goes in the trash and what you pay for convenience. Then check that the appliance meant to help really pays off at your pace. The full reasoning is in the guide to groceries & food.
Payback
Does a chest freezer pay for itself?
The food you stock on sale each month against the electricity the freezer burns in your state.
What you get: The net saving per year, and whether the freezer is paid back while it still runs.
20 lb a month at $1.50 saved: about 10 months Calculate here →
Hourly rate
Is meal prep worth my time?
One cooking session against the meals it replaces, divided by the hours it really takes.
What you get: What an hour of cooking ahead earns you, and how to raise it without cooking more.
10 portions in 2.5 hours: $34 an hour Calculate here →
Repair & make it last · 2 calculators
Repair or replace: the calculators that make things last
A repair quote is never judged alone: it is judged against the price of a new one and the years the old one has left. And the appliance that inflates the bill is rarely the one you suspect. The full reasoning is in the guide to repair & make it last.
Two-test verdict
Should I repair or replace my appliance?
Your quote against a new model, through the 50% rule and the cost per year of service.
What you get: A verdict before you call anyone, and the case where both tests disagree.
The 50% rule, and cost per year Calculate here →
Monthly cost
How much does it cost to run a space heater?
Wattage and hours of use, at your state's average price of electricity.
What you get: The cost per month, per year and per hour, and the appliance that really inflates the bill.
1,500 W heater, 5 h a day: about $41 a month Calculate here →
Do it yourself · 4 calculators
Do it yourself: the everyday services calculators
Haircuts, coffee, car washes, the gym: what you pay without thinking, the object that replaces it, and how many uses it takes to pay for itself. The full reasoning is in the guide to do it yourself.
Break-even
When does a coffee maker pay for itself?
The coffee you buy against a home cup at the government's average price for ground coffee.
What you get: How many cups until the machine is paid for, and what you keep every year after.
$4.50 coffee, 5 a week: 20 cups Calculate here →
Break-even
Are hair clippers worth it?
Your haircut price and the share of cuts you could really do at home.
What you get: The number of cuts until the clippers are paid for, and the yearly saving after.
$30 cut, $50 clippers: 2 cuts Calculate here →
Break-even
Gym membership or home gym: which costs less?
Your real visits, your membership and what it costs to leave, against the equipment you'd buy.
What you get: What each visit really costs you, and when home equipment is paid back.
$40 a month, 6 visits: $6.67 a visit Calculate here →
Break-even
Is it cheaper to wash my car at home?
The car wash price and your frequency against supplies and the gear you'd buy.
What you get: How many washes until the gear pays for itself, and the saving per year.
$15 wash, monthly: 14 washes Calculate here →
Seasonal spending · 1 calculator
Seasonal spending: the calendar calculators
The holidays land on the same date every year. They are paid for in cash when they are planned in the quiet months, not the week they arrive. The full reasoning is in the guide to seasonal spending.
What these calculators won't do
They don't sell you anything before the verdict. When a calculator suggests a product, it is after the calculation, and only if the result is favorable; when it isn't, there is no link. Links to Amazon are affiliate links, which fund the site at no extra cost to you, and that is exactly why the rule is strict.
They don't advise on credit, investing, insurance or public benefits, and they don't replace a licensed professional for anything involving electrical work or gas. How the site works and how it is funded is explained on who writes here.
Frequently asked questions about saving money
How can I save money without earning more?
By cutting the expenses that weigh most in your own budget, in the right order. Free levers first: tire pressure, driving fewer miles, throwing away less food. Purchases second, and only the ones that pay for themselves at your pace. The calculators on this page set that order with your numbers, not an average household's.
Which expense should I tackle first?
The heaviest one for you, which is often not the one you think. For a car, gas is a minority of the total cost: AAA's 2025 figures put depreciation alone at $4,334 a year for a new car. Start with the personal inflation calculator, then work on the line it points to.
Are these calculators free, and what happens to my data?
They are free, with no account and no sign-up. They run entirely in your browser: the numbers you type are not sent to the site. The calculators only remember the state you picked, in your browser's storage, so the next one can reuse it.
Where do the numbers come from?
From public data cited on every page: weekly gas prices and state electricity prices from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fueleconomy.gov, AAA's Your Driving Costs study, and the IRS mileage rate. Product prices are never shown: you enter the price you found, and the calculator works with it.
Why does a calculator sometimes say not to buy anything?
Because some products sold as money savers never pay for themselves at the use people actually make of them. When the numbers say so, the calculator says so and links to nothing. That rule is what makes the favorable verdicts worth trusting.