Quit My Job Calculator
Enter four numbers and get a straight answer: how many months you could cover after resigning, which readiness band you are in, and what to fix if the answer is "not yet." Built for anyone weighing an exit, with or without the next job lined up. Download your result as a PDF when you are done.
Fill in your numbers, results update as you type. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Reading your result
The months figure is how long your spendable savings cover the gap between what you spend and what still comes in. It is deliberately conservative in one direction, it only counts income that already exists, and optimistic in another: it assumes your expenses estimate is honest. If you guessed your monthly spending, the budget planner will give you a number worth trusting.
What the result is not: a prediction of how long your job search will take, a guarantee that your costs will not rise (post-quit health insurance is the classic surprise in the US), or advice that quitting is right for you. It is the financial floor of the decision, nothing more.
How to use this calculator well
- Use spendable savings, not net worth. Exclude retirement accounts and any emergency fund you intend to preserve. Locked or penalised money is not runway.
- Budget for your post-quit life, not your current one. Add what your employer currently covers, especially health insurance in the US, and remove commuting or work costs that disappear.
- Count only income that exists today. A freelance client who already pays you counts. A client you plan to find does not. Test projections separately in the side hustle calculator.
- Verify the payout before you count it. Unused leave payout rules differ sharply by country and, in the US, by state. Our vacation payout guide covers the rules.
A worked example
Maya earns well but wants out of a job that is burning her down. Her numbers: 14,000 in spendable savings, real monthly essentials of 2,800 once she adds 450 for her own health cover, no reliable post-quit income, and roughly 1,900 in unused leave she has confirmed will be paid out.
The math: (14,000 + 1,900) divided by 2,800 is about 5.7 months, the top of the borderline band. That is enough for a quick transition in a healthy market, but hiring for her role currently averages four months from application to start date. One slow cycle and she is choosing between debt and a panic job.
Her plan, based on the bands: stay three more months, push savings to 20,000, and start interviewing now. Same job, same frustration, but a runway of 7.8 months and interviews already moving changes the exit from a gamble to a schedule.
Methodology, in plain English
Runway in months equals (spendable savings plus one-time payout) divided by (monthly essential expenses minus reliable monthly income). If income is greater than or equal to expenses, runway is reported as indefinite. Readiness bands: under 3 months, not ready for an open-ended quit; 3 to 6, borderline; 6 to 12, workable with a plan; 12 or more, strong. The bands reflect typical job-search and income-ramp timelines, not a rule about your situation. Limitations: the tool does not model inflation, tax changes, irregular annual costs, or investment returns on savings. Full details on the methodology page. Educational estimates, not financial advice.
The mistakes that wreck this calculation
Underestimating healthcare
US readers: get a real COBRA or marketplace quote before trusting any expense number. It is routinely the single largest new cost after quitting. Insurance guide
Treating hoped-for income as reliable
If the income has not been paid to you yet, it belongs in a scenario, not in this field. Ramp-up almost always takes longer than the plan says.
Forgetting the notice period
Notice can work for you (more savings) or against you (a payout you expected in lieu that never comes). Know your contract before counting either.
Ignoring irregular costs
Insurance excesses, annual renewals, car repairs, holidays you will still take. Divide last year's irregular spending by twelve and add it to your monthly burn.
Read next, based on your result
How much to save before quitting
Set a target that fits your obligations, then turn it into a date with the savings goal calculator.
Quitting without another job lined up
The borderline band is exactly where this risk analysis earns its keep.
How to quit your job safely
The numbers work, now run the full exit sequence so the execution does too.
Frequently asked questions
How is runway calculated in this tool?
Runway equals savings plus one-time payout, divided by monthly essential expenses minus reliable monthly income after tax. If your reliable income covers your expenses, the calculator reports an effectively indefinite runway and the decision becomes about income stability rather than savings.
What counts as a readiness band?
Under 3 months of runway is flagged as not ready for an open-ended quit. Three to six months is borderline, workable only with a fast transition or a signed offer. Six to twelve months supports a planned exit. Twelve or more gives genuine room, including for retraining or building a business.
Should I include my emergency fund in the savings field?
Only include money you are genuinely willing to spend on living costs during the gap. If you want your emergency fund preserved for true emergencies such as a medical bill or a car failure, leave it out and your runway will reflect spendable savings only. That conservative version is the number worth trusting.
How is this different from the runway calculator?
The runway calculator answers one question, how long will my savings last, and lets you stress-test scenarios. This calculator combines more of the decision, savings, payout, income, and target, and returns a readiness verdict with next steps. Use this one to decide, that one to explore the math.
People also ask
How much money should I have before I quit my job?
A common working target is six months of essential expenses for an open-ended quit, or three months if you have a signed offer. The right number depends on your dependents, debt, health insurance cost, and how long hiring takes in your field. Enter your figures above and the calculator turns that rule of thumb into a number for your situation.
Can I afford to quit my job without another job lined up?
It depends on your runway, not your courage. As a rough frame, six or more months of essential expenses in spendable savings makes an open-ended exit plannable, while under three months makes it a gamble. The calculator shows which band you are in, and our guide on quitting without another job covers the full risk picture.
Does the calculator work in any currency or country?
Yes. It is currency-agnostic, so you enter amounts in your own currency and the arithmetic is identical. What changes by country is the context around the numbers, such as health cover, notice rules, and payout rights, which our guides and country pages cover.
Is the Quit My Job Calculator free, and is my data private?
It is completely free with no signup. Everything runs in your browser, so the numbers you type are never stored, sent, or shared. The optional PDF summary is generated locally on your device.
Turn the number into a plan
The Job Exit Checklist covers everything beyond the math: benefits, paperwork, the conversation, and your first 30 days out.
Get the free checklist