You got a raise. You feel richer. Then tax takes its cut. Then lifestyle inflation quietly takes the rest. This calculator traces where every dollar of your raise actually went — and what you could have done with it instead.
Your salary details
How much did your spending rise?
Be honest. Most people absorb 50–70% of a raise into lifestyle.
60%
0% — every cent saved50% — typical100% — all spent
Gross raise: —
↓
—
real annual financial improvement
Where the raise went
What if you invested the difference instead?
30-year wealth: lifestyle inflate vs invest the raise