About ShouldICalc
Our Mission
ShouldICalc provides free, accurate financial calculators to help you make informed decisions about everyday spending. We believe everyone deserves access to reliable calculation tools without complex software or expensive consultants.
We built the tools we wish existed—calculators that are transparent about their assumptions, honest about trade-offs, and actually useful for real decisions.
What Makes Us Different
Real Data, Not Guesses
Our calculators use data from government sources (Bureau of Labor Statistics, IRS, U.S. Energy Information Administration) and reputable industry research. We cite our sources and update data regularly.
Ranges, Not False Precision
Life is variable. Instead of pretending we know exact numbers, we show realistic ranges—best case to worst case. This gives you a more honest picture of potential outcomes.
Honest Trade-offs
Every decision involves trade-offs beyond just money. Our calculators show you the time, quality, convenience, and other factors that matter—not just the rosy picture.
No Hidden Agenda
We show you the math and let you decide. Our calculators use real data, not sales pitches. While we include affiliate links on some pages, these never influence our calculations or recommendations.
Our Calculators
We offer 56 calculators across 11 categories:
- Transportation: Electric cars, commuting, leasing vs buying
- Food & Groceries: Meal prep, coffee, grocery shopping
- Home & Housing: Rent vs buy, solar panels, refinancing
- Shopping & Subscriptions: Costco, Amazon Prime, streaming services
- Technology: Phone upgrades, repairs, warranties
- Health & Fitness: Gym memberships, Peloton, personal training
- Work & Career: Salary negotiation, education ROI, certifications
- Insurance & Financial: Debt payoff, insurance decisions
- Pets: Pet insurance, adoption, grooming
- Travel: Points vs cash, TSA PreCheck, booking strategies
- Family: Daycare costs, kids' items
How We Build Calculators
Every calculator goes through our research and development process:
- Identify key factors that affect the decision
- Gather current data from trusted sources
- Build transparent, adjustable calculation formulas
- Show results as ranges with clear trade-offs
- Review and update regularly
Our Commitment
We're committed to:
- Accuracy: Using real data and updating regularly
- Transparency: Showing our assumptions and sources
- Accessibility: Free to use, no paywalls or sign-ups
- Privacy: We don't store your calculation data
- Honesty: Showing trade-offs, not just selling one option
Affiliate Disclosure
ShouldICalc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you purchase through our affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Affiliate relationships never influence our calculations or recommendations. We recommend products based on relevance and value. Our calculators show the same results whether or not affiliate links exist.
Read our full affiliate disclosure →
Get in Touch
Have questions, found an error, or want to suggest a new calculator? We'd love to hear from you.
ShouldICalc — Stop wasting money. Start doing the math.