Cash Flow Calculator
Calculate net cash flow from a customizable list of cash inflows and cash outflows.
Cash Inflows
$
$
Cash Outflows
$
$
$
Net Cash Flow
$2,850.00
Total Inflows
$5,500.00
Total Outflows
$2,650.00
How Net Cash Flow Is Calculated
List every source of cash coming in — income, side earnings, investment payouts — as inflow rows, and every cash going out — rent, bills, loan payments — as outflow rows. The calculator totals each side and subtracts total outflows from total inflows to give your net cash flow: a positive number means more cash is coming in than going out, a negative number means the opposite.
Example
With $5,000 in salary and $500 in side income ($5,500 total inflow), against $1,800 rent, $600 groceries, and $250 utilities ($2,650 total outflow), net cash flow comes to $2,850 — a healthy surplus available for saving, investing, or debt paydown.
Common Use Cases
- Tracking whether personal or business cash flow is positive or negative for a period.
- Identifying which inflow or outflow items have the biggest impact on your cash position.
- Planning ahead for months with unusual expenses or irregular income.
- Building a simple cash flow statement without a full accounting system.
FAQs
Is net cash flow the same as profit?
Not exactly. Profit is based on accounting revenue and expenses, which can include non-cash items like depreciation, while cash flow only tracks actual money moving in and out. A business can be profitable on paper but still have poor cash flow, and vice versa.
What should I do if my cash flow is negative?
Review the outflow list for expenses that can be reduced or delayed, and check whether any inflows are one-time versus recurring. Persistent negative cash flow means you're drawing down savings or debt to cover the shortfall.
Should I include one-time items?
You can, but it's often more useful to calculate recurring cash flow separately from one-time inflows or outflows (like a bonus or a large purchase) so you can see your ongoing, sustainable cash position clearly.