Reviewed October 2026
How the Smart Score is calculated
The Smart Purchase Advisor turns a 'should I buy this?' question into a score out of 100. It looks at your financial resilience, whether you can comfortably afford the purchase, how much value it adds and how much it delays your goals.
The four pillars
The weights change with your situation: if your foundation is fragile, affordability counts most; if it's secure, value and goals count more.
- Resilience: months of emergency fund (6 months scores full marks) and how much of your income goes to fixed costs.
- Affordability: the price compared with your monthly disposable income after fixed costs and a 10% safety buffer.
- Value: how essential the purchase is and whether it's an investment, a tool, health, an experience or a depreciating item.
- Goal impact: how many months of savings it costs, compared with your goal timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Smart Score financial advice?
No. It's a structured way to think through a purchase using your own numbers. Your situation may have factors it doesn't capture.
Is my data stored?
No. The score is calculated in your browser.