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Budgeting basics

A budget is a spending plan that helps you understand how much money you're making and where you're spending it. A budget is the cornerstone of a strong financial plan.

Budgeting tips

A couple budgets together.
Bankrate offers 18 ideas for stretching your budget to save money.
Young man working on finances at home. He has a laptop open and is using a calculator.
If your discretionary income is low, you could pay $0 on your federal student loans.
Woman sitting on a sofa looking at her laptop
Our guide tackles the basics of disposable income and how you can use it to budget.

Calculate your savings

Use our Savings Calculator to help you quickly and accurately estimate the growth of your investment. Set a goal and figure out how much you need to save each month to hit the mark.

Latest articles

President-elect Joe Biden speaks to the media after the transition advisory board
Biden will be focused on handling the coronavirus pandemic and the recession.
Airline industry workers hold signs during a protest in Chicago
Another round of job losses similar to what Americans witnessed back in March may soon wreak havoc.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks at a press conference
The Fed will continue to stay on the sidelines when it comes to rates.
A senior man works on his laptop.
Like cleansing your body with a special diet, purge your debt and start saving with a budget.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and the Fed Eccles Building illustration
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will have a communications tightrope to walk.
Illustration of American casting a ballot.
More than half of Americans say they are spending less because of those risks.
People sit and watch a broadcast of the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Either candidate will have to wrestle with a potentially slow rebound while in the Oval Office.
A woman walks by a store going out of business in New York City.
States’ unemployment benefits are one of the few coronavirus relief lines left.
Person shopping at grocery store choosing oranges in the supermarket
Monthly budgets are popular because many expenses, such as rent and bills, occur monthly.
Illustration of construction workers on a roof
An emergency fund is an essential part of a solid financial plan.
Man using cell phone in living room
It’s important to find the right accounts for your emergency savings.
Rainy day and emergency funds differ but together provide a sound financial plan.
illustration of money growing on trees
Here’s a helpful guide to how much you need in savings over the course of your life.
Calendar of 2023
Use this challenge to stash more cash toward your savings goals.
young woman smiling on city sidewalk
Creating a timeline is a useful way to plan and meet all your financial goals.
Young woman using a laptop with credit card while relaxing at home
Financial goals are measuring sticks that apply to any area of your money management skills that you’re looking to improve.
A little girl gets a vaccination.
Setting aside pretax dollars in an HSA can help you defray future medical costs.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
Illustration of cash under a beach umbrella
Here’s how much $10,000 in a high-yield savings account can earn you.
Mom preparing financial paperwork at home while her child draws next to her
Single people and young families tend to have significantly less saved.
Smiling father holds smiling daughter on his lap while looking at a computer
Experian’s new savings account has a yield based on membership tier and no minimum deposit.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
Image by GettyImages, Illustrated by Bankrate
The APY percentage shows how much an account earns per year. Here’s what you need to know.
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Here’s how to determine the amount to put in savings — and what to do with the rest.
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