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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

A woman and daughter work together
A savings account can be a great tool to teach your child about money. Here are a few of our favorites.
A Truist Financial bank branch in Miami, Florida, US
Looking for a nearby Truist Bank location or ATM? Here’s how to find the closest ones.
Currently, you can lock in annual percentage yields (APYs) on certificates of deposit (CDs) at and slightly above 4% with many nationally available CDs. Only a select few financial institutions offer promotional [...]
Woman at bank talking to teller
Checking and savings accounts are different. Should you have one, the other — or both?
These expert tips can help keep your bank and financial accounts safe from hackers.
Cash in gloved hand
Depositing cash into someone’s account isn’t always possible, but there are options.
Young worried man working at home
Learn why a bank could close your account and what to about it.
Man using cell phone in living room
It’s important to find the right accounts for your emergency savings.
Man using cell phone in living room
It’s important to find the right accounts for your emergency savings.
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.
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.
young woman smiling on city sidewalk
Creating a timeline is a useful way to plan and meet all your financial goals.
woman looking tired at computer
Here’s how to financially prepare for the possibility of sudden unemployment.
Travel Tourist Happy Woman Running Stairs
Learn how the ‘soft saving’ trend could affect your savings and retirement.
The most common sign of financial success is living comfortably, Americans say.
An older man researches online while having a glass of wine.
Now might be the time to dust off those paper bonds and cash them in. Here’s what you need to know.
Illustration of young person with their wallet
Recent Bankrate data shows that young people are the ones most optimistic about their finances.
Senior tourist couple discovering missing wallet
Losing your wallet can be reduced to a minor inconvenience if you know what to do.
Woman watering flowers
Online banks typically offer savings accounts with much higher yields than brick-and-mortar banks.
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