Skip to Main Content

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

Smiling person with smartphone walking on the street
Looking to use Zelle for a transfer? Here are the Zelle limits at various banks.
Federal Reserve Eccles Building illustration
Bankrate analyzed the Fed’s historic rate moves for clues on what might come next.
Woman watering plants.
Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.
Panorama of aerial view of Downtown Houston, Texas, USA
As the old saying goes: “Everything is bigger in Texas.” And that’s also true of your list of options when choosing a bank or credit union in the state.
Whimsical artwork of four piggy banks standing atop of four stacks of coins, gradually increasing in height
If you’re looking to save with a credit union, here are the top rates available.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market accounts.
Man watering plants
Interest is the price you pay to borrow money or the cost you charge to lend money.
banking apps displayed on an iiphone
Can you guess which bank has the most branches in your state?
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 downward facing red arrow "crashing" trough a shattering $100 bill.
Worried that your high-yield savings APY isn’t so high? Here’s how to stay on top.
Artistic sketch of a businessman on a suspended platform looking down as the platform morphs into a downward arrow with a '%' symbol on its side.
As the Fed hints at lowering interest rates, here’s how to prepare when rates fall.
Easy mornings and working from home for this couple
Savings yields topping inflation could let you hold onto your purchasing power.
Close-up photo of the front of the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC, with the name "Federal Reserve" below the bust of the eagle.
The Fed has kept interest rates steady so far in 2025, but that might change soon.
Image & illustration by Bankrate
Competitive rates, fewer fees, and convenience are all reasons to consider online banking.
A woman holds a phone at an office
Savers can stash their cash in a brokerage these days to rack up returns.
A magnifying glass on top of a $100, magnifying Benjamin Franklin's face, and surrounded by other $100 bills.
As the Fed holds interest rates steady, savers still have time to lock in top rates.
Several rolls of dollar bills
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of Aug 8, 2025.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
Usa Today
New York Times
Cnn
Bloomberg
Abc