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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.

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

Digit app
For 99 cents per withdrawal, users can move money from their account into another within minutes.
Man paying with credit card
With the best job market in decades, the Fed is wondering why there isn’t more inflation.
Jerome Powell at press conference
The Fed continues to delay any interest rate moves amid persistently low inflation.
President Trump and Jerome Powell
The Fed might find itself in a tricky situation.
Welders at work
GDP expanded by 3.2 percent, but gains came from the typically more volatile components.
Federal Reserve chair
The Fed will most likely hold interest rates steady, but here’s how it could still impact your wallet.
Federel Reserve building
Federal Reserve officials are giving themselves room to be flexible with monetary policy.
Jerome Powell Fed FOMC Decision Day
The Fed voted to leave interest rates alone for the second-straight meeting.
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.
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.
An image of a pink piggy bank standing on top of a green and white striped rocket with smoke coming out of the end of the rocket.
Here’s everything you need to know about high-yield savings accounts.
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.
Illustrated by Bankrate
Big banks pay just 0.01% APY while online banks offer 4% or more. Your $10,000 could earn over $800 more over two years.
Person looking at smartphone
The best account to save your money will vary by your goal.
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.
Mature woman helps her daughter study for exam
High-yield savings rates fluctuate over time. Let’s explore what causes that.
woman, using laptop while working from home
The top high-yield savings accounts are currently earning APYs of 5 percent and greater.
A woman holds a phone at an office
Savers can stash their cash in a brokerage these days to rack up returns.
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