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

Computer artwork of a businessman looking at giant, white piggy bank.
Get ahead of your savings by raising your rate by an amount you prefer. Here’s how.
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 16, 2025.
Illustration of two hands holding phones, sending physical gold coins to one another.
Keep fees in check when you shift money from one bank account to another.
Couple looking at computer with their financial advisor
Local banks provide valuable in-person services that online-only banks can’t offer.
man working on his laptop computer
Whether it’s a mistake made by the bank or you, here’s how to clear your report.
Man in coffee shop using laptop with a card in his hand.
The rule provides a framework for settling unauthorized debit-card transactions.
A brick and mortar bank building on a sunny day
There’s more than one way to bank. Here are the reasons to consider banking locally.
Senate building in Washington DC
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — a main line of defense against unfair banking practices — has been dramatically scaled back under the Trump administration. In May 2025, Congress overturned [...]
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 woman holds a phone at an office
Savers can stash their cash in a brokerage these days to rack up returns.
Man watering plants
Interest is the price you pay to borrow money or the cost you charge to lend money.
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.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
Usa Today
New York Times
Cnn
Bloomberg
Abc