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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

The rotunda on Capitol Hill
The financial practice of spending less than you make doesn’t apply to the federal government.
Women at bank
Determining what financial institutions do not meet your needs can help lead you to the right one.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at post-meeting press conference
Expect this lower-for-longer interest rate environment to persist until the economy is back on track.
A framing art gallery is closed in Venice Beach, California, during the coronavirus pandemic.
The return to normalcy could happen later — rather than sooner. 
Two people under umbrella using tablet
The Fed’s recent actions may force savers to start thinking differently about their money.
Federal Reserve Eccles Building in Washington, D.C.
Now may come the hardest part, both for consumers and Fed watchers.
A person wears a protective face mask outside a GNC store.
Some forecasts suggest a resurgence in coronavirus cases could tip the financial system over again. 
Illinois State Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois
Accounting for nearly a tenth of the U.S. economy, cutbacks could weigh down the recovery.
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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