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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.
Woman using a calculator and examining financial documents
Understanding discretionary income can help you with your budgeting strategy.
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

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The concept is seen as a way to boost innovation and competition, ultimately giving consumers better digital options for their money.
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These features are designed to save you time and money.
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It’s important to find the right accounts for your emergency savings.
Illustration of construction workers on a roof
An emergency fund is an essential part of a solid financial plan.
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Use this challenge to stash more cash toward your savings goals.
illustration of money growing on trees
Here’s a helpful guide to how much you need in savings over the course of your life.
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Creating a timeline is a useful way to plan and meet all your financial goals.
Mechanic uses force to unlock bolt
Rainy day and emergency funds differ but together provide a sound financial plan.
A student withdraws cash at an ATM.
There are ways to access your money and ultimately spend it. Here’s how.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market 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.
Older couple on a couch, smiling, looking at a laptop
Verizon and Openbank announced a partnership on Tuesday that gives Verizon customers a way to save money on their bill if they have an Openbank High Yield Savings account. Verizon customers can save money [...]
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Emergency savings depleted? Here’s how to start replenishing it.
Woman sitting on her couch, looking at her laptop
There are a handful of numbers you should track for your financial health and well-being. A few you might already know about – your credit score and your net worth, for example. But you should also know [...]
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As the old saying goes: What goes up, must come down. But in the case of annual percentage yields (APYs), we might have a bit more air time. While APYs on deposit accounts may have come down from their [...]
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