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.
Not having success with your savings? A budget can make things a little easier.
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

People sit and watch a broadcast of the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Either candidate will have to wrestle with a potentially slow rebound while in the Oval Office.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks from a lectern
The HEROES Act is back, but it could be a non-starter for some Republicans.
People wait outside a grocery store during the pandemic.
Here’s what you should do to keep your personal finances as healthy as possible.
A woman walks by a store going out of business in New York City.
States’ unemployment benefits are one of the few coronavirus relief lines left.
Democratic presidential candidates
Here’s what might happen if everyone received a guaranteed minimum income from the government.
A woman wearing a facemask enters a building where the Employment Development Department has its offices in Los Angeles, California on May 4, 2020, past a posted sign mentioning the closure of the offices's public access counters due to the coronavirus pandemic. - Dismal US employment figures are expected with the release Friday May 8 of figures for April's US jobs report, with 30 million Americans filing for unemployment in the last six weeks.
Overwhelmed state unemployment offices have left Americans without aid for weeks, if not longer.
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.
Illustration of construction workers on a roof
An emergency fund is an essential part of a solid financial plan.
Mother and daughter shopping for vegetables
These six simple moves can help you build a cash cushion.
illustration of money growing on trees
Here’s a helpful guide to how much you need in savings over the course of your life.
young woman smiling on city sidewalk
Creating a timeline is a useful way to plan and meet all your financial goals.
Man using cell phone in living room
It’s important to find the right home for your emergency savings.
Calendar of 2023
Use this challenge to stash more cash toward your savings goals.
Young man choosing oranges in the supermarket
Monthly budgets are popular because many expenses, such as rent and bills, occur monthly.
Mechanic uses force to unlock bolt
Rainy day and emergency funds differ but together provide a sound financial plan.
Older gentleman using a laptop
Knowing a savings bond’s value can help you decide whether to hold it or redeem it.
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.
Woman working with business document and laptop on the table
It’s a low interest rate environment, but there are ways to earn more on your money.
female soldier and her husband use a banking app to check the state of their finances
Bank account budgeting tools make it easy to track your personal finances.
Side view of father cooking food while daughter having apple in kitchen
These simple moves can help build a cash cushion.
Easy mornings and working from home for this couple
Savings yields topping inflation could let you hold onto your purchasing power.
A woman does her budgeting.
The amount of money you should save each month will vary based on your goals. Here’s what to know.
A young girl visits a doctor.
Confused about finding an HSA? Use these tips to determine the best deal for you.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
Usa Today
New York Times
Cnn
Bloomberg
Abc