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.

Envelope budgeting

Zero-based budget

Create a home budget

Budgeting tips

A couple budgets together.

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

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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.

Essential reading

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.

Explore banking products:

CDs Savings Accounts MMAs Checking Accounts

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Woman watering plants.

Check out the latest CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of banks and thrifts.

A young woman works from her laptop.

Balancing your checking account may sound dated, but it still makes sense.

Woman working with business document and laptop on the table

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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

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illustration of money growing on trees

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young woman smiling on city sidewalk

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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

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Mechanic uses force to unlock bolt

Rainy day and emergency funds differ but together provide a sound financial plan.

woman walking and looking at a phone

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measuring the waistline of cash bills, comical

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Piggy bank with doctors equipment. Cute and comical

A mid-year checkup is the most effective way to ensure my finances are on track.

Family shopping at grocery store

Americans spent nearly $74,000 in 2022 just to keep their households running.

Illustration of a pile of cash inside of a life raft

The amount varies by individual, but there are guidelines.

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Barely above the poverty line, ALICE households struggle to make ends meet.

Woman working from home with a child in the background

A new Bankrate analysis shows mothers earned 31 percent less in wages than fathers in 2023.

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Some items are good candidates for storage in a safe deposit box, but others aren’t.

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