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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.
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If your discretionary income is low, you could pay $0 on your federal student loans.
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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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Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of Aug 4, 2025.
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An emergency fund is an essential part of a solid financial plan.
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A bank may deny you a checking account. Here is what you can do next.
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell holds a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee meeting on June 18, 2025
Officials are worried about cutting interest rates too soon as Trump’s tariffs push up inflation.
Federal Reserve Chair Powell Holds Press Conference On Interest Rates
Bankrate’s experts are reacting live to the Fed’s latest interest rate decision.
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Bankrate analyzed the Fed’s historic rate moves for clues on what might come next.
A person takes a picture of a check.
Depositing a check using a smartphone is easy and can save you a trip to the bank.
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Here’s what you need to know about interest checking accounts.
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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.
Rainy day and emergency funds differ but together provide a sound financial plan.
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It’s important to find the right accounts for your emergency savings.
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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.
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Creating a timeline is a useful way to plan and meet all your financial goals.
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Financial goals are measuring sticks that apply to any area of your money management skills that you’re looking to improve.
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 16, 2025.
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It’s a low interest rate environment, but there are ways to earn more on your money.
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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 [...]
College students on graduation day, celebrating
Check out Bankrate’s savings picks to help you start off on a long financial future.
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 15, 2025.
Illustration of coins with a headline that reads best high-yield savings accounts today
Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 12, 2025.
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.
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Compare the best high-yield savings rates as of September 11, 2025.
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