Budgeting & Saving

Learn to create a budget that works, build an emergency fund, and develop smart saving habits.

12 Lessons

5 Tools

7 Key Concepts

Key Concepts

A plan for how you'll spend your money. It's not about restriction—it's about telling your money where to go.

A budgeting guideline: 50% of income to needs, 30% to wants, 20% to savings/debt. A simple starting framework.

Money set aside for unexpected expenses like car repairs, medical bills, or job loss. Aim for 3-6 months of expenses.

Money set aside for known upcoming expenses: car repairs, holiday gifts, annual subscriptions. Prevents budget emergencies.

Essential expenses you can't avoid: housing, food, utilities, transportation, minimum debt payments.

Non-essential spending that improves quality of life: dining out, entertainment, hobbies, subscriptions.

The percentage of income you save. A 50% savings rate means saving $1 for every $1 spent. Key metric for FIRE.

Lessons

What Is a Budget and Why You Need One

Foundations4 min

The 50/30/20 Rule: A Simple Budget Framework

Foundations5 min

Tracking Expenses: Where Does Your Money Actually Go?

Foundations5 min

Emergency Fund 101: Your Financial Safety Net

Foundations4 min

High-Yield Savings Accounts: Where to Keep Your Emergency Fund

Foundations4 min

Pay Yourself First

Foundations3 min

Sinking Funds: Save for Predictable Expenses

Foundations4 min

Gross vs. Net Income: What You Earn vs. What You Keep

Foundations4 min

Understanding Your Paycheck: Every Line Explained

Foundations5 min

Renting Your First Apartment

Foundations5 min

Rent vs. Buy: Which Is Right For You?

How to Negotiate Your Salary

Related Tools

Budget Calculator

Create a monthly budget with 50/30/20 guidelines

Emergency Fund Tracker

Track progress toward your safety net

Savings Goal Tracker

Track progress toward specific goals

Savings Rate Calculator

Calculate your path to financial freedom

Bill Calendar

Track due dates and set reminders

Explore More Topics

Retirement Planning

Taxes

Credit & Debt

Investing Basics