Why budget?

If you're feeling the pinch, creating a budget is a brilliant and simple step to start regaining control of your finances. But even if you're not experiencing any trouble, it can still inspire you to start saving or help you repay existing debts faster. A budget lists your combined income, such as salary and any benefits, against regular costs like bills and shopping. You can then work out if you're quids-in, or if there's a regular shortfall.

If you're left with a negative figure, you'll need to decide which regular costs you can reduce or remove altogether. Cutting back on anything that's not essential in the short-term is well worth it if it means you can put your mind at rest in the long run. Using our Budget Calculator couldn't be easier – we'll do all the maths for you and the results will be shown very clearly. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3, so put the kettle on and get cracking!