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Budgeting & Money Management

Practical UK budgeting guides: managing money day to day, planning for larger expenses, saving on everyday costs.

Guides on this topic
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How To Get Financial Advice: When & Where

A complete UK guide to how to get financial advice: when & where. Plain English, no affiliate links, no financial advice.

6 MIN →
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Early Loan Repayment: Evaluating the Pros and Cons

A complete UK guide to early loan repayment: evaluating the pros and cons. Plain English, no affiliate links, no financial advice.

6 MIN →
Related situations All situations →
I want to understand the real cost of borrowing → I'm worried about repayments →
Tools & calculators
Tool
Borrowing Affordability Checklist
A structured checklist to run through before applying for any loan — to make sure you have considered the risks.
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Tool
Loan Repayment Calculator
Working out how much your monthly repayments will be for a given loan amount, APR and term.
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Tool
Simple Budget Planner
Understanding how much you have left after essential outgoings to safely commit to a loan repayment.
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Key terms Full glossary →
APR (Annual Percentage Rate) The Annual Percentage Rate shows the total cost of credit per year, including fees and int… Debt consolidation Combining multiple debts into a single loan, usually to simplify repayments or reduce the …
Common questions
How do I work out what I can afford to borrow? +
Start with your monthly income and subtract all essential outgoings — rent or mortgage, utilities, food, transport, existing debt repayments. What is left is your disposable income. Any loan repayment should be well within this figure, with a buffer for unexpected costs.
What is the 50/30/20 budgeting rule? +
The 50/30/20 rule suggests spending 50% of take-home pay on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings or debt repayment. It is a rough guide — your situation may need different proportions.
Where can I get free budgeting help? +
Citizens Advice, StepChange and the Money and Pensions Service (MoneyHelper) all offer free budgeting tools and guidance. The MoneyHelper budget planner is a good starting point.
Related topics
Debt & Debt Management →Personal Loans →Getting Financial Advice →