A free budget planner for Canadians. Add your take-home pay and your monthly costs, then watch your money flow. No sign-up, and your numbers never leave this device.
Willpower runs out by Thursday. These habits work with how people actually think about money, so sticking to your plan takes less effort every month.
Future you is counting on what you do this month. Slide to see what a late start costs.
Waiting could cost you about
Why it works: people feel losses about twice as strongly as equal gains. Seeing what waiting costs turns "someday" into "this month." Illustration at a 6% average yearly return; real returns vary and aren't guaranteed. Try your own numbers.
Money with no plan doesn't sit still. It drifts into small buys you won't remember. Name every dollar, even fun money, and it's far easier to keep.
Why it works: we treat labelled money differently and spend it more carefully.
Move savings out on payday, before you can spend it, and live on the rest. Automatic beats willpower every time.
Why it works: people stick with whatever happens by default. Set it up.
A $6 coffee every day is $2,190 a year. Small, frequent spending feels free in the moment, so add it up once and then decide on purpose.
Try it: hours of work calculator.
The 1st of the month, a new paycheque, a birthday. New beginnings make new habits stick, and the next one is only days away.
Why it works: researchers call it the fresh-start effect.
Some months you'll overspend. That's normal. A 20-minute monthly check-in catches problems while they're small and shows how far you've come.
Start yours: monthly check-in.
Free, private and built for Canadian accounts like the TFSA, RRSP and FHSA. Your planner numbers carry over, so each tool starts from your real budget.
See where every dollar of your take-home pay goes.
Log each month, keep a streak, and get a reminder on the 1st.
Avalanche or snowball: your debt-free date and interest saved.
How many months you could last, and how big your cushion should be.
Compound growth, and what starting later really costs.
Split your pay into needs, wants and future you.
How much to set aside each month to hit a goal on time.
Add up streaming, apps and memberships. Most people guess low.
What your chequing account costs you over 10 years.
Turn any price into the hours you work to pay for it.
Many big-bank chequing plans charge $15 to $20 a month. That's a leak you can fix in an afternoon, and it never comes back.
Check your statement for the exact fee. How to switch banks without the hassle.
Free banking is step one. Step two is putting what you save to work. These Canadian options keep costs low.
No monthly account fee and unlimited debit transactions. A good everyday account for bills and spending.
Open with SimpliiChequing with no monthly account fees, plus TFSA, RRSP and FHSA investing accounts in one app.
Join WealthsimpleSelf-directed and managed investing with TFSA, RRSP and FHSA accounts, built for keeping costs low.
Open with QuestradeGet a welcome bonus. Open and fund an eligible account through these links and you may get a cash bonus once you meet the offer's conditions. Each company sets its own amounts and rules, and they change, so check the offer terms on their site.
Disclosure: these are referral links. If you open an account through one, BudgetHelp may also get a referral bonus, at no cost to you. We don't recommend specific investments. See our referral disclosure.
The tools get you most of the way. If you're stuck, overwhelmed, or just want someone to walk through your numbers with you, book a 30-minute call with a BudgetHelp budget coach.
No judgement and no sales pitch. You leave with a plan you understand and three next steps.
How coaching works30 minutes, by phone or video
Secure checkout by Stripe. Educational coaching, not financial advice.
Short, plain-English guides for Canadians. No jargon and no sales pitch.
A 7-step plan you can finish tonight, with real numbers.
What to do when rent alone eats half your pay.
Three months, six, or more, and where to keep it.
What each account does and the 2026 limits.
The one habit that does most of the work for you.
Why a $17 monthly fee matters, and how to switch.
Yes. Every calculator, guide and the monthly check-in are free, with no account and no sign-up. The only paid thing is an optional 30-minute coaching call for people who want help with their numbers.
No. The planner and calculators run in your browser and save to this device only. Nothing you type into a calculator is sent to us. If you clear your browser data, your plan is cleared too.
It's the amount that actually lands in your bank account after income tax, CPP or QPP, EI, benefits and any pension or union deductions. Your pay stub calls it net pay. Budget with this number, not your salary.
A common guideline is 20% of take-home pay for savings, investing and extra debt payments, from the 50/30/20 rule. Many Canadians start lower because of housing costs. Any automatic amount is a good start, and you can raise it a little each time your pay goes up.
Once a month is enough for most people. Pick a day, like the 1st, spend 20 minutes comparing your plan with what happened, and adjust. Our monthly check-in and calendar reminder make it easy to keep the habit.
No. BudgetHelp provides budgeting tools and general education. We are not financial planners, advisors, accountants or credit counsellors, and we don't recommend specific investments. For advice about your situation, talk to a qualified, licensed professional.
Ask anything about budgeting, saving or getting out of debt. A real person reads every message and replies by email.