Needs and wants aren’t always as easy to separate as they sound. Learn how to spot the gray areas in your spending, understand the tradeoffs you’re making, and build a budget that leaves room for both today’s needs and tomorrow’s goals.

Sinking funds help you prepare for expenses you know are coming—like car repairs, holidays, home maintenance and annual bills. Learn how setting aside a little at a time can turn future expenses into manageable parts of your monthly plan.

A monthly budget tells you how much you expect to earn and spend. A budget forecast goes further—showing when money will enter and leave your account so you can identify cash-flow problems before they happen.