The Ultimate Guide to Budgeting With bunq

Learn how bunq’s budgeting tools make managing finances easy for every lifestyle.

17 December 2022
A person sits at a wooden table, using a smartphone while looking at a laptop in a bright, modern kitchen.
A person sits at a wooden table, using a smartphone while looking at a laptop in a bright, modern kitchen.

Setting up your very own budget and actually sticking to it might seem impossible, but bunq makes the whole process effortlessly automatic.

In just 5 minutes, you can activate a handful of super simple features in the app to budget with zero effort, and save more on your personal finances than ever before.

1. Create your personalized budget

To get started, the first step is to create a Bank Account for each of your budgeting needs using the Easy Budgeting feature.

Each Bank Account you create will have its very own category (think household bills, groceries, travel, etc) and a monthly limit you set. Once your budget is all set up, the bunq app will automatically categorize your payments and take the money out of the correct Bank Account.

2. Easily track your monthly expenses

After creating your budget, the next step is to start easily tracking your progress. Introducing Insights, your very own expense tracker.

From your home screen, tap on the first of the three icons in the top right corner and you’ll see clearly how much you’ve spent per category, and how close you are to your chosen spending limits.

Want to track your spending directly from the home screen? Tap on the icon with the plus sign at the top of your home screen and choose Insights.

3. Start saving up, effortlessly

A crucial part to any budget is growing your savings and, with bunq, you can do it automatically and earn high interest on your deposits.

To create your savings account, from the bottom right of your home screen, tap Add > Bank Account > Savings Account. You can then personalize your savings account with the icon and name of your choice, and make your first deposit.

Top tip: the app will ask if you’d like to activate AutoSave.

By activating it, the bunq app will help you save more by automatically rounding up your card payments. For example, if you grab a coffee for €2.25, your app will round that up to €3 and add the difference of €0.75 to your savings. That way you’ll effortlessly reach your savings goal, quicker than you ever imagined.

If you want to learn more about how to budget, you can get started with the one of the easiest way - 50/30/20 rule, or take a look at this article for inspiration.

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Open your account in just 5 minutes, directly from your phone.

Start your 30-day free trial

Open your account in just 5 minutes, directly from your phone.

Start your 30-day free trial

Open your account in just 5 minutes, directly from your phone.

Find your perfect fit

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bunq Free

Free

The essentials to get you started.

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bunq Core

€3.99/month

The bank account for everyday use.  

Dark blue diamond icon with two sparkles, indicating an upgraded or polished premium feature.

bunq Pro

€9.99/month

The bank account that makes budgeting easy.

Magenta diamond icon with multiple sparkles, conveying luxury or excellence.

bunq Elite

€18.99/month

The bank account designed for your international lifestyle.

Find your perfect fit

Simple blue diamond icon on a dark background, symbolizing premium or high-value service.

bunq Free

Free

The essentials to get you started.

Green diamond with a sparkle on the top-right, representing premium or elite status feature.

bunq Core

€3.99/month

The bank account for everyday use.  

Dark blue diamond icon with two sparkles, indicating an upgraded or polished premium feature.

bunq Pro

€9.99/month

The bank account that makes budgeting easy.

Magenta diamond icon with multiple sparkles, conveying luxury or excellence.

bunq Elite

€18.99/month

The bank account designed for your international lifestyle.

Find your perfect fit

Simple blue diamond icon on a dark background, symbolizing premium or high-value service.

bunq Free

Free

The essentials to get you started.

Green diamond with a sparkle on the top-right, representing premium or elite status feature.

bunq Core

€3.99/month

The bank account for everyday use.  

Dark blue diamond icon with two sparkles, indicating an upgraded or polished premium feature.

bunq Pro

€9.99/month

The bank account that makes budgeting easy.

Magenta diamond icon with multiple sparkles, conveying luxury or excellence.

bunq Elite

€18.99/month

The bank account designed for your international lifestyle.