Free budgeting resources
Make a plan for the next bill, not just the next month.
Start with the question you need to answer. These guides include examples you can check and worksheets you can use in Excel or Google Sheets, without an account.
By Wiggle Budget · Reviewed September 24, 2026
Budgeting in Canada
Plan in CAD using actual take-home pay and verified benefit dates. Read Canadian survey evidence with its year and limitations clearly stated.
Read the Canadian budgeting guideWill my balance last until payday?
A positive monthly total can hide a negative balance in the middle of the month. Put the next bills and paychecks in order, then find the lowest balance.
Plan your next pay periodHow much should I put aside for an annual bill?
Dividing by twelve works when you have twelve months left. A renewal due sooner needs a different calculation. Start with what you already reserved and count the contributions you can make before it is due.
Work out your annual-bill reserveWhich debt should get the extra payment?
Compare the cost of targeting high interest with the motivation of clearing a small balance. Keep the payment budget the same when comparing the two methods.
Compare snowball and avalancheAm I checking this month or planning retirement?
A dated cash-flow plan checks upcoming bills and balances. Our public retirement calculator illustrates fixed-rate growth; it does not run Monte Carlo simulations. Compare the tools and assumptions required for your decision.
Compare cash-flow planning and longer-term forecastingHow should we split a shared bill?
Agree on the shares before settling up. Use the public calculator to check equal or unequal contributions, then read the worked example about different restaurant orders.
Use the bill-splitting calculatorWhat the research says about financial cushions
Canada: historical evidence
In fall 2022, 26% of people in Canada reported that their household could not cover an unexpected $500 expense from its resources. This is historical Canadian survey evidence, not a current estimate. It is not directly comparable with the U.S. $400 measure because the questions, amounts and years differ.
Statistics Canada, Canadian Social Survey, fall 2022; released February 13, 2023 (archived)United States: 2025 survey
In the 2025 U.S. survey, 63% of adults said they would cover a hypothetical $400 emergency expense entirely with cash, savings or a credit card paid off at the next statement. Separately, 12% said they could not cover it by any means. These measure different things; the other 37% should not be described as unable to pay.
Federal Reserve, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (published May 2026), pp. 44–46This is U.S. population research, not a Canadian estimate or evidence of savings from using this app. The linked discussions in our guides explain individual experiences; they are not prevalence statistics.
Keep planning
- Budgeting in Canada: paydays, bills and free resources
- How to budget by paycheck: free cash-flow worksheet
- Budget for annual bills: free sinking-fund worksheet
You can use the worksheets on their own. If you want to keep bills, account links and projected balances together, explore the Wiggle Budget spreadsheet. Results depend on the amounts and dates entered.