This page has an average rating of %r out of 5 stars based on a total of %t ratings
Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading Time 5 Minutes

New year, new targets, new budget: how to get an overview of your finances

20.08.2025

Creating a budget isn’t just a good New Year’s resolution. If you know how much money is being paid into your account and what you’re spending it on at any given time, you’ll have financial clarity − and remain in control. Whether you want to reduce your expenses, treat yourself or simply keep track: a personal budget will lay the foundation for your financial autonomy. We’ll show you what to do in four simple steps.

At a glance

  • Whether it’s your first time drawing up a financial plan for yourself or you want to update your annual plan for the New Year, creating a clear overview of your finances is always a good resolution – and the perfect time to do it is now.
  • A budget plan lets you keep your finances in check and discover any potential areas to save on your household costs.
  • With a budget planner you can easily set up your budget and adjust and optimize it throughout the year as necessary.

In addition to budgeting, having the right account is crucial. The banking package advisory tool shows you which one is right for you.

Discover now

Did you know?

Budget planning is the basis for comprehensive financial planning. This way, you know how much money you have available for saving, retirement planning and, if need be, investing.

We give you easy-to-understand advice for your financial planning.

Arrange an appointment now

It’s worth taking a closer look at your finances when you start noticing shortfalls in your account or wallet − or even earlier, if possible. A budget plan is the ideal tool for this. If you don’t have one, you can easily set one up in four steps. But even if you already have a budget, it’s worth checking it regularly and updating it if necessary – for example, if you’re given a pay rise or your financial goals change. This will not only give you an overview of your finances, but also make it easier for you to save, plan for retirement or set aside money for larger expenses such as holidays or major purchases.

Why make a budget plan?

It’s actually quite simple: you have income and expenses. The only way you will have money left over to save up for something you want or to make an attractive investment is by earning more than you spend. Bet let’s be honest: we can’t just save money for our hopes and dreams. It’s important to have reserves so that we are prepared for any unforeseen expenses, are able to pay our taxes and can provide for our retirement in the long term.

With a budget plan, you can get an overview of your household’s finances and find out where you are spending money unnecessarily, as well as where you could perhaps save a bit more money.

Many people quickly lose track when planning a budget, but drawing up a budget plan isn’t difficult at all. Here’s how it works in five easy steps.

Step 1: three general rules to get you started

Before making a start on the specific breakdown, the first step is to pay attention to these three basic ground rules on how to structure your budget.

  • Reserve around 60 percent of your income for fixed monthly costs (rent, taxes, health insurance).
  • Housing costs should ideally not exceed a third of your available income.
  • Expect to pay around 350 francs per month per adult for food shopping, and about half that per child.
“Get to grips with your fixed and variable costs – tips from FinanzFabio”

Step 2: use the right tool

You can download an Excel template from the Internet, make your own Excel table or use a budget app. Whatever you choose to help you plan your budget, the important thing is that it works for you.

Tip

It’s especially easy to set your own personalized budget with our online budget planner. 

Create a budget now

Step 3: put together a list of your income and expenses

Income: you can find information about your income in your salary statements or on your most recent tax return. Your income is made up of your salary or your pension. You might receive additional income in the form of state subsidies, interest and investment earnings, rental income payments or any other regular income.

Expenses: make sure you take into account monthly, yearly, half-yearly and quarterly costs. This includes your insurance premiums, the Half-Fare Travelcard and taxes. Check your account statements and credit card bills to do this. When planning your budget, also think about fixed costs that do not occur on a monthly basis – such as servicing your car, medical appointments and holidays. Work out how much you should put aside each month for these.

Step 4: deduct your expenses from your income

If this produces a negative figure, check your expenses again for any potential savings and recalculate the amount. You will find a few helpful pointers in the article “Unnecessary expenses that you can keep under control with a budget”. You can only build up reserves, provide for unforeseen events (e.g. fines, accidents, family emergencies) and save up for the things you want if you have money left over.

Summary

  • Planning a budget takes a lot of work, but it’s always worth it.
  • You can spot savings opportunities and put some money aside into your savings account or retirement savings account 3a.
  • Savings account: set up a standing order from your private account to your savings account. This lets you save regularly and you don’t have to remember to transfer money from your private account to your savings account each month. The interest paid on a savings account is higher than on a private account. The best time to transfer the savings amount is immediately after your salary is paid.
  • Retirement savings account 3a: with the fixed pension plan (pillar 3a), you can build up assets for retirement while enjoying tax benefits. People in employment with OPA pension funds can pay in up to CHF 7,258 per year (as of 2025) a year for their retirement, while those in self-employment can pay in 20 percent of their earnings up to a maximum of CHF 36,288 per year (as of 2025). The money paid in can be deducted from taxable income. You don’t pay any wealth tax on the retirement assets and interest and investment earnings are exempt from income and withholding tax. In addition or as an alternative to fixed-interest account deposits, you can invest your retirement assets either partly or entirely in retirement funds. By doing so, you make provision for your retirement while also benefiting from the compound interest effect.

Questions and answers

  • Do you want to take the opportunity to set up your own budget plan, but aren’t sure what should go into it?

    • Start with your income. Your salary and any other sources of income are the foundation on which you can build your plan.
    • After this, add the fixed costs, including regular expenses like rent and electricity. If you keep this in check, you have the comfort and safety of knowing all the important costs are covered.
    • The variable costs give you room to play with in your budget. Whether it’s a nice dinner, a trip somewhere or a new hobby – these allow you to enjoy yourself a bit and keep an eye on your expenses at the same time.
    • The core of your plan, however, is your savings. Reserves for emergencies and clear savings goals don’t just bring you safety, but also help you reach your targets and dreams. This could be a long holiday, a new training course or the dream of buying your own home.

     

  • As already stated, January is a good time to look through your budget. It’s also a good idea following a major life event, such as changing job, moving house or the birth of your child. These events affect your finances. 

  • You may have heard of top-down budgets from the business world: this is a budgeting method in which management centrally determines the whole budget and then breaks it down into departments and projects. It works as follows when translating into a household context:

    1. Determine your overall budget: first decide how much money you have available – your monthly or yearly income, for example.
    2. Set priorities: determine your most important expenses (e. g. rent, living costs, savings).
    3. Separate into categories: break down your whole budget into categories such as living cost, food, free time, savings and emergency reserves.
    4. Stick to your budget: make sure to stay within your limits and don’t exceed your total budget.

    In this way, you set yourself a total budget showing monthly or yearly expenditure that you can then break down into different categories.

Subscribe to find out more

Find more tips on managing your money easily in the money newsletter.

 

Subscribe now
This page has an average rating of %r out of 5 stars based on a total of %t ratings
You can rate this page from one to five stars. Five stars is the best rating.
Thank you for your rating
Rate this article

This might interest you too