Woman on sofa with tablet and smartphone

Budgeting

Some tips on managing your money

Budget calculator

Using our budget calculator can help you review your spending, spot unnecessary costs and see how much you could put aside.

View budget calculator

Our friends at MoneyHelper also have some great tools to help you prioritise your bills External link icon. They can even help you budget External link icon if you don’t have a consistent monthly income.

Tailored Support

As part of the ongoing support we offer mortgage customers outside of the Mortgage Charter commitments, we can tailor options to meet your individual circumstances. Some of the options we can consider include:

  • Reducing your payments for the agreed period of time that you need
  • Pausing them altogether (because this is the most expensive option for you, we’ll only offer this if it’s appropriate)
  • Affordable repayment plans or time to speak to independent, free debt advice

Don’t worry – having a chat with us about any support options available to you won’t affect your credit score. It helps us to understand your financial situation and if you choose to proceed with a support option, we will let you know what this means for your credit file, your mortgage payments and balance, long term.

If you wish to speak to us about tailored support, please click below to submit your details.

Tailored Support

Our 9 Budgeting Tips

  • 1. Use our tools

    See what you’re spending and where with the Spending overview tool, available on eBanking and the Mobile Bank app. It groups your spend into categories to show you where your money’s going.

    Keep on top of your accounts

    As well as eBanking and our Mobile Bank app, you can also stay in control of your money with text and email alerts. We can text you if you go into your overdraft, keep you up to date with your bank balance and help you avoid missing payments (and unnecessary charges).

    You must be a Danske Bank customer and be registered for eBanking to use these tools. eBanking may be temporarily unavailable when we are carrying out routine maintenance.

  • 2. Create your budget

    Think about expenses that you don’t pay monthly, such as weekly or annual. This could be things like road tax or heating oil. Work out what they’d cost you each month and work that into your budget.

  • 3. Think about what you don't need

    You may be able to live without extra TV packages, music subscriptions and unused gym memberships. Check your contract before cancelling anything. Although many are 'pay as you go', you may be tied in for a set time.

  • 4. Change regular payments to match your payday

    This simple change can make a big difference. If you can get your regular payments - rent or mortgage, car insurance, phone bill – to come out of your account the day you get paid, then it’s much easier to budget with what’s left.

    To change the date of a Direct Debit, speak to the company that set it up. You may not be able to get it exactly on the date you want, but the closer to payday the better. Danske Bank customers can also delete it altogether in eBanking, but make sure you don’t owe anything first!

    As a customer, you change the date of a standing order yourself on eBanking or through the Mobile Bank app. To change the date of a standing order for a Danske Bank loan or mortgage, send us a message in eBanking or the app or phone us.

    Cancelled a payment but it's still coming out? In some cases (for example, if you have Netflix, Now TV or Amazon Prime) the regular payment comes off your card instead of out of your account. This means that even if you block your card and get a replacement, the payment will keep coming out! To cancel or ask us about one of these, send us a message or phone us.

  • 5. Check your bank account

    Regularly check your bank account to make sure you’re on track and haven’t forgotten about any payments.

  • 6. Are you getting value for your money?

    Whether it’s on your groceries, insurance or gas, it may be worth shopping around for a better deal. You may save some money.

  • 7. Repay debt early if you can

    If you have debt (whether with Danske Bank or not), it’s worth asking if you can repay it early. You could save interest in the long term. You may also want to think about merging your debts into one, manageable payment.

  • 8. Save a manageable amount each month

    If you can, try to save a realistic amount every month for emergencies. Set up a standing order so it leaves your account without you thinking about it. Set an overall savings goal to keep you focused.

  • 9. Look after your mental health

    We know that financial matters don’t just affect your finances; it can be a worrying time if you’re feeling under pressure. Our charity partner AWARE NI External link icon are a dedicated depression charity with a number of options available to help you overcome mental difficulties. You may also find the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute External link icon to be a source of support if your finances are affecting your mental health.

Are you entitled to additional income support?

You can check whether you’re entitled to government support on the NI NI Direct Benefits Calculator External link icon.

It depends on your income and circumstances.

You may be entitled to a one-off payment of up to £650 if you’re on certain benefits, you’re disabled or you’re a pensioner. If so, you’ll be paid automatically. Find out more about thecost of living support External link icon or the wider benefits available External link icon.

Get in touch


Telephone icon 

If you’re struggling with managing your budget and would like to speak to us, you can ask us to call you back.

Request a call back
Content is loading
Show more rows: All table rows are already visible for screen readers.
Show less rows: All table rows are already visible for screen readers.