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Created on 26.11.2024

Get to grips with your fixed and variable costs – tips from FinanzFabio

Do things get a little tight sometimes in the middle of the month? A budget gives you control over your finances. In the video, FinanzFabio explains why a budget is important and outlines some of the common pitfalls. Our budget template with fixed and variable costs and our sample budgets for Switzerland can also help you to draw up your own budget.

At a glance

  • A budget is the foundation of every good financial decision. To save or build up assets, you need to know what you are earning and spending, as well as how much is left over at the end of the month.
  • When drawing up a budget, it is important to distinguish between fixed and variable costs. Our budget template tells you what belongs where.
  • What should you include in a budget template? You can learn this from our list of possible budget items and our sample budgets for Switzerland.

Do you want to have full control over your account balance anytime and anywhere? The PostFinance App makes this possible.

The link will open in a new window FinanzFabio has a mission. The financial blogger wants to break the taboo around money in Switzerland. In our video, he explains how a budget can help you to avoid financial bottlenecks. Here are a few of his most important tips:

Tip 1 from FinanzFabio: maintain an overview

Check your app every day. That way, you know just how much money you have left and can keep track of your fixed and variable costs.

Fixed costs and variable costs for the budget template: what’s the difference?

Fixed costs

These are regular expenses that are always incurred in the same amount. These costs are incurred at regular intervals (e.g. monthly rent, annual household contents insurance) and the amount is relatively constant. The higher these fixed expenses, the less room you have for manoeuvre when it comes to other financial obligations. Examples of fixed costs: rent, health insurance, electricity, insurance, etc.

Variable costs

Unlike fixed costs, variable costs fluctuate from month to month. In these cases, there are often opportunities to save money through conscious decisions. These variable expenses often arise in leisure activities or retail purchases.

Tip 2 from FinanzFabio: avoid cost traps

When you buy something, consider the possible additional costs associated with your purchase. In the case of a car, for example, it is not just the cost of purchasing the vehicle. There are also running costs such as insurance, petrol, parking, road tax, etc. This is relevant in many other situations, not just car purchases. When you buy a smartphone, you also need Wi-Fi at home to be able to use it, etc. You should be aware of these ongoing costs when you buy something. Otherwise you can quickly fall into a cost trap.

Tip 3 from FinanzFabio: automate your payments

As soon as you receive your salary, you should pay yourself. In other words, if you’re saving, you should transfer your saving amount directly to your savings account, if you’re already paying into a pillar 3a pension plan, you should pay that amount directly, or if you’re an investor, you should top up your funds saving plan, etc. On the next day, you should pay all your bills and fixed costs such as rent, health insurance, the monthly tax contributions, etc. This approach ensures that you know precisely how much money you have available at the start of the new month.

  • Young people in particular face a distinct challenge. You suddenly have an entire salary in your account at the end of the month, but also a lot of financial obligations. Your money has to cover a lot of things, including rent, food, health insurance, possibly a car with all its additional costs, going out, holidays and so on. To avoid ending the month with an empty or overdrawn account, it helps to start by identifying your upcoming expenses and categorizing them.

    The following is a non-exhaustive list of possible items for your personal budget template:

    Fixed costs

    CategoryExpenditure on
    Category
    taxes
    		 Expenditure on
    • Cantonal, municipal and possible church taxes
    • Direct federal tax
    • Possible military service exemption tax
    Category
    Insurance
    		 Expenditure on
    • Health insurance
    • Household contents insurance and liability insurance
    Category
    Housing
    		 Expenditure on
    • Monthly rent
    • Electricity
    • Additional costs
    • Miscellaneous items such as cleaning products, detergents, small new household purchases, etc.
    Category
    Communication
    		 Expenditure on
    • Internet & TV connection fees
    • Smartphone contract fees
    • TV & radio licence fees
    Category

    Mobility: public transport

    		 Expenditure on
    • Public transport subscriptions such as Half-Fare Travelcard, bus passes, etc. or single tickets
    Category

    Mobility: private transport

    		 Expenditure on

    Car/motorbike/moped:

    • Motor vehicle tax
    • Road tax
    • Insurance (liability, fully/partially comprehensive)
    • Garage, car park
    • For leasing: leasing instalments

    Variable costs

    CategoryExpenditure on
    Category
    Groceries
    		 Expenditure on
    • Food
    • Drink
    • Possible work-related eating out
    Category

    Personal expenses

    		 Expenditure on
    • Clothes and shoes
    • Hairdresser
    • Health costs (doctor’s visits, medication, etc.)
    • Miscellaneous items such as shower gel, shampoo, toiletries, etc.
    Category
    Private retirement planning
    		 Expenditure on
    Category

    Mobility: private transport:

    		 Expenditure on

    Bicycle/e-bike:

    • Repairs to bicycle/e-bike

    Car/motorbike/moped:

    • Fuel
    • Maintenance and repairs (service, tyre changes, etc.)
    • Parking fees
    Category

    Leisure and holidays

    		 Expenditure on
    • Subscriptions to streaming services, newspapers, etc.
    • Membership fees for gyms, clubs, etc.
    • Going out
    • Restaurant visits
    • Sports equipment
    • Holidays
    Category

    Money to put aside for

    		 Expenditure on
    • Health insurance excess payments
    • Medical costs
    • Dental costs
    • Gifts
    • Savings
    • Contingencies (reserve)

    Tip

    Whenever possible, plan your budget so that you can save a certain percentage of your salary after deducting your expenses. Investing money can be particularly worthwhile at a young age. Find out more about this in the article “Start investing when you’re young”.

  • The following sample budgets can help you to draw up your own budget. Please note that these are only approximate values and, in the case of taxes for example, represent average values for the whole of Switzerland. Your actual income and expenses depend heavily on your individual situation – including where you live, your lifestyle, whether you use public transport or your own car, etc. Whether you live in a single household or as a couple also plays a role. Speaking of which, couples can find useful tips in our article “Managing a budget as a couple – how to make sure money doesn’t get in the way of love”. 

    • Income

      • Net salary: CHF 4,100 

      Fixed costs

      • Tax: CHF 450
      • Insurance: CHF 400
      • Living costs: CHF 1,400
      • Communication: CHF 98
      • Mobility: CHF 150 

      Variable costs

      • Food and drink: CHF 400
      • Personal expenses: CHF 360
      • Pillar 3 private retirement planning: CHF 50
      • Leisure and holidays: CHF 250
      • Reserve: CHF 400

      How much is left over?

      • CHF 142

    • Income

      • Net salary: CHF 6,500

      Fixed costs

      • Tax: CHF 800
      • Insurance: CHF 400
      • Living costs: CHF 1,700
      • Communication: CHF 108
      • Mobility: CHF 500 

      Variable costs

      • Food and drink: CHF 500
      • Personal expenses: CHF 460
      • Pillar 3 private retirement planning: CHF 450 
      • Leisure and holidays: CHF 500
      • Reserve: CHF 500

      How much is left over?

      • CHF 582

    • Income

      • Net salary: CHF 8,300 

      Fixed costs

      • Tax: CHF 1,000
      • Insurance: CHF 800
      • Living costs: CHF 2,050
      • Communication: CHF 128
      • Mobility: CHF 300 

      Variable costs

      • Food and drink: CHF 800
      • Personal expenses: CHF 720
      • Pillar 3 private retirement planning: CHF 100
      • Leisure and holidays: CHF 500
      • Reserve: CHF 800

      How much is left over?

      • CHF 1,102

    • Income

      • Net salary: CHF 12,500 

      Fixed costs

      • Tax: CHF 1,500
      • Insurance: CHF 800
      • Living costs: CHF 2,600
      • Communication: CHF 168
      • Mobility: CHF 1,000 

      Variable costs

      • Food and drink: CHF 1,000
      • Personal expenses: CHF 920
      • Pillar 3 private retirement planning: CHF 900 
      • Leisure and holidays: CHF 1,000
      • Reserve: CHF 1,000

      How much is left over?

      • CHF 1,612

    Average across all cantons as of 2025

    Sources: The link will open in a new window Swiss Federal Statistical Office, The link will open in a new window swissinfo.ch, The link will open in a new window budgetberatung.ch

What are the best tools for creating a budget?

You can either write down your expenses the old-fashioned way by hand in a notebook, or you can rely on a budget app to keep your budget to hand at all times. Or you can try the online budget calculator.

If you are a PostFinance customer, you should also try out the “My analyses” budget function in e-finance or in the PostFinance App.

Our money newsletter has more tips on how to manage your money wisely.

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