# Set a maximum bid from your budget

Lesson 4 of [Compare auction terms before you bid](https://auctionfinder.fyi/academy/compare-auction-terms-before-you-bid.md), 16 minutes.

Decide your maximum bid before the sale starts. In a live or timed sale, prices move fast. A number that you calculated earlier stops you from bidding on emotion. Start from the all-in budget Your budget is the total that you can pay, with premium, tax and shipping included. Work back from it to a m…

The rest of this lesson is for learners enrolled in the course. [See how Compare auction terms before you bid works](https://auctionfinder.fyi/academy/compare-auction-terms-before-you-bid.md).

Also on the [web page](https://auctionfinder.fyi/academy/compare-auction-terms-before-you-bid/set-a-maximum-bid).

> Beware of auction fraud and shill bidding: never wire money or pay by gift card to a seller you cannot verify, and walk away when a price is run up by a bidder who never buys.