How it Works

Most importantly, you need to get fired up.  Any new venture you're about to start that involves changing a habit needs consious thought.  So get ready.  Be Prepared!  Don't just wait for your budget plan to arrive, start getting organised in the next few weeks before it gets to you.  Check out our Budgeting Tips page for heaps of ideas that won't cost you any money.  

Six Easy Steps

Step 1

You need to register your personal details first.  During registration you will be required to enter short and long term financial goals.  

Step 2

Pay for your Budget Kit using either PayPal or a credit card.  You will automatically be sent a username and password once payment is received.

Step 3

Log in using your unique user name and password and start entering your data into the calculator.  You will need to know three types of information; what bills you have, how frequent they are and when they are next due.  

Step 4

You can save your entries before clicking make my budget.  Be sure to take your time to enter your data correctly so that your personal budget is accurate.  Only click Make My Budget when you are sure that you have completed all entries correctly.  You can edit and save entries as you go. You can log out and log back in as many times as you like before clicking Make My Budget.  

Step 5

Click Make My Budget and print out your overview.  You will also receive a print out of your overview with your budget kit.  

Step 6 

Wait for your Fun Budget to Arrive in the Post.  While you wait, check out our Budgeting Tipspage for ways to make money to pay down some of your debt.

A Glimpse at the Calculating System

You have 3 jars representing 3 types of bills.  One area is for automatic payments.   

SHORT TERM BILLS YOU PAY MANUALLY	EVERYDAY LIVING EXPENSES	LONG TERM BILLS YOU PAY MANUALLY
JAR 1    Internet  Phone  Mobile Credit card Day care Other..and so on	JAR 2    Groceries Entertainment IOUs Clothing  Petrol Baby sitter Other..and so on	JAR 3    Power Water Rates Vehicle insurance Vehicle registration Other ..and so on

Automatic payments  

Keep these going, don’t stop them.  You will account for these in the calculator and you will see these payments reflected in your budget overview.  For example if you have Land Rates coming out as an Automatic Payment, you’ll choose automatic payment and in the details area, you will type in land rates.  

Instructions

You will recieve a more complete set of instructions but basically the Calculator works out four amounts, one for each of the jars and one for the automatic payments section.  Each pay day, you will need to withdraw the full amount for your jars.  You will need to divide the money into each jar according to your budget overview amounts. You will leave the fourth amount (automatic payments) in the bank.  

The key to the success of the system is live within the jars.  More importantly, using Jar 2 will ensure greater success.  The key to using Jar 2 is to make sure you get to each pay without spending the entire amount from this jar.   

Three Important Notes

1. We all foget incidentals.  This is when we say, I had a hundred dollars yesterday, what did I spend it on? Coffee and cake, friday drinks, a newspaper. Before you know it, 100 bucks gone. Be sure to add in items that you may only purchase once a year such as school uniforms.    
2. It is very important to add in paying down your debt. If this is not reflected in your budget, you will not see your debt reduce.  In the drop down menus, in the calculator, you will see an option titled ‘other’.  Here you can add repayments of your debt, for example your visa card.  Add in here how much you intend to pay each pay period.   
3. Don’t be too strict as this is obviously not your forte! But in all seriousness, if you are too strict and don’t allow for some fun money, you will find it very hard to stick to your budget.  Remember motivation is a fun emotion, so make sure your allow for some fun in your budget.