With the cost of living continuing to rise it’s a great time to look at our financial health and build good budgeting habits.
Have you ever got to the middle of the month and asked yourself, “where is my money going?”, or thought, “I’d love to start saving but I don’t have anything left to put away.”
Well, our Budget Buddy is here to help you identify where you may be leaking cash, how to stem the flow and get yourself into good budgeting habits, and eventually start a savings journey that’s right for you.
We can’t promise to save you money but we can help you set an action plan to get yourself money smart.
We understand that creating a budget for the first time, or even reviewing an existing budget, can be unsettling. It can make us feel uncomfortable and we may avoid the issue, which isn’t very helpful.
It seems simple, but writing down our income and expenditure helps us see the bigger picture and get on board with creating a realistic budget.
Our Budget Buddy will help you get started by asking you to write down your income, essential and committed expenditure, and identify what you have left.
It is important to prioritise debt and essential expenditure, like your rent or mortgage, utilities and any credit commitments.
The Budget Buddy is a tool to help you get more clarity over your financial position and take on today’s rising costs with more confidence.
You can even use our Budget Buddy to review your everyday products, savings and services with your providers. While the Society cannot provide debt advice we can signpost you to a number of independent agencies who can assist you further.
Our branch colleagues are here to help you get started with a coffee, chat, and support you to get started with our Budget Buddy. Members tell us that having the support of another person makes creating a budget more achievable than they initially thought. Even if you don't live close to a branch, you can download a copy of our Budget Buddy and make a start.
You can get money smart, sometimes all that’s needed is a bit of support and the confidence to begin. Our Budget Buddy can help you plan your finances and make your money work harder.