philoventri
Real stories from people who've made budgeting work for them. Because your money should support the life you actually want to live, not the other way around.
Mitchell from Brisbane tried every budgeting app on the market before realizing the problem wasn't his tools. His irregular freelance income meant those neat monthly categories never quite matched reality.
Continue reading
What happens when you flip the script and start with what you want to spend on, then work backwards? Three Port Macquarie families tested this approach over six months.
Continue reading
Sometimes the answer isn't cutting back everywhere. Claudia discovered that spending more intentionally in one area freed up money she didn't know she had.
Continue readingThoughts from someone who's spent years helping Australians untangle their finances and build systems that actually stick.
Financial strategist based in NSW, focused on practical budgeting approaches
It's not lack of discipline. The issue is trying to maintain January's enthusiasm through the entire year. A sustainable budget needs to account for the fact that February you is different from December you.
I've watched clients beat themselves up over "failing" at budgets that were unrealistic from day one. The ones who succeed? They build in flexibility from the start and adjust as they go.
Posted 8 March 2025Subscription services have fundamentally changed how money leaves our accounts. Unlike old-school bills, these charges are designed to be forgettable. That's the business model.
One couple I worked with found they were spending $340 monthly on services they'd signed up for over three years. Not all bad choices, but definitely not all intentional either.
Posted 19 February 2025When your paycheck changes month to month, traditional budgeting advice falls apart. Learn how freelancers, contractors, and seasonal workers manage cash flow without constant stress.
Explore articlesBeyond the avalanche versus snowball debate. Real strategies people have used to chip away at debt while maintaining their sanity and quality of life.
Explore articlesHow do two people with different spending styles build one budget? Conversations that work better than spreadsheets, and compromises that don't feel like sacrifices.
Explore articlesThe standard advice says six months of expenses. But what if that feels impossible? Alternative approaches to building financial cushions when money is already tight.
Explore articles
Budget Workshop Facilitator
Torben runs monthly budgeting workshops across New South Wales, bringing together people who are tired of feeling confused about their money. His background in community education means he explains financial concepts without the jargon overload.
"Most people already know what they should be doing with their money," he says. "The challenge is finding a system that fits their actual life, not some idealized version of it."
His workshops focus on practical tools participants can implement the same week, with follow-up support that extends beyond the initial session.