What tools are available to help with budgeting?

There are lots of tools available on the internet to help with budgeting. Here are some examples:

Online Income and Expenses Tool

The Care Inc Financial Counselling Service has an easy to use online income and expenses tool. Helpful features of this tool include the ability to enter amounts that are paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly. The tool assists by giving annual amounts, where relevant, and also breaks annual expenses down into weekly sums. This function makes it easier to see how expenses are spread over the year, and to budget to save weekly or fortnightly amounts towards bills which may come in quarterly or annually.

Child Support Agency Budget-Tool and Tracking Tools

The Child Support Agency has an online budget tool that focuses on weekly expenditure. Useful features of this tool are the step by step process and practical hints.

The budget tool is also available as part of a booklet called 'Me and My Money'

The booklet includes detailed lists that provide lots of prompts and can be used to collect information about supermarket shopping and other family expenses. This tool could be useful for a family without internet access who want to be able to keep track of spending and adjust details.
These tools are relevant to all families, even if they are not using the Child Support Agency.

Moneyminded Excel Spread Sheets

Moneyminded has an Excel spreadsheet that can be downloaded onto a computer. This gives the capacity to add expenses accurately when it isn’t possible to access an on-line tool.

The Moneyminded site also provides an Excel tool for tracking and aggregating small ‘spending leaks’. This enables families to see the impact of strategies such as taking lunch from home on their overall budget.

Loan comparisons

Many bank sites have rate calculators that allow consumers to compare the impact of different interest rates or repayment periods. The site below has a graphing tool which gives a clear visual message about the impact of different rate calculations.
http://www.yourmoneycounts.com/