Budget Planning That Actually Works

Most people set budgets and break them within weeks. We teach practical contingency planning that adapts to real life—because unexpected expenses will happen.

Our September 2025 program runs for eight weeks with small group sessions limited to twelve participants. You'll work through actual scenarios and build reserve systems that match your income patterns.

Register for September 2025
Participants working on budget contingency planning exercises

Built on Real Experience

We started these workshops in 2019 after seeing too many people give up on budgeting completely. Turns out the problem wasn't discipline—it was inflexible systems that couldn't handle reality.

450+ Program Participants

Across Darwin, Alice Springs, and regional NT since 2019

8 weeks Program Duration

Two-hour sessions with practical exercises and personalized feedback

12 max Group Size

Small cohorts ensure everyone gets individual attention

Rebecca Chen teaching budget workshop

Rebecca Chen

Former financial counsellor who spent twelve years helping families recover from debt crises. Now teaches preventative planning instead.

Kara Simpson reviewing participant budgets

Kara Simpson

Worked in banking for eight years before realizing most people needed better planning tools, not more credit products.

What You'll Actually Learn

This isn't about cutting out coffee or feeling guilty. We focus on building flexible systems that accommodate irregular income, seasonal expenses, and those inevitable surprises that wreck traditional budgets.

Weeks 1-2: Income Pattern Analysis

6 hours total

Most budgeting advice assumes steady income. If yours varies by season, client work, or shift availability, we'll map your actual patterns and build around them.

Variable income tracking Seasonal adjustment Baseline calculations

Weeks 3-4: Reserve System Design

6 hours total

Car repairs, medical bills, school costs—these aren't emergencies, they're predictable irregulars. You'll create category-specific reserves so these expenses don't crater your budget.

Category reserves Priority ranking Allocation percentages

Weeks 5-6: Scenario Testing

6 hours total

We throw realistic problems at your budget—income drops, unexpected expenses, timing mismatches. You'll adjust your plan in real time and see what actually breaks versus what holds.

Stress testing Adjustment protocols Breakpoint identification

Weeks 7-8: Implementation and Review

6 hours total

Theory means nothing if you can't stick with it. Final sessions focus on habit formation, tool selection, and troubleshooting the specific obstacles you'll face.

Tool setup Habit systems Long-term maintenance