Home › Envelope Budgeting (Australia): The Digital Way
Envelope Budgeting (Australia): The Digital Way
Envelope budgeting without the cash: give every dollar a job in digital jars for groceries, fuel, fun and bills.
Envelope budgeting means splitting your pay into 'envelopes' for each kind of spending. When an envelope's empty, that category is done until next pay. It's simple and it works, and you don't need actual envelopes.
How envelope budgeting works
- On payday, decide how much goes in each envelope
- Spend only from that envelope's amount
- Move money between envelopes if you need to, on purpose
- Leftovers roll over or go to savings
Good first envelopes
- Groceries
- Fuel and transport
- Kids
- Fun money
- Christmas and birthdays
Digital jars
Our Sinking Funds Jars app gives each envelope a jar so you can see the balance at a glance.
Related guides
- House Deposit Savings Plan (Australia)
- Work From Home Expenses Tracker (Australia)
- Secret Santa and Kris Kringle Budget (Australia)
- Car Running Costs Calculator (Australia)
General information only, not financial or tax advice.
FAQ
Is envelope budgeting the same as sinking funds?
Close. Sinking funds are envelopes for future costs.
Do I need cash?
No. Digital jars or separate bank accounts work.
What if I overspend one envelope?
Move money from another envelope, and adjust next pay's amounts.
Try it in an app
Sinking Funds (A$19, one-off): Save a little each pay for the big bills you know are coming: rego, insurance, Christmas, school fees, holidays.
Money HQ (A$59, one-off): Your whole money life in one browser app: payday-aware budget, bills calendar, savings goals, debt payoff and net worth.