Bouncing back from a budget blowout
4 hacks to get you back on track after a budget blowout
Surprise!!! No matter how well you plan, unexpected expenses are a fact of life.
But that’s no reason to feel like your good budgeting intentions have gone to waste. If you’ve experienced a blowout, here are some helpful hacks to get you back on track.
Check your budget
Life is constantly changing, and your budget is no exception. So if your expenses are getting hard to balance, it could be a sign you need to take stock and check that your budget still meets your needs and goals.
To make life easier there are plenty of free budgeting tools online.
Reset and rebuild
If your savings take a hit with a big expense, it could be time to rethink your savings strategy so you can get back on track fast.
A dedicated savings account like ING’s Savings Maximiser not only gives you a competitive standard rate but could earn you ING’s highest available variable rate when you hold an Orange Everyday and meet the monthly eligibility criteria. Terms and conditions apply, more details can be found here.
You can also add up to 9 accounts and name them how you like, such as New Car or Rainy Day Fund. That way you know exactly what you’re savings for and what’s available to spend.
Start small, go big
Starting small is a great first step for getting back on your financial feet, and it’s even easier when you can set and forget your savings.
For instance, you could set up a regular transfer from your pay to your savings account or turn on ING‘s Everyday Round Up.
Once turned on, every eligible card purchase you make will be instantly rounded up to the nearest $1 or $5 and the extra amount shifted from your Orange Everyday to your Savings Maximiser.
Be tough on bills
Finally, it always pays to see if you can cut the cost of your regular household expenses such as utility bills.
Comparison sites like Finder, iSelect and Compare the Market can be a convenient place to start your search but they don’t always include all available providers.
There are also free government sites that can help you compare energy retailers in your region, such as energymadeeasy.gov.au, compare.energy.vic.gov.au, erawa.com.au, and powerwater.com.au.
Show your budget who’s boss
Find out more about our ING everyday accounts and extra banking benefits.
Find out all you need to know about ING’s Savings accounts
ING does not endorse and is not affiliated with third parties mentioned in this article. ING is not responsible for any services provided by third parties nor does ING accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from any products or services supplied by the third parties.
The information is current as at publication. Any advice on this website does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you. You should consider the relevant Terms and Conditions, Fees and Limits Schedule, Benefits Schedule available at ing.com.au when deciding whether to acquire, or to continue to hold, a product.
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ING deposit, savings, credit and loan products: Deposit products, savings products, credit card and home loan products are issued by ING, a business name of ING Bank (Australia) Limited ABN 24 000 893 292, AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 229823.All applications for credit are subject to ING’s credit approval criteria, and fees and charges apply.
Everyday Round Up applies to card purchases using your Orange Everyday bank account. You must opt in to Everyday Round Up and select the round up amount (nearest $1 or $5). When you spend with your Orange Everyday card, we’ll transfer the extra amount from your Orange Everyday to your eligible home loan (e.g. Mortgage Simplifier or Orange Advantage) or Savings Maximiser account. A round up will not be debited if doing so would reduce your Orange Everyday balance below $20. Full details at ing.com.au
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