NZ Budget Builder
Learn to budget. Then build your real one.
Employment Income
Benefits & Other Income
This budgeting tool does not determine official benefit eligibility or entitlement amounts.
Take-Home Pay
| Estimated income tax | $0.00 |
| ACC earners' levy | $0.00 |
| KiwiSaver | $0.00 |
| Student loan | $0.00 |
| Benefits / other income | $0.00 |
| Annual budgetable income | $0.00 |
Educational estimate only. PAYE, ACC, KiwiSaver and student loan calculations are simplified annual estimates. Actual payroll deductions can vary because of tax codes, pay-period rules, rounding and individual circumstances.
Bills & Spending
Enter each bill using the frequency you actually pay it.
Example: rent $280 weekly, power $190 monthly, insurance $1,200 annually and a loan $160 fortnightly. The app converts them all to your payday frequency.
Savings
$0.00Your Budget
| Income | $0.00 |
| Bills & spending | $0.00 |
| Savings | $0.00 |
| Left over | $0.00 |
Budgeting 101
Learn the language of budgeting, see where your money goes, and explore different ways of giving every dollar a job.
Income that is generally predictable in both amount and timing.
Examples: salary, regular wages, a regular benefit or pension.Income that can change from one pay period to another.
Examples: casual work, overtime, commissions and freelance income.Costs that are normally the same, or reasonably predictable, each time they are due.
Examples: rent, loan repayments, insurance and subscriptions.Costs that can rise or fall depending on how much you use, buy or choose to spend.
Examples: groceries, petrol, power, clothing and entertainment.Income is greater than planned expenses and savings.
A surplus creates breathing room for emergencies and future goals.Planned expenses and savings are greater than available income.
A continuing deficit means the budget needs to change.The percentages are not prescribed targets. The exercise is about deciding what jobs your money needs to do.
Financial Literacy Game Hub
Choose a game. Make decisions. See the consequences. Build real-world money skills.
Make It to Payday
Seven days. Limited cash. Bills, food, transport and surprises. Every choice changes what you have left.
Career & Life
Choose an income path, then build a lifestyle that actually fits the money coming in.
Flatting Life
You have a weekly take-home income of $720. Build a workable flatting budget without forgetting the costs that hide between rent and payday.
Money Journey
Travel through six months of financial decisions. Your choices change your cash, savings and resilience.
Project Budget
Plan a community event with $1,200. Cover the essentials, make it appealing, and keep a contingency for surprises.
Debt Detective
Needs vs Wants
You have $340 until payday. Decide which costs you would protect first.
When There Isn't Enough
You have $620, but essential costs before payday total $785. There is no perfect combination.
Priority Challenge
Choose a life profile and manage eight weeks of income, bills, surprises and choices.
It is payday. Decide what to pay, delay or cut when the bills add up to more than the money available.
These are original HJCG educational activities inspired by common financial-literacy game mechanics. They are not copies of third-party games and are not personalised financial advice.
Choose a starting situation, then manage eight weeks of income, bills, surprises and choices. Money you keep carries forward. Savings can grow. Debt and unpaid costs can follow you into later weeks.
Choose a starting situation
Another way to organise money
Australian author Scott Pape, The Barefoot Investor, popularised a bucket approach. One commonly discussed starting framework is shown below.
Educational comparison only. The Barefoot Investor and its named framework belong to their respective rights holders. HJCG is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Barefoot Investor. This is not personalised financial advice.
Life Happens: 6-Payday Challenge
Your budget works on paper. Now try to keep it working across six paydays while real life gets in the way.
Ready?
Start the challenge. Each payday can bring a decision or surprise.
Your Running Position
| Normal budget surplus / deficit | $0.00 |
| Current decision impact | $0.00 |
| Challenge balance | $0.00 |
Financial Fitness Score
Your Budget
| Income | $0.00 |
| Bills & spending | $0.00 |
| Savings | $0.00 |
| Available | $0.00 |
PDF opens your browser print window. Choose Save as PDF. The spreadsheet is a CSV file that opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets.
Budget Check
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