3-Bucket Budget: A Simple Aussie-Friendly Budgeting System
The 3-Bucket Budget: The Only System That Ever Worked for Our Family
The simple Aussie-friendly budget that keeps life fun, bills paid, and your future sorted
Ever tried a budget that made you feel like a maths teacher with a clipboard?
You start strong. Colour-coded spreadsheets. Fancy apps. A promise to “track every dollar.”
Then life kicks in—sick kids, forgotten birthdays, takeaways on busy nights—and suddenly your budget’s out the window. Again.
If you’ve ever felt like budgeting just doesn’t work for real Aussie families, you’re not alone.
That’s exactly why we created the 3-Bucket Budget — a flexible, no-fluff system that keeps things simple and actually works when life gets messy.
Let’s break it down.
Bucket 1: Essentials
This is your must-pay stuff. Think of it as the heartbeat of your household:
Mortgage or rent
Utilities
Groceries
Petrol / Transport
School fees, insurance, minimum debt repayments
Goal: Aim for around 60–70% of your take-home pay here (50% is even better). Initially it may be higher than desired, and it is good you need to know so you can start tackling it.
(But don’t stress if yours looks a little different. This is a guide, not gospel.)
Why it matters: This bucket keeps the lights on. It's the baseline. When this is covered, you’re breathing easier already.
Bucket 2: Fun + Freedom
This bucket is what most budgets forget — and why most people quit.
Life needs joy. You’ve got to budget for it. That means:
Takeaway nights
Streaming services
Birthday gifts
Kids’ ice creams
Bunnings wander-buys
A cheeky night out
Goal: 10–20% of your income.
Why it matters: When you give yourself permission to enjoy your money, you're way more likely to stick with your budget long term. No guilt. No blowouts.
Bucket 3: Future Growth
This one’s for tomorrow-you. It’s how you build your financial buffer and long-term wealth:
Emergency fund (to cover the Essentials for a few months)
Extra debt repayments
Savings
Investments
Self Education
Money goals from Wealth Together
Goal: At least 10–20% of your income. Start small if you need to. 5% is still a win!
Why it matters: This is how you get ahead. It’s where your money stops working for the bills… and starts working for you.
Why This Budget Works (Even If You’ve Tried and “Failed” Before)
This system has worked for busy parents, self-employed tradies, and even money-anxious couples because it’s:
Visual
Flexible
Guilt-free
Easy to manage week-to-week
Designed for real life, not just ideal life
You’re not expected to track every coffee or cut the joy out of your life.
You just give your money a job — in a way that finally makes sense.
I would like you to say - “Honestly, this was the first budget that didn’t make me feel like a failure. I know where our money goes, and I can still enjoy Friday pizza night.”
Try It Today – No Spreadsheet Required
Here’s how to get started in 10 minutes:
Grab your latest bank statement(s)
Use 3 different highlighters / Pens to sort every transaction into one of the 3 buckets
Add up what percentage goes where
Ask yourself:
a) Is our Essentials bucket too full?
b) Are we overspending in Freedom?
c) Can we sneak more into Future Growth?
Even a 5% shift into your growth bucket is a powerful first move. Progress over perfection.
Final Thought: You Don’t Need a Budget That Looks Perfect.
You Need One That Works.
The 3-Bucket Budget is the system we’ve used in our own family — and the one I teach inside Wealth Together because it sticks. It’s easy to follow, simple to set up, and won’t suck the joy out of your life.
You don’t need to cut out everything you love. You just need a better system.
Want help setting up your 3-Bucket Budget?
Come join us in Wealth Together — our community for everyday Aussies who want to take control, stress less, and grow real wealth (without spreadsheets or shame).
Click here to get started today
