Set up your family for financial success. Discover how Lindsay and Steve built a brighter financial future.

Research shows that couples under financial stress experience greater tension in their relationships. But the good news is that money troubles can be fixed! One of the keys is to get clear about your financial priorities and where you want your money to take you—together.

“Budgeting saved us”

In this video case study, MyBudget founder and personal finance expert Tammy Barton talks with Queensland couple Lindsay and Steve about their financial priorities and the journey that brought them to MyBudget.

As you’ll see, Lindsay and Steve have a happy marriage and family life with their two boys. These days, their money is taken care of and their short and long-term financial goals are on track. But in the past, their relationship was affected by ‘tit for tat’ feuding, fuelled by financial stress and the pressure of living week to week.

Watch the video now or read the transcript below to discover how budgeting transformed Lindsay and Steve’s finances and family life.

Tammy: So tell me, how did you guys feel about your finances and your life before you joined MyBudget?

Lindsay: Before MyBudget, we would live week to week, month to month. Steve got paid monthly and we literally ran in cycles. Once the month was up, we were always looking for the next pay cheque and we never had any security looking forward to the future, did we?

Steve: Yeah, we were rich one week and poor the next.

Tammy: What’s your situation like now?

Lindsay: Since joining MyBudget, we’ve moved states. We’ve set up a fantastic family life. We’ve purchased my dream car. We’ve also unlocked potential for future dreams to come true, and meanwhile we’ve had fantastic weekends and holidays in between.

Steve: We’ve got way more now than we’ve ever had, but we’re still earning the same money. We’re not only providing for us, we’re providing for our kids and they don’t miss out on anything now.

Lindsay: Do you know how good that feels to say that your kids don’t miss out on anything anymore? For a mum, that’s pretty cool.

“We’ve got way more now than we’ve ever had, but we’re still earning the same money.” — Steve​

Tammy: How has MyBudget impacted your relationship?

Lindsay: It’s saved it on many occasions, especially in earlier days—not having to feud over money.

Steve: I don’t think we feuded. If I went and spent money, I had a very good memory. I would say ‘well you went and got that last week’ and it would be a tit for tat game. I didn’t want to disappoint her [gesturing at Lindsay], so I would let her go and get whatever she wanted, but then I saw that as a free pass for me to go and do whatever I wanted to do.

Lindsay: And it wasn’t doing us any favours at all.

Steve: We can still go and get whatever we want now, as long as it fits into our budget. If it doesn’t fit into our budget, we either make it fit or we don’t get it. So that’s how it’s impacted our lives—we don’t just go and do that stupid purchase.

“I would say ‘well you went and got that last week’ and it would be a tit for tat game.” — Steve​

Tammy: Steve, what do you think got in the way of you joining MyBudget four years ago?

Steve: To hand over the reins to someone else was the hard thing for me to do. I think I was reluctant to go there. Once we got up to Queensland, we ran amok for a good 12 months and then we went to look at our finances and went ‘oh my god what have we done?’ Lindsay approached MyBudget again and I basically sucked it up and gave it a go and have never looked back.

Tammy: Tell us about your experience with our staff at MyBudget.

Steve: I feel like every time I call, it’s like the boss is calling them. That’s the sense that I get – that I’m important. They’re more than happy to help me with whatever it is that I want because ultimately they’re working for me. I don’t feel I’m working for them.

Lindsay: They do work for us. I find that when I call, they’re always very happy and always so willing to help me as well, and I find they also celebrate with me—the little things I’m doing along the way. When I said that I was about to purchase my car, they were like ‘oh my god, that’s so exciting!’ It’s really lovely to have that heartfelt happiness … We’ve seen our budget go from low health to good health, and celebrated that as well. I also love the way they work for you, manipulating things (budget) to make sure things (expenses) are met. They are definitely there to work for us.

“We’ve seen our budget go from low health to good health.” — Lindsay​

Tammy: Can you talk to us about the fees and value for money at MyBudget?

Steve: At the very first meeting, I thought ‘wow that’s a bit of money,’ but at the end of the appointment I was like ‘actually, that’s a good investment.’ For me now, three years down, whatever we’re investing, we’re getting back ten-fold in benefits, so that is a good investment.

Lindsay: I see the weekly cost as literally a very small investment. Even now, when I tell my friends or family and they ask me what the fees are, I always say that if I didn’t have MyBudget, I’d be spending way more in fees on stupid purchases and interest charges. It is definitely an investment into lifestyle insurance.

“Whatever we’re investing, we’re getting back ten-fold.” — Steve​

Tammy: How do you feel about inspiring others to change their lives?

Lindsay: I wish it was easier to inspire others. As a mum, to know that you’re financially ok, that your dreams can become a reality, and that you don’t actually have to do anything [to make it happen]. All you have to do is make the call and then you guys do it all. 

Steve: It’s definitely life changing.

Discover how MyBudget can help

What are your financial goals? Would you like to pay down debt faster? Build up your emergency fund to six months’ worth of income? Save for a family, home or retirement? Increase your net worth?

Whatever your financial goals or priorities, MyBudget’s world-class money services can help you. Our money experts can work with you to map a path to your goals and give peace of mind that you’re on track from day one.

This content has been updated from the original post published in December, 2020.