I recently had a mortgage broker reach out to me with serious concerns about their client.

Here’s the pattern they had witnessed:

2021: Refinanced client’s personal debts into home loan. New balance: $450,000.

2024: Refinanced client’s personal debts into home loan again. New balance: $550,000.

October 2025: Client has more personal debt that needs ‘fixing,’ likely another refinance to ease cashflow.

That’s $100,000 of additional debt in just three years. And the cycle was about to repeat itself.

The broker was concerned. And rightly so.

But here’s the real problem: the client couldn’t see there was a personal financial problem. Every time debt appeared, the broker ‘fixed’ it. Refinance. Problem solved. Move on.

Except it wasn’t solved. It was just moved. Delayed. Made bigger.

This broker was facing a dilemma that many of you will recognise.

They wanted to have a difficult conversation with their client: to say “we have a problem” and “this can’t continue.” But they were worried about two possible outcomes:

1. The client wouldn’t realise they had a problem because the broker had consistently solved every challenge without them feeling any real pain.
2. The client wouldn’t listen and would simply go to another broker to ‘fix’ their new problem.

Either way, the client loses. They stay stuck in a cycle that’s pushing them further away from mortgage freedom and deeper into long-term debt.

And here’s what makes this worse: every month this pattern continues, the client falls further behind. They’re not just treading water, they’re sinking. Slowly. Consistently. Without even realising it.

This isn’t a refinance problem. This is a behaviour problem. And behaviour only changes when the client wants it to change, not when their broker keeps putting band-aids on bullet wounds.

Let me be clear: there’s nothing wrong with refinancing debt into your home loan – for the right reasons.

Consolidating high-interest debt to create breathing room and set up a proper debt reduction strategy? Absolutely. That’s smart finance positioning.

But consistently refinancing consumer debt into your home loan over years, increasing your balance detrimentally each time? That’s not a finance solution. That’s a budget solution. A behaviour adjustment solution.

The broker in this story could have simply refinanced their client again. They could have written the loan, collected their commission, and moved on. And no one would have blamed them because it’s what most brokers do every day.

But they didn’t.

They stopped. Paused. And considered their next steps cautiously with heart and integrity.

They questioned whether refinancing this client again – with known spending behaviour challenges – was the right thing to do.

It wasn’t.

From a position of integrity, empathy, and wanting to do the right thing, this broker did something different. They had a firm but necessary conversation with their client and set up an appointment with us.

If you are a broker that is blindly refinancing your clients, please stop.

You have a duty and a diligence to help your clients succeed. To become mortgage-free later in life. To thrive – not just survive.

Whatever you do, please don’t just write the loan because you can.

When you see patterns like this – repeated refinances, growing balances, unchanged spending behaviour – that’s your signal to pause.

Your client doesn’t need another refinance. They need a budget. They need accountability. They need someone to help them address the root cause, not just the symptom.

That’s where we come in.

We work alongside brokers to provide the cashflow coaching and behaviour change support that turns a refinance into a real solution – not just a temporary fix.

We help your clients:

• Gain clarity on their actual spending and cashflow
• Build sustainable systems to manage money with confidence
• Address the behaviour patterns driving repeat debt cycles
• Create genuine savings and debt reduction strategies
• Stay accountable to the plan long-term

When you refer clients to us, you’re not just offloading a problem. You’re providing them with the missing piece that makes your refinance strategy actually work.

Here’s what we’re asking you to do:

1. Recognise the pattern. If you’re refinancing the same client’s consumer debt every 2-3 years, there’s a deeper issue that needs addressing.
2. Have the conversation. It won’t be comfortable. But it’s necessary. Your client needs to hear that this cycle can’t continue.
3. Refer them to us. Let us handle the budget and behaviour side so you can focus on the finance side. Together, we set them up for real, lasting success.

The broker in this story did the right thing. They chose integrity over easy commission. They chose their client’s long-term success over short-term convenience.

You can do the same.

If you have clients stuck in this cycle, or clients who need budget support to make their refinance strategy actually work – please reach out to us. We’ll work collaboratively with you to ensure your clients get the holistic support they need.

Are you a mortgage or finance broker?
Let’s work together to break the cycle.

At Your Budget Mates, we’re here to help you take the stress out of money management. Book your complimentary discovery meeting, grab our free resources and let’s make the next financial year your best yet.

CONTACT US FOR HOW WE CAN HELP YOUR CLIENTS.

It’s never been a better time to get started on your journey to financial well-being.

Andrew & Alyssa Mates, Your Budget Mates.
Sort your budget, you sort your life.

You’re Here For A Reason:

Maybe it’s the sleepless nights worrying about money. Maybe it’s another argument with your partner about spending. Maybe it’s the sinking feeling every time you check your bank balance, or the shame of being declined for a loan you desperately needed.

Whatever brought you to this moment, you’ve felt it. That pain. That frustration. That exhaustion of living the same financial story over and over again.

Here’s the question you need to answer:

What will your next 12 months look like if nothing changes today?

Be honest with yourself. If you keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing, where will you be in a year?

• Still living paycheck to paycheck?
• Still carrying that same debt – or more?
• Still feeling stressed every time an unexpected bill arrives?
• Still arguing about money instead of enjoying your relationship?
• Still watching others achieve their financial goals while you stay stuck?

The painful truth is this: if nothing changes, nothing changes.

You’ll experience the same frustration twelve months from now. The same stress. The same arguments. The same feeling of being trapped.

And here’s what makes it worse – every month you wait, you fall further behind. Every month without a plan is another month of lost opportunity, lost savings, lost progress.

The Pain Of Staying VS The Pain Of Change:

You need to decide if the pain of staying where you are is greater than the pain of change.

Change isn’t easy. We won’t lie to you about that.

Change means:

• Being honest about your spending habits.
• Having uncomfortable conversations.
• Letting go of old patterns that don’t serve you.
• Trusting a process that might feel unfamiliar at first.
• Taking responsibility for your financial future.

But here’s what staying where you are means:

Staying means more sleepless nights. More stress. More arguments. More missed opportunities. More years watching your dreams slip further away.

Staying means carrying the weight of financial anxiety into every aspect of your life – your relationships, your health, your confidence, your future.

Which pain would you rather live with?

The temporary discomfort of growth, or the permanent ache of regret?

Imagine A Different Path:

Now picture this: What if today was the turning point?

What if you decided, right now, that enough is enough?

Imagine waking up twelve months from now:

• With genuine savings in the bank.
• Debt significantly reduced, or completely gone.
• Confidence in your financial decisions.
• No more arguments about money with your partner.
• The ability to say YES to opportunities without panic.
• A clear path to home ownership, investment, or whatever your goal is.
• Peace of mind knowing you’re building something real.

This isn’t fantasy. This is what happens when people finally take action.

Take just a few of our success stories for example.

Georgia and Brayden – an apprentice and his partner – went from zero savings and denied loans to home ownership with no consumer debt.

Dave and Michelle – stuck with $100,000 in debt after four years with another provider – cleared over $100,000 in 2 years with us, and now save over $1,000 per week towards their dream of home ownership.

Sean and Olivia – maxed out credit cards, no savings, guarantors on their home loan – now have $30,000 saved, no credit card debt, and complete financial independence.

These people aren’t special. They’re not lucky. They’re not earning more than you.

They just made a choice. They chose change over comfort. They chose growth over staying stuck.

This Is Your Moment:

You’re standing at a crossroads right now.

One path leads back to where you’ve been – the same struggles, the same stress, the same story you’ve been living. It’s familiar. It’s comfortable in its own way. But it’s also exhausting, isn’t it?

The other path? It leads forward. It’s unfamiliar, maybe even a little scary. But it also leads to freedom, confidence, and the financial future you actually want.

You get to choose.

But understand this: not choosing is still a choice. Walking away from this moment means choosing to stay where you are. And staying where you are means accepting another twelve months of the same pain you’re already experiencing.

The Truth About Courage:

Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s taking action despite the fear.

It’s saying: “I don’t know exactly how this will work, but I know staying here isn’t working – so I’m going to find a better way.”

It’s choosing short-term discomfort for long-term freedom.

It’s deciding that you’re worth the investment, your family is worth the investment, and your future is worth fighting for.

You’ve recognised there’s a problem. That’s the first step.

Now you just need to take the next one.

Your Decision:

Your future is up to you. What will you decide?

To keep struggling, or to seek help and change?

Remember – you’re reading this for a reason. You need to decide whether staying where you are for another 12 months is acceptable, or if it’s time to do something different.

The path forward exists. Professional support is available. Proven systems are waiting.

All that’s missing is your decision to find them.

When you’re ready to take control of your financial future, take the next step.

The choice is yours. But make no mistake – it is a choice.

What will you choose?

A Word To Those Who’ve Been Here Before:

If you’ve sat across from us at a discovery meeting, heard the plan, saw the path forward – and then chose to walk away – we have one question for you:

Has your life changed? Or are you still stuck?

Be brutally honest. Since that meeting, have you:

• Cleared that debt?
• Built those savings?
• Stopped those money arguments?
• Found that peace of mind?

Or are you reading this because you’re still in the same place – or worse?

Every person who walked away from that meeting and did nothing is still exactly where they were. The same struggles. The same stress. The same story.

Meanwhile, the people who said yes that day? They’re living completely different lives now.

You already know what we offer works. You’ve seen the system. You’ve heard the success stories. You’ve read the reviews. You’ve felt that moment of hope when you realised there was actually a way forward.

So, what’s really holding you back? Fear? Pride? The comfort of familiar struggle?

Whatever it is, ask yourself: is it worth another year of this?

You don’t get that time back. You don’t get a refund on the months you spent stuck while convincing yourself you’d figure it out alone.

Don’t wait. You’ve already waited long enough.

Book your program today – not tomorrow, not next week, not when things get worse. Today.

For Those Meeting With Us The First Time:

You’re about to sit down with people who genuinely want to see you succeed. Who have helped hundreds of people transform their financial lives. Who have a proven system that works – if you’re willing to do the work.

Come prepared to be honest. About your spending. About your habits. About what’s really been holding you back. We can’t help you if you’re not honest with us – and more importantly, with yourself.

Come prepared to be challenged. We’re not going to tell you what you want to hear. We’re going to tell you what you need to hear. That might be uncomfortable. That’s okay. Growth lives on the other side of comfort.

Come prepared to make a decision. This isn’t an information session you walk away from to “think about.” You’ve been thinking about it. That’s why you’re here. This meeting is where thinking ends and action begins.

You’ll leave that meeting with absolute clarity about what needs to happen next. You’ll see the path. You’ll understand the system. You’ll know exactly what your life could look like twelve months from now.

The only question will be: are you brave enough to say yes?

Don’t waste this opportunity. Don’t walk out of that meeting and spend another year wishing you’d taken action.

Come ready to change. Come ready to commit. Come ready to finally build the financial future you deserve.

Your discovery meeting is your line in the sand.

On one side: everything you’ve been. All the struggle, stress, and staying stuck.

On the other side: everything you could become.

Which side will you choose to stand on?

The Convenient Lie That’s Keeping You Broke

You’ve done it, haven’t you? Typed your income and expenses into ChatGPT, asked it to “fix your budget,” and within seconds received a neat little table that looked professional and… completely useless.

If AI was the budgeting breakthrough we all needed, wouldn’t financial stress be extinct by now? Instead, we’re witnessing an epidemic of people living paycheck to paycheck, drowning in debt, and lying awake at night worried about money. The technology is free, it’s everywhere, and it’s supposedly revolutionary.

So, where the hell are all the success stories?

When the masses are doing “something” and still failing miserably, that “something’ becomes the problem, not the solution.

The Artificial Intelligence Delusion

ChatGPT doesn’t know you spent $47 on UberEats last Tuesday because you had a screaming match with your partner and couldn’t face cooking. It has no clue that your “groceries” include $30 of impulse buys you grabbed while stress-shopping. It’s oblivious to the three streaming services bleeding your account dry because you forgot they existed.

Most importantly, it can’t see why you sabotage your own financial plans every single month.

When you feed your numbers into an AI system, you get regurgitated formulas dressed up as personalised advice. “Spend 50% on needs, 30% on wants, 20% on savings.” The same tired percentages that have been circulating the internet for years. The same “wisdom” that’s clearly failing millions of people who are still broke despite having access to it.

But generic advice isn’t even the worst part. The real damage happens when AI makes assumptions about your life that are catastrophically wrong.

It assumes you have the discipline to stick to arbitrary spending caps. It assumes your income is predictable. It assumes you possess the emotional intelligence to handle the psychological warfare that money triggers. It assumes your partner magically shares your financial vision.

These assumptions aren’t just wrong. They’re dangerous.

The Human Element They Don’t Want You to Value

Money isn’t mathematics. It’s psychology, relationships, fear, ambition, and every unresolved issue from your past wrapped up in dollar signs. When you’re panicking about a bill, you don’t need an algorithm telling you to “optimize your spending allocation.” You need someone who understands that financial chaos destroys marriages and steals sleep.

ChatGPT can’t intervene when you’re about to make a decision that will wreck your budget. It can’t see the desperation in your voice when you’re explaining why you’re still struggling despite doing “everything right.” It can’t celebrate your breakthrough moments or guide you through the inevitable setbacks that real life delivers.

And it sure as hell can’t help you and your partner stop fighting about money and start building wealth together.

The Convenience Trap

There’s something seductive about typing questions into a chat box and getting instant “solutions.” It’s free, it’s fast, and it doesn’t require you to admit to another human being that you’re struggling. But convenience has become the enemy of actual progress.

The couples who walk into our office have tried everything: apps, calculators, DIY spreadsheets, and yes, AI-generated budget plans. They arrive defeated, exhausted, and convinced they’re fundamentally flawed when it comes to money.

But here’s what we’ve discovered after working with hundreds of clients: You’re not broken. You’ve just been using broken systems.

What Real Human Connection Delivers

When Dave and Michelle first sat across from us, they were drowning in over $100,000 of debt and barely managing to save $50 a week. They’d tried other “solutions” even another budget provider, yet nothing stuck. Nothing was working.

Two years later? $100,000 debt gone (across 9 different providers mind you), and saving over $1,000 every single week toward building their dream home. You can read Dave & Michelle’s story here

The difference wasn’t a better algorithm. It was human understanding, personalised strategy, and ongoing support that adapted to their real life, not some theoretical model.

Our Google and Facebook reviews tell the same story repeatedly: people who were stuck, stressed, and spiralling finally found their way forward. Not through more sophisticated technology, but through genuine human expertise and connection.

The return on investment speaks for itself. Our clients typically see their investment in our services returned multiple times over through eliminated debt, accelerated savings, and newfound opportunities. But the real transformation isn’t just financial – it’s the restored relationships, the peaceful sleep, and the confidence that comes from finally being in control.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Our Digital Age

We’ve been programmed to believe that if there’s an app or AI for something, we should use it instead of “bothering” real people. This conditioning runs so deep that asking for human help now feels almost embarrassing.

But your financial future isn’t a coding problem to be solved by an algorithm. It’s a life to be built, and building requires human wisdom, ongoing strategy, and support that evolves with your changing circumstances.

The fact that most people remain financially stuck despite unprecedented access to digital “tools” should wake you up. Maybe we don’t need more technology. Maybe we’ve forgotten the irreplaceable value of genuine human expertise.

Stop Following the Broke Masses

Every day, millions of people ask AI for budget advice while remaining trapped in financial mediocrity. They’re choosing the convenient option over the effective one, the free option over the transformational one.

If you want different results, you need to make different choices.

You can keep joining the masses who use AI and wonder why they’re still broke next year. You can keep believing that artificial intelligence understands your complex human reality.

Or you can choose to work with people who’ve spent years mastering the art and science of financial transformation. People who understand that successful budgeting isn’t about spreadsheets – it’s about building the life you’re brave enough to dream about.

Because when it comes to your money, your marriage, and your future, artificial intelligence isn’t just inadequate.

It’s insulting.

Your financial breakthrough deserves human intelligence, human empathy, and human expertise. The kind that can only come from people who’ve walked this path with hundreds of clients and guided them from financial chaos to genuine prosperity.

At Your Budget Mates, we don’t just build budgets. We build the financial foundation for the life you actually want to live.

Stop outsourcing your future to a chatbot. Your budget deserves better. Your family deserves better.

You deserve better.

Book your discovery meeting with our team today to learn more.

I read a great quote a few years ago by Deepak Chopra. “In every moment the choice is love or fear. Choose love.”

In a world addicted to chaos the above quote is quite pertinent. We are all the co-creators of the life we most desire, the life we get to live and our choices guide us every single day. The simple act of looking at our problems or challenges as they arise through our individual lenses of experience – and bringing back our decision making to love or fear is powerful. It gives us perspective. It gives us creative control. It gives us clarity.

Yet so many people remain on the hamster wheel going round and round choosing chaos. It’s bizarre.

We see examples of this with small business owners that have a winning idea, choose to go all in on their business and grind every single day to ‘make it happen’. Many making little money, but just hanging in there. They remain addicted to the grind and the hustle and because it’s small business it means that earnings are low, and because they think this, they keep going around the merry-go-round creating the same experience in their life through the law of attraction: what you think about, you bring about – your thoughts become your reality.

The small business owner doesn’t stop to smell the flowers. But they could IF they choose to.

Many small business owners keep their heads down, push on, and get it done – often at the detriment of their health and the consistent need to be busy (which is very different to being productive by the way…). But if they stopped – even for a moment (even a tiny moment) they could take a step back to look at their processes, what they are doing on a daily basis, what’s working, what’s not working and what they could do to improve their business. They might even find that they, themselves and their ‘ego’ are in the way of their success by the way they are thinking… just push, push, push – but not having the strategy that launches them forward.

The key part of living in chaos is the decision to keep going, to keep pushing forward even when things aren’t working. It’s a choice—whether people realise it or not—to choose chaos over clarity. This happens when we remain addicted to the trauma that creates the chaos and fail to get out of our own way by doing something different.

It’s the textbook definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome, even when things clearly aren’t working. We choose not to change. It’s like knowing you need to do something, then deliberately choosing to do nothing. This becomes a decision through indecision—an active choice to remain trapped in chaos instead of stepping out of our own way.

We see a similar mentality with couples that come to us on different pages with their household budget trying to hold it all together – struggling through the chaos. A recent couple had a ‘one-pager’ budget. Better than most who only have an idea of what a ‘budget’ is in their mind. And good for them for having a one-pager, it’s a great place to start… but their one-pager was severely lacking clarity, strategy and insight to make future informed financial decisions.

And this was an ‘organised’ couple with a few investment properties. Organised with their broker – but not clear on their budget, their strategy or their long-term financial goals. They were lost, confused, living in the chaos – and actively choosing chaos over clarity – even when presented with a solution to solve their chaos!

Their chaos looked like this:

❌ Sporadic or zero savings.

❌ Decisions are made on the fly based on what ‘feels’ good at the time.

❌ Working on ‘opposite teams’ with different education levels and thought processes despite being married.

❌ Still maintaining individual bank accounts.

❌ Buying and selling investment properties without any clarity or strategy – just what ‘feels’ right on the day.

❌ Ambiguous goals, zero clarity to make informed financial decisions.

❌ Impulsive with zero foundations for growth or wealth creation (despite being in a great position to get things right).

When it comes to your greater financial picture we always recommend that you ‘build your team’. And when investment property comes in your team could look like your mortgage broker, your buyers agent, your accountant, your financial planner, and even us – to help give clarity on what you can afford to do financially, before you make the commitment to purchase any property.

Working with a broker that you know, love and trust is a game changer. But you need to be informed – you need to have clarity on your financial goals so you understand how your new loans will affect you prior to becoming a home owner or investment property investor.

Because in ‘mortgage broking land’ if the lender say’s yes, you can borrow – the onus is on You, the consumer to understand where your money is going. And just because the bank says you ‘service’ your loan, doesn’t mean you should go for it!

How does one purchase their first home or investment properties without any plan albeit a one-pager (with zero clarity) or worse with ideas in their own heads?

It astounds me that couples are making decisions without any plan in place – and in doing so are choosing chaos over clarity. All they need to do is choose again. It’s that simple. And all the chaos slips away. You level up. You grow. And you make informed decisions (finally), but this time – as a team.

What most couples don’t realise is that they are going to keep being reactive until they decide to step up and take control.

Our financial problems don’t resolve by ignoring them. They resolve by getting clear on what you want to do and by taking action. They resolve by flicking off the ‘one-pager’ budget that provides zero insight and getting a real budget built for you.

Our budget plans are ‘done-for-you,’ aligned with your goals, designed to give you peace of mind, clarity and the ability to make informed financial decisions, and are around 20-25 pages by the way… with a TON of strategy thrown in for your peace of mind, your calm, and your clarity. They are designed to help you step out of your chaos and stop guessing your financial future.

At the end of the day, it’s not about how much we earn – it’s about what we do with what we have. A pay rise will never fix dysfunction, and more hustle in your business won’t fix a lack of strategy. Only you can do that – but only if you choose to.

So, stop making excuses, start getting results, get clear on your goals, and get on the same team with your partner because whether you like it or not, it begins and ends with you.

Every problem.

Every pain point.

Every failure.

And every success.

If you aren’t thriving financially as a couple then maybe ‘winging it’ isn’t working… because you deserve to thrive. You deserve to crush it. And you deserve to have every single bit of clarity within your strategy that launches you forward and gets you out of your chaos, into clarity, into abundance, into true wealth creation.

The choice has, and always will be yours. Chaos or clarity. Love or fear.

“And we get to choose whether we want chaos or clarity in our lives because our best future is only ever a decision away…”

If you’re ready to choose clarity, strategy and peace of mind for your business or household finances please reach out – we’d love to help you!

Written with love, heart and soul by a human – Andrew Mates (Not A.I).

Keep the human connection alive!

I once started an argument about short necked giraffe’s.

Canberra Zoo, Jamala Wildlife Lodge is an amazing part of our country. If you haven’t been I highly recommend it. Alyssa and I were fortunate to stay there in 2015 and had an absolute blast. We booked into the giraffe room and were greeted by Hummer the giraffe right outside the sliding doors that led to our deck. We even got to hand feed Hummer. It was a breathtaking moment for us as a couple and a phenomenal connection to nature and animals.

Our overnight booking included a feast in the main hall with other visitors as well as behind the scenes tours of the zoo and up-close encounters with other animals. Did you know that when you pat a dingo that they have no scent and your hands don’t smell?

Anyhow, at our dining room event I brought up the history of the short-necked giraffe as a bit of a laugh. Placed just enough truth into it to make it seem legit to see how the 20 or so people in the room would react. We had people from all over the country. Some from ‘Mosman NSW’ who you could spot a mile off as they looked like an avatar for upper Sydney living.

I delivered my statement to the group from a position of truth, no smile, just ‘fact.’ It went a little like this…

Opening question: Has anybody heard about the short-necked giraffe?

People put down their wines and listened.

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The statement lie: “The short-necked giraffe was around a long time ago. At the same time there were short-necked giraffes there were also long-neck giraffes. What happened was the food source, trees, where giraffes would eat would have their bottom leaves eaten first and as the trees grew the short-necked giraffes couldn’t reach their food source. It was natures way of ‘survival of the fittest’. Shortly after as the short-necked giraffes had zero access to a food source they perished, died off and the long-neck giraffes we see today became the only dominant species on the planet.”

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What was most interesting following this statement is that everybody in the room (even the zoologists) had an opinion on the short-necked giraffe (that may never have even existed). My statement was a creative one, a gaff after a few wines and feeling a little humorous on the night (and wanting to break the ice with the group).

Yet everyone now had an opinion.

And the fight was on for truth, for lies, who was right and who was wrong whilst I sat back quietly and had a few chuckles… It was like throwing a cat among the pigeons and watching a human psychology live. Some questioned, some argued (looking at you Mosman) and the conversation opened opportunities for deep reflection and thought.

Reminds me of the nightly news from the mainstream media when they put an ‘idea’ out there (whether it’s real or not), just how quickly people form an opinion and then fight for their life to defend it.

We’re a little off track for a budget blog, so what’s the point to this? The point is don’t miss out on YOUR life whilst you are stressing about money. Plan for adventures. Build your dream home. Live in harmony with one another but choose to budget effectively so you don’t miss out!

Cherish the amazing moments you have with your family, and don’t forget to have a gaff and a giggle along the way…

This adventure cost around $2,000 for one night stay for a couple (it was the cheapest room). We had a phenomenal adventure with Hummer, the long-necked giraffe. For higher costs you could have stayed with the lions (and yes, they roared at sunrise much to the despair of guests). Food was great, short-necked giraffe conversation was intensely interesting, and it was a moment we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

In closing: did you know that in the theory of evolution (which is fake by the way) the following is stated: There were 2 types of giraffe, the short-neck ones and the long-neck ones, but the ones that survived were the long-neck ones.

For fans of Monty Python, consider Anne Elk (played by John Cleese) and her ‘theory’ of the Brontosaurus (which is her theory, and she owns it, *cough*). It’s easy to see the hilarity in the opening comment “has anybody heard about short-necked giraffes” and then ‘factual’ backup provided by me. Video reference here.

What I didn’t foresee was the way this information would have been interpreted in the room from a bunch of strangers. It’s interesting how we can be made to believe things – even the silly things – when somebody delivers it to us as ‘factual’ and ‘true.’

Always use your discernment with the information you are granted daily and budget wisely. Your life depends on it!

First, third or fifth? Where do you see yourself in the game of life? When you reflect back, will you look back with pride, or with a sense of ‘what-if’ and missed opportunity?

We can’t wait for the weekend to be at the grounds watching our favourite team play live, or with our eyes glued to the TV. Our heroes on the field, the speed, the stamina, the sweat, the energy and the enthusiasm of the thrill of the winning goal… and we share in every victory, as if it is our own victory.

In the coming week we gloat with pride on our team’s win at work with our colleagues, often ribbing one another when their team lost and our team won. It’s a sense of comradery, of competition, of herd inclusion, and ‘success’ in life. A real sense of belonging, of connection, of common purpose, a focus, and a goal – when you are standing on the sidelines cheering on your team to win.

Week after week we stay in the stands or remain glued to the TV cheering, commentating, connecting… but we never once leave our seat. In a quiet moment of reflection, you may pause to wonder… have you been sitting on the sidelines every weekend cheering on others without ever cheering on yourself?

When was the last time you kicked a winning goal?

For many, they haven’t. They have just stood on the sidelines cheering on others, celebrating their success, and living their lives on repeat.

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“When was the last time you had an honest conversation about your financial future? So many sports buffs we talk to can parrot the results leader board from the weekend, and even the entire season… but when it comes to financial goals, savings strategies, or even how much their interest rate is, we get blank stares.”

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You might be realising that this article is about football and the social programming of repetition, distraction, all designed to keep you in your own lane. Yet, this article has nothing to do with football. It’s about you: Your life, your goals and YOU choosing to live your best life. And whilst it’s important to share in others’ successes as a part of being the social animals we are, we must learn to feather our own nest first.

It’s great that you have memorised your team’s score and that you have loved playing the game for your team (on the sidelines). Now let’s play another game. A game that focuses on you – your happiness, your joy, your financial future and the capacity to live your life at the fullest.

Let’s flip the script to your financial future. It can be just as exciting sitting on the edge of your seat – but this time – not on the sidelines, in the driver’s seat.

Learning how your money flows, discovering new strategies, new pathways for empowering yourself – and instead of watching your team win, you get to watch YOU win with the same passion, enthusiasm and excitement you had for your team. As your savings accounts grow, as your stress decreases and you begin to thrive, you can recognise what’s more important than watching others succeed is watching YOU succeed.

When you have your finances sorted out and have discovered a love of budgeting and self-success, by all means go back and watch your football that you love. But this time support your team as a spectator knowing that you are crushing it in your personal life. This way you’re not missing the main event… you’re no longer missing out on YOU.

No longer do you need to parrot the leader board of your favourite team as your only core focus in the staff room. Instead, you can memorise your financial goals, your savings targets, map out your holiday plans and thrive in your life with a real weekend commitment for you and your family.

Because what you do today matters and life is short.

The more time you spend sitting on the sidelines watching others’ success while you do nothing hurts. You get to decide whether your life deserves a gold medal or a participation trophy. Thank’s for playing.

Don’t waste your life sitting on the sidelines waiting to kick the winning goal. Take action, love yourself enough to matter, kick the winning goal and thrive.

Book your discovery meeting with us today to learn more!

Do you remember when you first met your significant other? That first smile that melted you? The way your hand fit perfectly in theirs? That warm, undeniable glow in your chest whispering, “this might be the one”? Those early days were filled with dreams of building a life together, one that felt aligned with your values, where love and laughter flowed as freely as your shared ambitions.

But somewhere along the way, life got busier. Stress crept in. The spark dimmed under the weight of bills, deadlines, and obligations. Years pass and your relationship changes. The moments of lightness and connection are replaced with tense conversations about money, late-night worries, and the heaviness of knowing things aren’t as they used to be.

Money stress doesn’t just stay on the page of your budget, it seeps into every aspect of your relationship. It becomes the sharp tone in your voice when you’re both tired. It fuels arguments that never quite find any resolution. It builds walls between you instead of bridges. And slowly, without realising it, you start protecting yourselves from each other instead of protecting each other from the world.

It’s no wonder that financial stress is the leading cause of relationship breakdown. The cost of living keeps climbing. Mortgages bite harder. Home prices feel out of reach. And in the midst of it all, there are endless “solutions” promising to fix everything. Apps, widgets, and advice that doesn’t fit your life, all which leave you feeling more confused and frustrated.

Over time you start to wonder if you’re doing something wrong, why it feels like no matter how hard you work, you can’t quite get ahead. And in that frustration, we can unintentionally hurt the very person we love the most.

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“We encourage you to take a moment to put down your dukes and listen to each other without judgement – but with love, and gratitude for the person you have chosen as your significant other, and look at your finances as a team. You deserve to live a happy life with your loved ones, so do it for yourselves, and do it for your children. Lead from love and until you are aligned and on the same page.”

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You’ll discover that couple budgeting is an act of love. It’s not about spreadsheets or restrictions. It’s about safety, connection, and choosing a shared future. It’s sitting down together, not as opponents but as teammates, and mapping out a life that supports you both. It’s reclaiming control so you can thrive instead of just survive.

On the other side of couple budgeting lies something powerful. It’s the home where arguments aren’t fueled by financial stress. It’s the calm after a long day, knowing the hardest conversation you’ll have tonight is about what movie to watch. It’s the steady, comforting feeling that you’re heading in the right direction, step by step, together. That kind of low-stress, high-success energy doesn’t just stay between you two… it ripples out to your family, your friends, your community creating a higher standard of living in the aether.

When you sort your squabble, and sort your budget – magic happens. Suddenly, there’s space again for romance, for spontaneous weekends away, for dream holidays you once thought were out of reach. There’s a closeness between you, a spark that comes from knowing you’re on the same team, pulling in the same direction striving towards the same couple goals. You find yourselves laughing more, touching more, appreciating each other again. And maybe, just maybe, you might find yourselves walking hand in hand through the forest, stealing a kiss, and feeling that same warm glow you felt all those years ago.

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“When the financial tension melts away, love rushes back in. And that’s the kind of investment that pays off for a lifetime.”

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Your love is worth fighting for, and so is your peace of mind. You don’t have to keep circling the same money arguments or living under the same cloud of stress. You can choose a different story, one where your budget isn’t a battleground but the blueprint for the life you both dreamed of.

Even if you have been struggling for a while, wobbling off the path as a couple and feeling lost in the forest… start budgeting as a couple today. Sit down together and have the conversation from a place of love, zero blame, and zero judgement. You both deserve to take that first step toward with a plan that feels safe, fair, and aligned with your shared values. Because when your money works for you, your relationship has the freedom to flourish – and there is nothing more we love than watching couples reconnect and not only find the love they used to have, but to go even deeper with their love than ever before

When you choose to build your love on trust, laughter, and connection, you don’t let money become the thing that erodes it. Back yourselves, invest in each other, in your future, and in the life you promised to build together. The numbers will follow, the stress will ease, and the glow you thought you’d lost will shine brighter than ever.

Take a moment of gratitude to thank your rekindled love, to thank your rekindled spirit, and to admire your deepest spark and tingles within. Enjoy the little moments of life that matter most. Look at the stars. Hold hands, and embrace…

Enjoy the beach walks and the forest kisses and lean into each other with love so that you can live the life you most deserve. A life without financial stress.

Written with love, heart and soul by a human – Andrew Mates (Not A.I).

Keep the human connection alive!

The convenience of modern day has made us lazy, and it doesn’t take a genius to recognise why. Everything we want is here and now, ready for us without a second to think. Just a tap on a screen and a car arrives to take you to your destination. Feeling peckish at night? Get a chocolate mousse delivered to you from the local restaurant that you can eat with your partner in bed. You barely need to lift a finger to get things you want now, almost immediately.

You don’t have to cook.

You don’t have to budget.

You don’t have to garden.

You can just kick back and relax whilst relying on the system to do it all for you.

Coming off the back of watching War of the Worlds on Amazon (the 2025 edition with Ice Cube) an absolute frenetic ride of tech, reliance and systems. One can’t help but wonder what would happen in the very real event of all systems down globally? Might seem far-fetched, but it might not with current global events that continue to escalate.

This begs the question – with such a heavy reliance placed on systems, rather than us (people) what would you do tomorrow if you woke up and all systems were down? Are you prepared?

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and your bank account was zeroed out? Do you have a plan?

A recent upload on popular YouTube channel Yes Theory, Thomas and Stephan set off on a trip to the most unknown country with no phone (and no plan). You can see it in their faces… the ‘holy shit, how do I call for an Uber,’ ‘how do we know where we are going,’ and the constant references about wanting to touch their phone but it not being there. They were scared. They could have also been experiencing in a technology detox realising the ‘trusted’ device in their pocket that helps them to live their life was gone. There was no back up.

How would you cope in this situation? Life without your phone…? How would your children cope?

Think about it for a moment. If you dropped your teenager into any area of our country (Australia), within their local area, but took their phone away from them – could they find their own way home? Could they confidently ask strangers for help or directions?

What if our banking systems went completely offline. Could your teenager use cash to make purchases? Have your children ever seen cash?

So much of our lives is spent relying on that little device in our hand, imagine if it stopped working. So many people would flip out. And our younger generation would be the hardest hit because it’s all they’ve ever known.

I’m grateful to be old enough (early 40’s) that I grew up at a time where technology was growing and we used it as a tool, but we weren’t reliant on it. Commodore 64’s were the rage at school, and IBM’s had only just been introduced with CD Rom (OMG). The internet didn’t come to school until I was in high school (around 13 years old), and my first mobile phone was around 18 years old when they were still in their infancy. iPhone was only ever a vision of the future…

Now, children (even infants) have access to iPad’s as exhausted parents seek solutions from parental burn out to entertain their children. The problem? Using technology from such an early age creates reliance. Baby sad, use iPad. At school feeling anxious, use iPad. Studying hard for an exam, use iPad. Technology in this example allows you to tap out from your emotions, your reliance on ‘you’ and keep you hooked into the system.

Our reliance on technology has disconnected ourselves from us. With content on our screens telling us how to see life, view life, live our lives and social proof everywhere online (even if it’s something bad or dangerous for us) has removed us from the ability to live a great life where we are empowered and thriving. Instead, we just keep scrolling and looking for the answers outside of ourselves. Never going within.

And worse – we see people doing dumb stuff online that many replicate, akin to monkey see-monkey do. The benefit? We end up with a society that keeps doing dumb stuff (like wasting money getting an UberEats for McDonalds delivered to your home) and outsourcing their life to a system they have become dependent upon all because they now lack life skills we had only a generation ago.

But there is a new trend emerging in our society. It’s a little quiet, but it’s there. It’s not visible on the television or on your nightly news…

It’s people who are waking up realising that there is more to life.

It’s the reclaiming of their power to choose how they live their life.

It’s the acceptance of taking ownership over their decisions – and stepping out from victimhood.

And choosing to use tech as a tool – not a ‘master,’ and not the ultimate decision maker for every question we have in life.

With more information than ever before in the palm of our hands, yet so many not utilising it – just ‘relying’ on it. You can’t help but wonder if this reliance on a system, rather than relying on ourselves, will be the fall of Rome for our modern-day society. A mass consciousness waking up to take back our power, take back our control and take back our sovereignty.

It’s not up to the system to educate us or our children and empower ourselves to live our best life – it’s up to us.

So… what are YOU going to do now you have read this article? Go back to sleep, or take the reins for your best life yet?

You decide.

With self-reliance and self-responsibility being a leading part of our core values, the simple act of learning how to budget, and truly understanding where your money goes becomes a defiant step forward in taking back YOUR control.

**source – YouTube, Yes Theory, War of the Worlds, Amazon.

Written with love, heart and soul by a human – Andrew Mates (Not A.I).

Keep the human connection alive!

We get it, there are hundreds if not thousands of tools out there to help you with your money. You have apps, widgets, the federal governments ‘money smart’ budget planner and even The Barefoot Investor. But have any of these worked for you?

Some have tried the apps and widgets only to find that they simply didn’t work for them. Others utilised the ‘money smart’ budget planner to help them budget and all they could see was if they were in surplus or deficit, and some try the Barefoot method but still don’t understand how to structure their bank accounts or where their money keeps going…

When it comes to The Barefoot Investor method, some may have had success, but sadly (in our experience) many have not. They may have set their accounts up, been prepared for their mojo, and had their fire extinguisher setup and followed the ‘bucket’ formula, yet still remain broke, living week to week and confused about their money. Scenario: We have had couples on $300,000 per year come to us with ‘the barefoot method’ in place who have saved $2,000 in their fire extinguisher (back up fund) and had stopped saving. When asked why… the typical response is because that’s what the book has said we needed. It’s a real facepalm moment. After all, if the book helped you save $2,000, why did you stop saving when you hit $2000? At $300,000 per year income why not keep going?

If you have used other apps, systems, tools, money smart budget planner, or The Barefoot Investor to help you become better with budgets and managing your household cashflow – but have failed – it is not your fault.

• Apps track your history so you end up tracking your spending, not projecting your future spend (and therefore have no idea where you are headed).
• The federal governments money smart budget planner tells you whether you are in surplus or deficit (but doesn’t provide you with the strategy, structure or education around how to change your position).
• Other budgeting providers disempower you by taking away your ability to remain in control and reliant on yourself for your financial future, and charge you fees for life. (At a time where self-reliance, self-responsibility, and independence are seeing a resurgence, outsourcing your financial future is a massive gamble).
• The Barefoot Investor book opens the conversation about personal finances and removes the ‘taboo’ but you are following Scott’s plan (not YOUR plan). It could be that The Barefoot way didn’t work for you because you are not Scott Pape!

We live in an age where we can have everything now – apps, tools, widgets etc. How can it be that with so many answers at our fingertips that so many people still feel terrible, or out of control and lost when it comes to managing their money effectively?

Because the tools we have don’t work – especially if they are ‘free’. Sure, they might give you some insight, help you be 10% better than you were previously (therefore ‘helping’ you), but if they don’t work for you, they can leave you feeling stuck and frustrated. Worse still, if you do not have genuine savings in the bank (or contribute to savings regularly) and you don’t have a clear plan ahead for your financial future you will never achieve your financial goals. This realisation can be disempowering and make you want to give up budgeting altogether, an acceptance to the disempowering notion that ‘you’ll never get ahead.’ And we don’t thrive in life when we are feeling disempowered.

So, what makes Your Budget Mates any different?

We clear out all the financial noise and provide you with the clarity that makes sense to you – YOUR BUDGET. The answer is in our name.

For nearly 10 years we have been helping singles, couples, and small businesses from all over Australia to gain self-confidence, clarity and control of their cashflow whilst remaining 100% self-reliant. Our approach is one of education, support, structure and a removal of all the clutter that doesn’t belong, to implement YOUR systems, YOUR structure, and what YOU need to thrive.

Clients on our programs have consistently experienced:

• Achieving in excess of $30,000 savings growth within their first 12 months (replicatable year on year).
• Development of solid back-up buffers in excess of $10,000 (savings and investments kept separate).
• Massive reductions of debt (best record $100,000 across 9 different providers in just 2 years).
• Paying off car loans early than loan term (best result 9 months instead of 5 years!).
• Clearing out credit cards and reliance on credit (we’re probably not favoured by the credit providers!).
• First home property ownership (and getting into home ownership with ZERO consumer debt).
• Stepping into investment property (sometimes multiple, with clear strategies for their success).
• Confidence in themselves becoming great with money, systemized and structured.
• Happier and improved relationships with no arguments around spending money and a joint focus on goal setting.
• Dream holidays and world travel (we have the pictures of couples celebrating at tropical beach side locations!).

How? By working side-by-side with you on your own replicatable systems and habits so that you get to learn how to stand on your own two feet financially and thrive. No apps, no widgets, no spreadsheets to fill out – just simplicity, systems, tools and a plan built exclusively for YOU.

We aren’t free. We don’t get kick-backs from other financial institutions. We aren’t subsidized by the government, nor do we have any affiliations. But what we do, works.

There’s an investment you need to make when working with us. It’s an investment in you.

If you apply our methodologies and embrace your budget plan fully your life will change (for the better). Many of our clients have already made back their program fees in full, and are on track to replicate their results going forward. Others have experienced more than receiving ‘just a budget’ by experiencing a heightened sense of happiness, success, connection and true wealth.

But you need to decide if YOU are worth it. To keep doing the same things over and over again (the definition of insanity), handing over your financial control for others to sort out (a massive gamble), or actually taking back your control – your power, by choosing to become self-responsible and self-reliant for your financial future.

If you have tried budgeting and failed and feel like managing your money effectively is never going to happen for you, we encourage you to try again – but this time, do it with us.

We’ve been in this ‘game’ nearly 10 years with replicatable systems that are unique to any other provider on the market that work.

We choose to remain independent of other financial institutions so that we only have one interest when working with you – that’s YOU.

If you are ready to thrive let’s talk. Your future self will thank you.

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Written with love, heart and soul by a human – Andrew Mates (Not A.I).

Keep the human connection alive!

You’re not stuck, you’re just shockingly comfortable with dysfunction…

You reached out for help because, deep down, you knew something had to give.

The stress was mounting. The arguments were becoming routine. The resentment was starting to feel normal, like background noise you just live with now.

You finally admitted maybe just to yourself at first, that this isn’t working.

That the money conversations feel more like landmines. That the silence in between is just as loud. That the tension in your relationship isn’t just about money, it was about avoidance, imbalance, and disappointment that no one wants to name out loud.

You, the saver.

The one who’s tried to hold it together.

The one who checks the accounts, tightens the belt, runs the mental spreadsheets, and stays up at night wondering how the hell you’re going to make it work again this month.

Your partner, the spender.

The one who’s “not great with money,” but somehow has the final say.

The one who lives in the moment while you try to plan for a future that never feels any closer.

And the dynamic between you?

Fifteen years of marriage, and still no adult leadership in the financial space.

Just blame, avoidance, and history repeating itself.

A man and wife of 15 years should be embracing life together not behaving like children, arguing and quibbling over money.

It’s a good thing that you reached out and took a step for help when it all got too loud to ignore and too uncomfortable to sit in the dysfunction…

But it wasn’t a step forward.

It was a step sideways.

You outsourced. Not just the numbers, but the responsibility. You handed over the mess to someone else. To ‘mum and dad’. To a financial institution that took away your financial control because it’s easier than one more argument. A solution that promised peace, without asking you to change.

And in that moment you convinced yourself that having someone else “fix it” was the smartest move when really, it was just the easiest way to avoid doing the work.

It gave you a sense of relief, but not freedom.

A pause, but not progress.

A band-aid over a wound that keeps bleeding the moment real life kicks back in.

It’s a shame. You nearly made the right decision for you and your family, and you were right there – at the edge of growth.

You almost took ownership, almost chose to learn what you never did, almost chose to become someone who doesn’t just survive financially, but leads.

But you didn’t. You had an opportunity to stand in your power and take full control. But you chose not to.

You had an opportunity to learn. To take control. To rise into leadership in your own household, but sadly like the 99% you took the easy way. The lazy way, the one disguised as “support.”

You told yourself outsourcing was the smart option, but deep down, you know it was just the most comfortable one.

And that’s the truth no one wants to say out loud:

You chose comfort over control.

Avoidance over growth.

And now, you’re stuck.

Stuck in a life where things never change, because you don’t. Because peace without power isn’t peace. It’s resignation.

It’s you silencing your instincts, your gut, your potential, just to keep the boat from rocking. But the boat is already sinking. You just can’t admit it.

Whats worse? When it comes to managing the household budget and money, you’ve shown your children that it’s OK to be irresponsible. That it’s OK to hand over your power. That it’s OK to be terrible with money and expect someone else to clean it up.

Is that the legacy you want to leave?

Because whether you like it or not, your kids are watching, and they’re learning…

What money habits are you passing on for them to emulate?

What example are you setting when every conversation turns into a blame game, every bill becomes a battle, and every solution is a shortcut?

At Your Budget Mates, we don’t offer magic fixes or soft landings.

We offer the tools, the mindset, the accountability – and yes, the wake-up call – to help you take your power back.

We don’t do it for you. We do it with you.

We help you rebuild the confidence you lost along the way and help you to have the hard conversations that change things for good.

We help you step out of this cycle of outsourcing and avoidance, and into leadership, control, and clarity.

You’ve already given away so much of your time, your energy, your identity just trying to keep things “manageable.”

But manageable isn’t the same as sustainable.

And it definitely isn’t freedom.

So, if you’re done outsourcing your power, your peace, and your future, and you’re finally ready to take full ownership of the life you keep saying you want – then we’re here.

Book a discovery meeting at www.yourbudgetmates.com.au and let’s do something different.

Because staying stuck where you are is a choice, but so is rising to the challenge…