How to Read a Cash Flow Report (and What to Do With It)
A cash flow report shows money in, money out and what's left. Learn to read each part, avoid traps like transfers, and turn the report into decisions.
The Kemback blog
Practical guides to budgeting, saving, bills, debt and sharing money at home.
How to Cut Spending Without Feeling Deprived
Cut spending without misery: find what you value, trim the rest first, start with big fixed costs and use swaps instead of bans. A worked $600-a-month example.
How Many Budget Categories Should You Have?
Too few budget categories hide problems and too many become a chore. Here's how to find the right number, with a sample list and tests for splitting or merging.
Saving for a House Deposit: A Step-by-Step Plan
How to work out what a home really costs up front, set a monthly savings target, choose where to keep the money and stay on track until you are ready to buy.
Getting Married? How to Combine Your Finances Step by Step
A step-by-step guide to combining finances before or after marriage: sharing the full picture, choosing accounts, updating paperwork and building one budget.
How to Budget for Utility Bills That Change Every Month
Three ways to budget for electricity, gas and water bills that rise and fall with the seasons, from 12-month averages to a utility buffer, with worked examples.
How to Budget for a New Baby: Costs, Timeline and a Sample Plan
Plan for a new baby's costs: one-off purchases, new monthly expenses, parental leave income gaps and childcare, with a sample budget and a savings timeline.
What to Do When You Overspend an Envelope
Overspent an envelope? Here is how to cover the shortfall, which envelopes to borrow from first, and how to tell a one-off from a budget that needs to change.
How to Avoid Late Fees and Overdraft Fees for Good
Practical ways to stop paying late fees and overdraft fees: buffers, due-date changes, alerts and account settings, plus what to do if you are charged one.
Envelope Budgeting for Couples: Shared and Personal Categories
How couples can run one envelope budget with shared categories and personal money for each partner, plus worked examples for equal and unequal incomes.
Living on Last Month's Income: How to Get a Month Ahead
Living on last month's income ends the paycheck-to-paycheck squeeze. Learn how a one-month buffer works, how to build it step by step, and how long it can take.