Budget Insights & Updates

Real stories from people managing their money better, plus practical tips that actually work in everyday life

From Our Community

Real people sharing what they've learned about managing household budgets without making it a full-time job

Grocery spending analysis and shopping strategies

The Grocery Cart Effect

How switching to weekly meal planning cut one family's food spending by 28% without giving up restaurant meals. It wasn't about sacrifice—just smarter timing and a simple list system.

Stellan Bergqvist, financial educator

Stellan Bergqvist

Budget Coach, Victoria

Subscription service audit and recurring expense management

The Subscription Trap Nobody Talks About

Most Canadian households pay for at least four services they forgot about. Here's a 15-minute audit process that found an average of 147 dollars per month in unused subscriptions.

Niamh Fallon, expense tracking specialist

Niamh Fallon

Financial Analyst

Emergency fund building strategies for regular families

Building Safety Nets on Regular Income

Starting with 50 dollars a month might feel pointless, but one year later you've got breathing room. Real households share how they built emergency funds while still paying down debt.

Stellan Bergqvist providing budget guidance

Stellan Bergqvist

Budget Coach, Victoria

Budget Tools That Don't Require a Spreadsheet Degree

You shouldn't need to be a numbers person to understand where your money goes. These resources work for regular people with regular schedules who just want clarity.

Weekly Check-In Template

Takes five minutes every Sunday. Track what matters, ignore what doesn't. No complicated categories or endless data entry.

The Variable Expense Calculator

Your hydro bill changes with the seasons, and so does your driving. This helps you plan for the ups and downs without getting caught short.

Bill Due Date Organizer

Stop juggling payment dates in your head. See everything on one page so you can time your spending around when money actually needs to leave your account.

Monthly Spending Review Guide

End-of-month reality checks that take 10 minutes. Look at what happened, adjust what's next, and move on without guilt or stress.

Simple budget tracking tools and monthly planning resources

Recent Updates from zoviantha

What we've been working on and what's coming next

March 2025

New Expense Category Customization

You asked for it—now you can rename categories to match how you actually think about money. "Fun stuff" instead of "entertainment," if that's your style. Plus better mobile app performance after feedback from users in rural BC dealing with spotty connections.

February 2025

Partnership with Local Credit Unions

We're now working directly with three BC credit unions to bring budgeting workshops to their members. First sessions start in April in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Kelowna. Free for members, open to anyone who wants practical money management help.

January 2025

Year-End Budget Report Feature

See where your money actually went in 2024. We built this after hearing from families who wanted to understand their yearly patterns without building their own spreadsheets. It's already helping people plan better for 2025.

December 2024

Holiday Spending Reality Check

Our survey of 500 Canadian households revealed that 67% overspent their December budget, but those who used spending alerts stayed within 15% of their plan. We shared these findings and adjusted our alert system based on what worked.