Budgeting on a Benefit: How J Turned Things Around for Herself and Her Kids
I want to share a little success story about someone I’ve been working with — we’ll call her J.
J is a single mum of three. She’s studying, on a benefit, and doing her best to make things work for her and her kids. Like so many women in her situation, she was stuck in a cycle that felt impossible to break - relying on her overdraft to get through the week, juggling Afterpay payments, and constantly worrying about unexpected costs.
When we first sat down together, her goal wasn’t to completely overhaul her life. It was just to make things a little easier. We started small; setting up a simple budget that worked with her actual income and priorities.
Her key goals were to:
Get rid of Afterpay for good
Reduce her overdraft
Build a small emergency fund so she wouldn’t have to borrow when life happened
A Budget That Works in Real Life
This wasn’t a restrictive, no-fun budget. We made sure to include sinking funds for things that always seem to pop up — birthdays, Christmas, school costs, car expenses, and even a little “self-care fund” just for her.
It’s important to build space for joy and breathing room into your budget. Otherwise, it becomes impossible to stick to. These small, regular amounts meant she could plan ahead instead of panic later.
The Real Test
A few weeks later, J’s car broke down. In the past, that kind of emergency would’ve sent her straight back into debt and despair. But this time, things were different.
She messaged me:
“My car broke down again and I had to spend all my savings plus the rest on Afterpay — but all your advice kicked into gear and actually really quickly I bounced back without getting depressed!!!!! You’re a motivational, knowledgeable wizard my friend x”
That’s when the real progress showed. It’s not that everything suddenly became easy — it’s that she’d built a system that helped her recover faster.
Since then, she’s rebuilt her savings, cleared Afterpay completely, and even set up birthday sinking funds for her kids. She left me a voicemail recently saying, “I was able to celebrate my son’s birthday without stressing about money.”
Progress, Not Perfection
J’s story is proof that change doesn’t happen overnight — but small, consistent actions make a big impact over time.
If you’re living on a benefit, please don’t tell yourself there’s nothing you can do. You might not be able to control how much comes in, but you can control how it’s managed. Learning even the basics of budgeting can help you make the most of what you have now and rely less on WINZ in the future.
I know this personally too. When I was on the benefit, learning how to budget properly changed everything for me. If I hadn’t, I’d definitely still be broke and in debt now.
Budgeting isn’t about restriction — it’s about freedom. And as J has shown, even when life throws curveballs, you’ll be ready for them.
Ready to Start Your Own Money Reset?
If J’s story has inspired you, there are free tools waiting for you inside She’s Worth It to help you start your own journey.
💻 Download the free Budget Bundle — it includes a budgeting template, a savings tracker, and a debt payment tracker to help you get organised.
🎧 Join the free Money Reset course — a short, shame-free series designed to help you rebuild your confidence with money and create a plan that works for real life.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to start.
👉 Get your free resources here.
And if you’d ever be interested in 1:1 money coaching, let me know. It’s something I’m looking at offering in the future to give more personalised support to women on their own financial recovery journeys.
