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Families SA

Last Updated May 2011

Level 7, 108 North Terrace
Adelaide SA 5000
General enquiries: 8124 4185
Customer information: 8226 6735
Customer service helpline: 8226 6930 or 1800 003 305
Foster carers helpline: 1300 134 043
Email: customer.families@dfc.sa.gov.au
This email address should not be used to report child abuse and neglect.  To report child abuse and neglect, ring the Child Abuse Report Line on 131 478.  This is a 24 hour service.  For more information see Protecting children.

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The Department for Families and Communities (DFC) is now the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI). The department is currently reviewing its online information and updates will be implemented soon.
You can still find departmental information using the search function on this site. For more information about South Australian government services please visit www.sa.gov.au.

Budget planning advice

Last Updated Aug 2009

Step 1 - Why prepare a budget plan?

The purpose of a budget plan (income and expenses statement) is to establish your essential living costs for food, housing, electricity, gas and transport to ensure that you then know how much money is spare for use in other ways. Everybody has different priorities, but you can often divide costs into three groups as in the following example:

1. Essential costs
These costs are generally fixed and cannot be reduced; that is, your housing repayments/rent, water and council rates. You may however be able to negotiate a payment plan.

  • Housing
  • Council rates
  • Water rates
  • Emergency services levy
  • Loans (committed)
  • Insurance
    • House
    • House contents
    • Car

2. Essential costs, but reducible
These costs are a part of a normal budget but with care can be kept to a minimum.

  • Transport
  • Clothing
  • Electricity
  • Gas
  • Food
  • House repairs
  • Medical
  • Credit cards
  • Insurance - personal
  • Furniture

3. Non-essential and reducible
These costs are usually for entertainment and/or personal activities, and purchases that you may be able to do without.

  • Holidays
  • Recreation
  • Tobacco
  • Alcohol
  • Gambling

 

Step 1 - Why prepare a budget plan?
Step 2 - Preparing a budget plan
Step 3 - Interactive budget planner
Step 4 - Payment of utilities and accounts
Step 5 - After you have prepared your budget plan

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