The Budgeting Hack That Changed My Life – And It’s Not a Spreadsheet

By Molly Benjamin, Founder of Ladies Finance Club

Listen to the full podcast here.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by budgeting or assumed personal finance had to involve spreadsheets and sacrifice, you’re not alone. In this episode of Get Rich, I sit down with money educator, bestselling author, and budgeting app founder Queenie Tan to unpack the budgeting hack that completely changed her life, and it’s refreshingly simple. Spoiler alert: it’s all about making your money management routine fun.

Queenie’s journey into financial education started with a very frugal, very wise father. Raised by her dad who retired early thanks to smart investing and careful saving, Queenie learned the power of living within your means. But it wasn’t until a dinner conversation with him (where he raved about a $7 Kmart backpack) that something clicked. While her dad lit up talking about bargains, Queenie was equally energised sharing her plans to invest for her daughter’s future. That’s when she realised a crucial insight: the secret to long-term financial security isn’t deprivation, it’s enjoyment. Fun finance is the way forward.

That philosophy flows through her new book, The Fun Finance Formula, which aims to redefine how women approach financial literacy. Instead of forcing yourself through dry lectures or dense budgeting spreadsheets, Queenie advocates for building a system that feels good, fits your lifestyle, and supports your financial goals. Her key message? If you want to be good with money, you have to make it fun and it starts with understanding your relationship with money.

One of the most eye-opening concepts in Queenie’s book is the idea that there are four types of money: fun and lucky, fun and skilled, heavy and lucky, and heavy and skilled. Most of us are chasing the fun and skilled type, money earned through meaningful work or smart investing that also brings us joy. But many of us get stuck in heavy money: income from jobs we dislike or windfalls tied to emotional situations. Queenie’s insight reframes money management as a tool not just for survival, but for building a fulfilling life that aligns with your values.

When it comes to budgeting, Queenie ditched the spreadsheet years ago. Now, she uses her own budgeting app, BillRoo, to keep her finances on track. The app connects directly to your bank accounts and categorises your spending, giving you a real-time look at where your money is going. If you’re not ready to link your bank accounts? No stress, you can upload CSV files instead. For Queenie, and thousands of users, having everything in one place makes tracking, tweaking, and achieving financial goals feel far less overwhelming.

Through BillRoo, Queenie encourages users to review their last three months of spending, identify average expenses, and build a realistic budget from there. From groceries to rent to savings and investing contributions, every category gets accounted for. And unlike many other budgeting apps, BillRoo lets users customise categories (yes, there's even a “baby” category if you’re a new mum like Queenie). The goal is to create a flexible, personalised financial system that you can check in with regularly whether that’s weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Security is always top of mind when it comes to budgeting apps, and BillRoo takes this seriously. The platform uses Open Banking, a government-regulated framework to ensure safe, secure data sharing without requiring bank logins or passwords. And for those who prefer not to connect accounts, manual entry options are available. It’s all about making financial education more accessible, secure, and user-friendly.

Queenie also emphasises the importance of paying yourself first. That means saving and investing as a priority, not an afterthought. Whether you’re working towards an emergency fund, saving for a holiday, or putting money into ETFs, having those financial goals built into your budget upfront ensures you're actually making progress, not just coasting.

What’s most refreshing about Queenie’s take on budgeting is her belief that it doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. Even just 10–15 minutes a month reviewing your spending can do wonders for your financial confidence. You’ll not only feel more in control but also empowered to make smarter decisions about your future.

If you’re someone who’s struggled to stick to a budget or felt like traditional methods just don’t work for you, Queenie’s approach might be the fresh start you need. It’s budgeting, but with a dose of joy, and that might be the missing ingredient in your money management journey.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Get Rich with Queenie Tan
📚 The Fun Finance Formula is available now in bookstores and on audio
📱 Try the BillRoo budgeting app with a 14-day free trial

Want more support with your personal finances? Subscribe to Get Rich for more expert-led conversations on investing, budgeting, financial literacy and building the financial future you deserve.

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