Financial Baseline v4 — Corrected Budget
Treetop reclassified as childcare. Final baseline with all adjustments.
Methodology
- Period: Last 6 months (Dec 2025 – May 2026) — post-renovation steady state
- Corrections:
- QP TREETOPASCOTV → Childcare (was incorrectly Strata)
- CBA weekly $320 withdrawals → Babysitting
- Massage → $0
- AI subscriptions → $0
- Income: $11,282/mo net (single income)
- Home Loan (HML): $2,600/mo
Baseline Budget
| Category | Monthly Avg | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Childcare (Treetop) | $1,711 | Fortnightly $568–$942. Corrected from Strata |
| Uber Eats | $1,649 | $55/day — biggest food category |
| Amazon | $1,386 | Spikes Mar ($2,681), Apr ($1,803) |
| Woolworths | $1,222 | |
| Babysitting (halved) | $488 | Raw $975/mo — $320/week CBA cash withdrawals |
| Dining | $554 | Restaurants, takeaway, PayPal merchants |
| Bunnings | $398 | Reno tail still running Feb/Mar |
| MOCA Health | $344 | Bills Dec, Apr, May only — not monthly |
| Medical | $316 | Western Imaging, Dorevitch Pathology |
| Personal Transfers | $286 | Ongoing payments to individuals |
| Uber Trip | $285 | |
| Pharmacy | $276 | |
| Kmart | $253 | |
| Insurance (CGU/Allianz) | $230 | |
| Bupa (Health Insurance) | $227 | |
| Telstra | $196 | |
| Internet (Superloop) | $167 | |
| Coles | $149 | |
| Costco | $130 | |
| Vet | $122 | |
| Asian/Indian Grocery | $121 | |
| Cafe | $120 | |
| Gaming | $115 | |
| ASIC | $104 | Annual fee |
| Uber One | $96 | |
| Apple Subscriptions | $86 | |
| Public Transport | $79 | |
| Pet Supplies | $70 | |
| Fresha | $58 | |
| Fast Food | $58 | Domino’s, KFC, Hungry Jacks |
| Other (Unmatched) | $48 | Mostly AMZNPRIMEA billing |
| GitHub | $41 | |
| Convenience | $41 | 7-Eleven, Circum |
| Pet Insurance | $35 | |
| Netflix | $28 | |
| Google Workspace | $25 | |
| Google Play | $25 | |
| Physio | $19 | |
| Parking | $18 | |
| Uber Other | $15 | |
| Amazon Prime | $10 | |
| Total Baseline | $11,600/mo |
Bottom Line
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Net Income | $11,282/mo |
| Total Baseline Spend | $11,600/mo |
| Surplus before HML | −$318/mo |
| Home Loan (HML) | $2,600/mo |
| After HML | −$2,918/mo |
Monthly Trend (Last 6 Months)
| Month | Total Spend | Childcare | Babysitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | $12,647 | $1,744 | $1,470 |
| Jan 2026 | $11,489 | $1,839 | $1,280 |
| Feb 2026 | $9,201 | $1,535 | $520 |
| Mar 2026 | $14,776 ⬆ | $1,747 | $1,600 |
| Apr 2026 | $11,046 | $2,047 | $320 |
| May 2026 | $9,173 | $1,357 | $660 |
Even in lean months (Feb $9,201, May $9,173), spend exceeds income by $0–$2,200 before HML. After HML, the structural deficit is $2,918/mo.
Outstanding Oddities (Needing Your Eyes)
- Uber Eats $1,649/mo — $55/day. Is some of this family food supply (vs dining out)?
- Amazon $1,386/mo — Spikes Mar/Apr. How much is one-off purchases?
- Medical $316 + Pharmacy $276 — Regular monthly or episodic (scans, appointments)?
- MOCA Health $344/mo — Bills Dec, Apr, May only. What is this?
- Bunnings $398/mo — Reno tail still running? Wrapping up?
- Personal Transfers $286/mo — Who are Upul, Shane, Mather, Rory, Steven?
- Childcare $1,711/mo — Correct classification? Fortnightly $568–$942.
- Babysitting $975/mo raw — $320/week + extras ($470, $360). Halving correct?
- Gaming $115/mo — Recurring subs or one-off game purchases?
- One-off categories (18mo totals) — Which will repeat vs truly one-off?
- Shopping $63,870, Car $62,910, Hotels $16,782, Flights $10,936
- Reno Electric $15,287, Reno Heating $13,590, Reno Flooring $12,012, Reno Misc $11,323
- Apple Store $9,195, Solar $4,284, Travel $3,802, Council Rates $3,087
- Car Rental $2,077, Medispa $665, Cat Boarding $574
Charts
Income vs Baseline Spend vs HML (Last 6 Months)
Monthly Spend by Category (Pie)
Top Categories Trend (Last 6 Months)
Food Breakdown: Uber Eats vs Grocery vs Dining
Key Takeaway
With childcare + babysitting + Uber Eats + Amazon, the structural deficit is −$2,918/mo after HML. Even in lean months (Feb, May), spend exceeds income. The biggest levers are childcare ($1,711), Uber Eats ($1,649), and Amazon ($1,386) — totaling $4,746/mo or 42% of income.