Financial Clarity Built From Real Experience

We started velunaraqen in 2018 after watching too many people struggle with budget advice that just didn't work in real life. The kind that looks good on paper but falls apart when you're standing in the supermarket trying to make decisions. We wanted something different—practical strategies that actually fit how people live and spend.

Team collaborating on financial planning strategies in a modern workspace

Why We Do This Work

Most budget advice treats everyone like they're the same. But a family of four in Canberra has completely different needs than a couple in Perth, or a small business owner in Brisbane. We've spent years figuring out what actually works when rent keeps climbing and grocery bills seem to double overnight.

The truth is, good financial management isn't about deprivation. It's about knowing where your money goes and making choices that align with what matters to you. Sometimes that means cutting back on things you won't miss. Other times it means finding ways to afford what genuinely improves your life.

We've worked with over 500 Australian households since we started, and what strikes us most is how similar the challenges are. People want to feel secure. They want to stop worrying about the next unexpected bill. And they want to enjoy life without guilt every time they spend money on something nice.

What Guides Our Approach

These aren't just words we put on a website. They're principles we return to when making decisions about how we work with clients and what kind of advice we give.

Honest Numbers

We show you the actual figures, not optimistic projections. If a strategy might save you $50 a month instead of $500, we'll tell you. Building trust starts with being realistic about what's possible.

Practical First

A budget that sits in a drawer doesn't help anyone. We design approaches that fit into your actual routine—the one where kids need new shoes, cars break down, and friends invite you out for dinner.

Long Term Partnership

Your financial situation changes. Kids grow up, careers shift, life happens. We're here for adjustments and questions six months from now, not just during the initial consultation.

People Behind The Advice

We're a small team, which is intentional. Everyone here has spent time working directly with clients on their budgets. No one's fresh out of university with purely theoretical knowledge—though we do keep up with current financial research and Australian market trends.

Most of us came to this work after our own money struggles. That perspective matters when someone sits across from you worried about making rent. You remember what that feels like, and you take the responsibility seriously.

We meet as a team every Tuesday to discuss challenging cases and share what's working. Some of our best strategies came from these sessions—someone mentions an approach that worked for one client, and we adapt it for others facing similar situations.

Portrait of Callum Fitzpatrick, Financial Strategy Director

Callum Fitzpatrick

Financial Strategy Director

Callum started his career in corporate banking before realizing he preferred helping individuals over institutions. He's been with velunaraqen since the beginning and handles our most complex cases—the ones where standard budget templates just don't apply. When he's not working, he's usually hiking somewhere in the Snowy Mountains.

How We Actually Work With Clients

Every consultation is different, but there are patterns to what makes budget strategies successful. Here's what we've learned matters most.

Start With Reality

We ask you to track spending for two weeks before our first meeting. Not to shame anyone—just to see where money actually goes versus where you think it goes. The gap between those two things is usually eye-opening.

Find The Low-Hanging Fruit

Most budgets have at least three areas where you can save $100+ per month without feeling deprived. Forgotten subscriptions, better insurance rates, switching to generic brands for things you don't care about. We help you spot them.

Build In Flexibility

Rigid budgets break. We include buffer categories for the unpredictable stuff and seasonal variations in expenses. Your winter power bill doesn't surprise us, and it shouldn't derail your whole plan.

Track What Matters

You don't need to record every coffee purchase. We help you identify the five or six categories that make the biggest difference in your financial picture and focus your attention there.

Financial documents and planning materials organized on a workspace