What is SmartBudget?
SmartBudget is an account that helps you manage and pay your bills by spreading the cost of your nominated 12-month expenses into regular deposit. Under a SmartBudget Agreement, you make agreed deposits into your SmartBudget account, and our system ensures your bills are ready to be paid when due. Through internet banking, the mobile app, or in-branch service, you can track, manage, and be notified about your bills - giving you smoother budgeting, and easier management around large payments.
What SmartBudget can help with
SmartBudget is designed to make managing household, car and personal expenses easier. Here’s what it can support you with:
- Smoothing out big bills: Breaks down large payments (like council rates, car insurance, or electricity) into smaller, regular deposits across the year.
- Keeping bills organised: Allows you to manage multiple expenses in one place, so you don’t lose track of due dates or amounts.
- Paying bills on time: The SmartBudget account will help you to pay your bills and expenses by their due dates and allow you to take advantage of any discounts for paying bills on time (e.g. rates).
- No Overdrawn Account Fees: No interest or additional fees are charged when your account is overdrawn. You’ll only ever pay the one low monthly account keeping fee.*
- Flexibility for variable bills: You have the ability to include a 10% contingency to your nominated payment amount for those bills that vary, to help ensure you have budgeted for those little increases.
- Rainy Day: Rainy Day tracks the amounts not used towards paid bills and allows you to use to cover higher-than-expected bills nominated in your SmartBudget agreement.
- Payment reminders and bill alerts: You can choose to receive SMS or email notifications when bills you've nominated in your agreement are approaching their due date.
- Pay Monitor and Manage: Pay and monitor your bills and expenses quickly and easily online, via the Mobile App and Internet Banking. Choose from direct debit, automatic transfer and manual payment options. Our friendly staff will help you determine the best option.
Member Testimonial
I have been banking with Queensland Country for 25+ years, their level of helpfulness is exemplary, and all of the staff are friendly and professional. From housing loans to personal loans, I have never encountered any issues. The SmartBudget service is absolutely brilliant and a must have in our household! Ten out of Ten for Queensland Country for me.
Product Review - Robyn
Emma's Testimonial Video
How to make a SmartBudget account
To get started you can:
- Make an appointment with one of our personal banking consultants at your nearest Queensland Country Bank branch.
- Make an appointment with a Money Mentor.
- Or, Register your interest online
Once your account is open, you can add bills to your agreement, set your contribution frequency (weekly, fortnightly, or monthly), and begin smoothing your expenses.
What expenses can be included?
- Insurance (e.g. home and contents, car, health)
- Rent or mortgage repayments
- Body corporate fees
- Council rates, electricity, gas, water
- Phone, internet, streaming subscriptions (if provider allows BPAY®, EFT, or Direct Debit)^
- Regular loan and credit card repayments
- Health and medical expenses
- Car registration
- Daycare, school, university fees and other educational fees
- Gym, sporting, health and wellbeing memberships
- Predictable expenses (e.g. home maintenance, hair and beauty services)
Have more questions? Check out our SmartBudget Frequently Asked Questions.
Rates & Fees
| Balances less than $5,000 | 0.00Interest rate |
| Balances over $5,000 | 0.01Interest rate |
Interest on the credit balance is calculated on a tiered basis at the minimum monthly balance and paid monthly. Effective Wednesday 27 August 2025 |
| Fees | |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $5 |
The fine print
Limits and restrictions apply, please refer to the SmartBudget Terms and Conditions brochure for further information.
All interest rates quoted are per annum and are calculated on a tiered basis. Interest on the credit balance of a SmartBudget account is calculated on the minimum monthly balance and paid monthly. Rates are subject to change without notice.
*If the balance in your account is going to be negative in the first eight weeks (i.e. the dollar value of the bills that are due in the first 8 weeks plus the monthly service fee is more than your regular deposits) we will ask you to top-up the difference into your account. Your SmartBudget Account cannot have a debit balance of more than $5,000 at any time.
^Subscriptions can only be included in a SmartBudget agreement if the third-party subscription service provider allows payments via Direct Debit, BPAY® or EFT.
View the SmartBudget Terms and Conditions.
Download our Fees and Charges brochure for full details.
Before acquiring this product you should read the Target Market Determination; SmartBudget brochure and the Account and Access Facility Conditions of Use brochure. This information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is right for you and seek your own advice.