SmartBudget is a clever bill paying and budgeting tool that allows you to set your budget for the year ahead. It removes stress by smoothing out your nominated bills for 12 months and helps you achieve your financial goals and aspirations faster.
How can I view my SmartBudget agreement online?
You can view your SmartBudget agreement by logging into the SmartBudget portal, available through Queensland Country Internet Banking or the mobile banking app.
- On Internet Banking, the SmartBudget portal is accessible via the top menu bar.
- On the Mobile App, you’ll find it in the side menu bar.
If you’re not yet set up for Internet Banking, you can register at your local branch or by calling our friendly Contact Centre on 1800 075 078.
Prefer to bank on the go? Find out how to download our mobile banking app.
How can I pay my bills online?
- Login to your SmartBudget portal, available through Queensland Country Internet Banking or Mobile Banking App.
On Internet Banking the SmartBudget portal is available through the top menu bar, or through the side menu bar on the mobile app. - Select the agreement that you wish to pay the bill from.
- Click on ‘Pay bill’ and a list of bills due for payment will appear.
- Find the bill you wish to pay and click ‘Pay’.
- Check that the payment details are correct.
- Enter in the amount you wish to pay in 'Actual amount of this bill'.
- After entering all the required details, select Confirm to proceed.
- Double checking the details – Review the payment details on the Payment Confirmation Popup and if correct select Pay to proceed.
Can I add new bills throughout my agreement?
Yes, of course. This may mean reshuffling your agreement to suit your new bill so drop into your local branch or call them to talk through all options for you. Note that the restrictions regarding overdrawing your SmartBudget account still apply e.g. generally the account can't be overdrawn in the first 8 weeks.
- If your account is overdrawing in the first eight weeks there may be a top-up required.
What do I do if I am trying to pay a bill online but the system is telling me that it is not yet due for payment?
Simply contact your local branch and they can adjust your agreement if your bills come through earlier than expected.
What happens if the biller details are incorrect?
You can update the customer reference number at any time by clicking on the pen icon to the right of the customer reference number and simply editing the number. If you need to change a biller code, simply contact your local branch and they will be able to help you with this.
You can also send a secure mail via internet banking or the app.
Biller details rarely change however some providers may change the details EVERY time. Always pay particular care when making payments.
What should I do if I receive an overdue bill or rejected payment notice but I had already paid that bill?
This may mean that there was an error when making the payment for this bill. Chat to your local branch team and they will be able to assist you with the next steps to take.
What is my nominated service account?
Your nominated service account is a Queensland Country account of your choosing which can be used to top up your SmartBudget Account from within the SmartBudget portal.
This account can also be used for refunds or reimbursements. Take care when nominating your service account as if you nominate a credit card facility, any top ups from this account will be charged as a cash advance. Alternatively, if you choose a Bonus Saver account, any top ups will be treated as a withdrawal and bonus interest is lost.
Find out more about how you can top up your 'Rainy Day' below.
What happens to the leftover money when my SmartBudget completes?
When your SmartBudget Agreement completes, any leftover money in your account is returned to your nominated service account. This could be from bills that ended up costing less than expected or bills that weren’t paid.
How can I top up my ‘Rainy Day’?
To top up your ‘Rainy Day’ at any time from your nominated service account:
- Log into your Queensland Country internet banking and access the SmartBudget portal through the top menu bar.
- Click ‘Top up Rainy Day’ under your agreement summary
- Select the account you wish to take the funds from in the drop down menu
- Enter the amount you wish to add to your rainy day
- Click ‘Confirm’ and you’re done!
Take care when topping up your ‘Rainy Day’ as any additional funds cannot be refunded until the end of your agreement.
Your local branch team can also assist with topping up your ‘Rainy Day’.
What do I do if a bill comes in that is higher than the amount I allocated?
If a larger bill arrives, you have three ways to manage the payment:
Option 1
You can use ‘Rainy Day’ if there’s enough available to cover the full difference between the bill and the amount allocated.
Option 2
If ‘Rainy Day’ doesn’t have enough to cover the gap, you can Top up Rainy Day before making the payment. Find out how you can top up your 'Rainy Day' above.
Option 3
If your provider will accept a part payment, you can pay the allocated amount for the bill through SmartBudget, then contact the biller directly to arrange payment for the remaining portion.
What is ‘Rainy Day’?
Rainy Day is used to track the amounts not used towards bills paid in the agreement.
Here's how it works:
- When you pay a bill, if the bill amount is less than what you allocated, the unused allocation is recorded in Rainy Day.
- If you receive a bill that is higher than the amount allocated, your able to use your unused allocations in Rainy Day and top up the difference required to pay the full bill amount.
Important:
Rainy Day is not your account balance. It’s a record of your unused bill allocations. This amount doesn’t include upcoming or unpaid deposits and bills, so it will not match your account balance.