Started With Spreadsheets and Real Conversations
vilonapex began in early 2018 when three financial advisors noticed something odd. Clients kept asking for complicated investment advice, but most struggled with simpler things—tracking weekly spending, planning for irregular bills, or figuring out where money actually went each month.
So we stepped back. Instead of pushing complex portfolios, we started building practical budget calendars. Tools that actually matched how people live and earn. The response surprised us—turns out plenty of folks just needed better ways to organize their financial routines.
Today we're still based in Castle Hill, still focused on making budget planning straightforward rather than flashy.
How We Actually Approach Budget Planning
We don't believe in one-size-fits-all templates. A casual worker with variable hours needs different planning tools than someone on a fixed salary. Parents managing family expenses face different challenges than singles sharing rental costs.
Our process starts with understanding your actual income patterns—when money comes in, how regularly, what varies month to month. Then we look at fixed commitments versus flexible spending. Only after that do we suggest calendar structures that might work for your situation.
Most people need about three months to find a rhythm with budget calendaring. Some pick it up faster, others need longer. We've learned not to rush that adjustment period because lasting habits beat quick fixes every time.
We review our own planning methods every quarter based on client feedback. In 2024 we simplified our calendar templates twice after users told us they felt overwhelming. Sometimes less really is more.
Who You'll Work With
Our consultants come from different financial backgrounds but share a preference for practical solutions over theoretical perfection. We're more interested in what actually helps people stay organized than what looks impressive on paper.
Freja Lindstrom
Lead Financial Planning Consultant
Freja spent seven years at a major bank before joining vilonapex in 2019. She got tired of pushing products people didn't need and wanted to focus on practical money management instead.
Her specialty is helping families manage irregular income—seasonal work, casual contracts, freelancing. She's blunt about what works and what doesn't, which clients seem to appreciate. Before finance, she worked in hospitality and still remembers the stress of unpredictable rosters.
Outside work she volunteers with a local financial literacy program and maintains a vegetable garden that costs more than buying produce at the shops, but she refuses to admit it.
