Barwon family budgeting and bill management project

The project will show families how to prepare household budgets, understand and meet financial commitments and manage their bills, particularly larger bills such as power, gas, water and telephone. Families will be shown how to save smaller sums so that larger than expected bills can be paid.
If families already have issues with bills they will be shown how to reduce or manage the debt they have and strategies such as accessing utility provider hardship grants and negotiating payment plans to repay outstanding amounts. If necessary small amounts will be provided so payment plans can be started.

The project will benefit the Barwon community by reducing the number of families in financial difficulty. Families will not have utility services cut off, be subject to legal action and have their credit rating damaged.
Problems with larger bills can also lead to families experiencing a lack of food and even homelessness as funds that would usually be used for buying food and paying rent are used to stop legal action or the disconnection of services.
Sometimes families use pay-day lenders to pay bills. They will now not need to do this and be subject to the associated problems.