Pam, where are you located? still putting it off… re financed, borrowed more money for another car. lets pray for a good tax return

This is all really good information I was thinking the very same question & I have been able to get some great ideas form everyones advice.

I’m also work in the financial planning field. I would suggest Not to go with financial planner in the bank. Because they have a very high turnover rate, they will just pass your file around.

I am a financial planner and I have seen a number of post on facebook suggesting we only work with those who have money. This is wrong! I work with many different types of clients, I take a holistic view of your over all financial situation and provide solutions and strategies to help solve problems or achieve goals. I can also offer a service like my budget that does not result in part bankruptcy or huge fees that cut into you already tight budget. We are able to make fees affordable. Financial planners are also heavily governed and legislated by ASIC so you know you are protected from bad advice. I am a mum myself and have survived on the single income while having a baby before my daughter was born I was the main income earner but we survived and prospered! I am passionate about helping families like this please feel free to call me got a confidential and no obligation chat 0420981508

Another free service that I’ve heard good things about is: http://capaust.org/

Depending on who you bank with you may be entitled to have a meeting with a financial advisor for free. I work for a financial institution and we off the first appointment with an advisor/planner at no cost to our members.

MOM109463 has made some very good suggestions. I am glad I read the other answers first as I was thinking of the same suggestions before I read them. I have heard good reports about the charity organizations mentioned. Before you meet with one, you need to record your income, and all your necessary bills such as electricity, gas, water, the mininum amount you have to spend on basic nuritious food necessities (not luxuries), regular prescription medicine if you have any, rent/council rates(whichever applies). At least that way you have done some preparation. You may be able to see where you can make cuts. On another list put things youu buy that you could do without or cut right down on: e.g. takeaway, pub meals, entertainment – don’t go to the movies, compromise and watch what is on TV or buy a cheap DVD or Bluray that you will watch a few times over the space of a year or more. As far as I know it is about $17.00 or more each to go to the movies without drink–last time I took a small bottle of cold water in my handba. For a couple that is about $34.00 or more. Most DVDs are cheaper than that to buy.
Treat soft drinks, confectionery, expensive cakes etc as a luxury; cut down on alcohol, cigarettes if you can. These are all things that have helped either us as a family or others I know. Don’t be too proud to go to one of the charities etc listed. That is what they volunteer to do – to help those who need it. I hope everybodys’ suggestions help you.
One other thing you could perhaps try if you have the space and right location available is grow a few vegetables. Choose some that grow reasonably quickly that don’t need too much care besides watering, weeding(if any come up) and perhaps fertilizing – not plants that seem to attract a lot of bugs. Some you can plant in tubs or troughs if you don’t have much bare ground. Some don’t take much water once they are established and don’t need watering every day. My parents grew a lot of our vegetables. My Dad had war injuries (head and legs) which caused him to sometimes have more time off work that was covered by sick leave pay. Mum often said the vegetables they grew saved them going into debt a few times. What most people do is plant a few at a time, then plant a few more 2 or 3 weeks later. That way they don’t have to be picked and used at the time and you have nothing in between. Maybe if you have friendly neighbours and they like gardening, you could come to an arrangement that you grow different vegetables and share any surplus if too many are ready to be picked at the same time. That can be a very successful way of assisting with food bills. e.g. One year when dad was home sick the neighbour had grown beans and had more than they could use. They are no good if you leave them on the plants for too long, they go really tough. Mum and Dad had managed to grow carrots. They go very hard in the middle if you leave them in the ground for too long; so we shared. After I started work, I wasn’t studying all weekend so I started growing small patches of vegies too. Some, I grew small varieties (e.g. you can grow big or small carrots, cabbages, cauliflowers). They didn’t grow as big, but they didn’t take as much space either. I planted them in small batches, then 2 or 3 weeks later planted a few more, etc. That way there was no over-supply and wastage even when they had been shared.
It served as “my” time and my stress relief for about 25 years. After that it became a chore Make sure you save all your refundable cans and bottles. Put some garbage bags or cartons or something similar to put them in and watch them accumulate. When you have a pile take them to a depot and get cash for them. If the Depot is a fair way you need to save plenty before you take them to make it worthwhile beyond what your petrol will cost to take them. A lot of places prefer you to have the cans and bottles in separate bags etc. I know this sounds stingy but if I find some lying around on a footpath or in a park and nobody is nearby that may have bought them I pick them up and add them to my collection provided they aren’t smothered in ants.

I would suggest a free service as you are in debt and there is no point in adding to your debts. Sit down and discuss this with your husband and work out a budget together. There are so many free and easy to understand services available. I would only suggest a financial planner for retirement plans as your current concern is reducing debt.

It depends on how bad a situation you are in, is bankruptcy pending or do you need some guidance, my budget and other companies charge a fee and it is several thousand dollars a year, whilst this may be worth while to let them deal with the people you owe money to and save you from bankruptcy, if your debts are manageable a lot of charities and family services offer free financial advice and can help you negotiate big bills, read the blog post on MOM re setting up a budget, it is not all that hard, have a goal in mind, read the riot act to hubby, which is good if you can get him to attend a meeting with an adviser, so that he can see what problems you have and how you can address them, it takes sacrifice and commitment but money management is like all bad habits It only takes a few weeks and you can turn it around and start seeing progress. But I would stay away from the big companies and try the charities first, mission Australia, salvation army, contact your local council or local centrelink office as they will be able to refer you to local organisations that can help you.

well sit down and work out all the expense vs income and i think that you should be fine. if you don’t know where the money is getting used up or want to “streamline” your debts, mortgage or if you own a business, then see someone. Maybe an accountant. A financial advisor will also be great if you own stocks or shares

Definitely see someone. I have a friend who was in dire straights. She put it off through pride, but eventually went to see someone at Mybudget. They were so helpful that she still uses them now. You stay with the same person throughout and she says it feels more like ringing a friend for some advice. They charge on a sliding scale and explain everything to you. I myself being a bit older have used a financial planner because of looming retirement questions and for me that has been great. But for the day to day money matters I would opt for Bybudget. Good luck, I hope you get sorted out.

cool ill look into it. im really good with money, my husband thinks it grows on trees. everything just adds up so quickly! I suppose we should have a budget.

I got in debt last year roughly around $15,000 and I was able to pay it off within a year. I wrote down what HAD to be paid and what we actually needed and thats all we stuck to. All coins went straight into a piggy bank which we never touched unless we actually had. we didn’t buy any clothing unless it was a really good deal and even than we only put it on lay-bye. When it came to grocery shopping we didnt buy anything that wasnt on speacial and we would buy a few of them so they lasted until they went on special again. Dont pay for financial advice like the other ladies have said salvation army has great services for these situations.

Look into financial counselling provided by places like Salvation Army. mybudget.com etc charge a fee for their services and while they appear to get you out of a tricky situation they also increase your overall debt.

We use a financial planner through AMP and have had no problems (and it is at no cost to us directly) but we have not been in as tight a situation so not sure that it would work in the same way

Lifeline and the Salvation Army can offer free financial counselling services depending on your location. They can help work out a budget and also liaise with debtors and ask for an easy payment plan or more time.