Many people in our community have experienced significant financial changes in the last six months. People have lost jobs, have reduced work hours - have gone on JobKeeper and JobSeeker.

Many people are having to juggle money in a way they have never had to before.

So we thought it might be helpful to briefly explore the world of financial counselling - an excellent service that is well worth accessing early if you are experiencing a significant change in income.

Financial counsellors can help you navigate a pathway. They can advise you about whether you should really access your superannuation. And they have established relationships and in-depth knowledge to negotiate on your behalf with banks and utility companies. They can help you access payment deferral periods, they can help you manage any debt that has gotten out of control and work out a payment plan, including negotiating final payments. They can help with landlord discussions. They can help you work out a plan that is tailored to your individual circumstances.

If you are experiencing financial hardship and are struggling to know where to start and what to do, here are three free services you might like to consider:

National Debt Helpline is a not-for-profit service that helps people in Australia tackle their debt problems. They say, ‘You should never have to pay for [financial] advice. Don’t ever agree to pay fees to get financial counselling, to get advice about debt or to fix your credit file’. They offer advice on debt problems relating to utility bills, housing and cars as well as debt solution strategies, like negotiating terms of repayments, consolidating loans and even bankruptcy. Call 1800 007 007.

Uniting Care Financial Counselling is part of the Victorian community services arm of the Uniting Church in Australia. This financial counselling service supports those experiencing financial difficulties and people on low incomes to achieve financial security and independence. They operate in our area. Their financial counselling services are free of charge and confidential. Call (03) 9351 3600.

Salvation Army Financial Assistance also operates in our area. Their program offers access to ‘caring, professional counsellors’ who provide personalised advice and practical step-by-step directions on how to tackle your specific money problems. Call 13 72 58.