Don’t panic. You can find help to pay your bills

It’s getting to the stage where you feel sick to your stomach walking to your letterbox or opening your email. You know there’s going to be yet another bill in there costing you more money that you don’t have. The bills are relentless.  

Take a deep breath. You have some options.  

When facing the constant, never-ending deluge of bills that we all receive, it is very easy to forget the fundamental truth: the biller just wants to be paid. Yes, they want to be paid their money in a timely manner, but as they consolidate their own debts, it is in their interest that you pay your money at a later point than not at all. 

As a person struggling to stay on top of your bills, it is always worth keeping this in mind. As long as a company wants to see its debt paid, there will always be a pathway forward.  

To encourage people to pay their bills on time, it is becoming increasingly common for bills to offer an ‘on-time’ discount. Pay your bills by the due date and you’ll pay less.  

On-time discounts are a strong incentive for many. But, for those struggling to find the money to pay those bills it makes little to no difference. 

Many government agencies and utility companies will offer the ability to apply for a bill extension or instalment plan to pay off a bill. If you know times are tough right now, but that you will have access to more money at a future date, then this can be a good way to defer your debts for a limited time period. You can usually find details about such deferral schemes on the back of the bill you receive or on the website of the biller. 

For many organisations when they talk about offering relief to people with difficulty meeting bill obligations, they will refer to their relief solutions. Quite often what they are talking about here is putting customers onto an instalment plan to pay off their bill. 

Bill payment relief can take multiple forms. For example, many Queensland local councils can refer citizens to the Independent Rates Relief Tribunal which can provide assistance to people having difficulty meeting basic living expenses. To be eligible for assistance like this, the applicants must reside at the residence where the rates are due and own just the one property, among several restrictions. 

Some companies are better about the level of support they offer than others. An example of a company that offers a really good service to its customers facing financial hardship is energy provider AGL. Ultimately, it is still a company which is doing what it can to see bills paid, but it goes the extra step with advice and options to try to keep ahead of debt. 

It offers the ‘Staying Connected’ program, where consultants assist customers with: 

• Tailored plans that match the customer’s situation to put them on a payment plan. 

• Advice on payment options, government assistance, and available concessions. 

• Connecting customers with free and independent financial counselling and support services. 

• Advice on energy efficiency to bring bill prices down. 

Deferring payments or entering instalment plans is not a long-term solution. After all, it may fix the problem of the current bill, but next month or quarter, another bill will land in your letterbox. While deferring your immediate debts, you need to find a solution that can help you meet your bill obligations into the future. 

The best thing you can do is to call the government-run National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. It runs Mon-Fri 9:30am - 4:30pm. They will help you with general financial suggestions, but also advise on consumer rights and other related issues. Indigenous Australians might prefer to call the similar Mob Strong Debt Helpline on 1800 808 488.  

You may also be able to access further assistance through charities and other community organisations who offer emergency relief services like: 

• Food vouchers / supplies. 

• Assistance with utility bills.
  

• Clothing and furniture.

Anyone who tries telling you that money doesn’t buy happiness is someone who hasn’t felt the mental stress of a debt spiral.  

People having trouble paying their bills can find that they: 

• Are constantly stressed and irritable. 

• Have difficulty sleeping. 

• Find solace in substance abuse like alcohol and drugs.

• Cease spending money on healthcare (therapies, medication, and other treatments) to try to pay off debt.
  

• Overspend (often using credit cards) to feel better about the stress that they feel. 

Just as you can get free help to combat your debt, there are several services available to help you with your mental health. Beyond Blue is the largest and most well-known organisation that can help with mental health. You can talk to counsellors via their website www.beyondblue.org.au or over the phone 1300 22 4636.  

There are also other services that can help. If you are still in employment, many businesses offer their staff free access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). There are also specialised services like MensLine Australia that are focused on assisting with men’s mental health issues.