Help With Paying Bills

It’s no secret that paying bills is not something you look forward to. Whether it’s because you can’t afford certain bills or are so busy, you constantly forget to pay on time; there are several resources to help you get back on track.

With the rising costs in everyday living many Australians are finding it hard to meet all their repayments and need help paying bills below are some great tips and information on where to go to get assistance.

Can’t Afford Your Bills?

If you just can’t afford your bills, there are several resources offered in Australia to help get your payments under control:
– The first and easiest thing you can do if it’s a temporary cash flow problem is to contact your service providers and ask for an adjustment on the repayment and/or due date. They will generally accommodate your request and this can help you avoid late payment fees and black marks on you credit file.

– Apply for financial hardship with regard to debt; this is a situation when you want to make your repayments but are unable to due to unforeseen circumstances such as a change in income, employment, illness, relationship breakdown, etc. Here you reach out to each creditor you have debt with and apply – you must be in arrears to qualify, find detailed information on this here.

– You may be eligible to receive allowances from Centrelink to help cover some of the necessary household bills, such as telephone services, utilities, essential medical services or equipment, or crisis payments. See national and state/territory specific programs here.

– There are many concessions available to Australian families with low or fixed incomes, such as council rates, water and sewage, energy bills, the Emergency Services Levy, public transportation, and buying eye-glasses. This is a matter of contacting your local council, community centre or charity to see what they may offer.

 
Can’t remember to pay your bills?

Automatic Bill Pay
One of the leading bill pay options in the world is automatic bill pay. Consumers love this hassle-free option, no more having to set reminders or be surprised with a late notice. Most individual companies that collect bills offer this service. There are also 3rd party companies such as BPay or Post Billpay that you can use to manage the payment of most of your bills in one location.

Other Simple Ways to Remember to Pay your Bills

Maybe you have plenty of money but just can’t seem to remember to pay your bills. If you don’t have the option, or don’t wish to sign up for automatic bill pay, there are several other ways to help you remember to pay your bills.

– Download a mobile banking app so you can pay your bills on the go (e.g. when you remember in a line at Starbucks).

– Ask your provider to send you alerts when the bill is due. Many providers are going paperless now, so you may not get a trusty piece of mail letting you know your energy bill is due, but they will still send you emails or other reminders.

– Use a good old fashioned calendar. This is almost an archaic option, but if you get into the habit of checking your calendar every day, you won’t forget any more bills.

Regardless of the reason that you are behind on your bills; there are organisations and people that are willing to help. Use the resources above to get the help you need to get caught up on your bills. If you have tried the above or feel overwhelmed, reach out to the free financial counselors of Australia.