Money worries is a major source of stress in Australia, and can lead to relationship problems, depression or anxiety. Some signs that financial stress is affecting your health and relationships include: arguing with the people closest to you about money, difficulty sleeping, feeling angry, fearful or experiencing mood swings, tiredness, aches and pains, withdrawing from others, feeling guilty when you spend money and delaying health care when you need due to cost.
If financial stress is impacting your health and relationships, here are some tips to help you through this difficult time:
Be aware of your emotions: Write down your worries to help work out which issues to tackle first.
Look after your health: Eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly. Talk to your doctor if you have a medical condition that can be made worse by stress.
Share your feelings with supportive friends: Identify people you can talk to about how you are feeling and who will help you stay positive.
Be honest with your family: tell them about the situation and how it might affect the household budget, If your relationship with your partner is under stress, contact Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277 for support, advice and counselling.
Write up a budget: Write a summary of your finances and include how much money you need to cover bills, create an emergency funs and pay for essentials first to help ease the stress.
Contact your bank; Most financial institutions have policies in place to help customers experiencing financial problems. The Australian Banking Association website has lots of information about dealing with banks, and how to get help if you are in financial difficulty.
Contact a social worker on the Centrelink Employment Services Line: Call 132 850 (Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm) or visit a Services Australia Customer Service Centre.