News Articles

If your child attends a government school and you meet the eligibility criteria you may qualify for the School Card scheme.

Provided by the Department of Education, the School Card scheme offers financial assistance to families to help cover school fees and in some instances other educational expenses such as uniform, camps and excursion costs.

For more information call 1800 672 758 or visit https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-and-learning/financial-help-scholarships-and-grants/school-card-scheme

The bushfires in Australia have been nothing short of devastating. Every time we turn on the evening news or scroll through social media, we are shown images and videos of the destruction these fires have caused. As of the 8th of January, over 6 million hectares of land have been burned, 23 people have lost their lives and over 2000 homes have been lost.

In response to the destruction and displacement that these fires have caused, the following creditors, as of the 8th January 2020, have responded with national disaster relief measures:

- ANZ

- NAB

- Commonwealth Bank

- Beyond Bank

- Bendigo Bank

- Latitude Finance

- Telstra

- Optus

- Simply Energy

- Energy Australia

If you have been directly impacted by the bushfires and you are a customer of any of the above creditors, contact them directly to discuss what assistance is available.

The ATO and Centrelink are also providing assistance for people directly affected by the bushfires.

No one likes a heat wave or a cold snap but spare of thought for the members of our community that are unable to escape the weather. For people sleeping rough, every day is a battle but add extreme weather and the results can be fatal.

To ensure that people sleeping rough have the support and services that they need to get through bouts of extreme weather, the South Australian Government will activate a Code Red for extreme heat or a Code Blue for extreme cold. A Code Red will be activated if the average daily temperature is above 32°C for 3 consecutive days and a Code Blue will be activated if any 2 of the following conditions occur for 3 consecutive days; average night time temperature falls below 6°C, there is significant rainfall and/or damaging winds

If a Code Red or Blue is activated, homelessness services and shelters are notified to provide additional support and services for people sleeping rough.

The South Australian Department of Human Services will notify the public via social media if a Code Blue or Red has been activated. Homelessness services will reach out to known rough sleeper locations to inform people of the extra services that are available.

For more information about the extra services that are available during a Code Red or Blue, search for Housing SA in the Affordable SA App or contact the Homelessness Gateway Service on 1800 003 308.

For more information on Homelessness visit [www.affordablesa.com.au](http://www.affordablesa.com.au/) or download the Affordable SA App today free from Google Play or App Store.

I think we can all agree that the last few weeks in South Australia have been extremely hot.

In order to escape the scorching heat, many of us simply stayed at home out of the sun, lingered longer than usual near an open fridge or drank an unhealthy amount of iced fizzy drinks. Those lucky enough turned on air conditioners and blasted the house with cold air.

Although the air conditioner provides much needed relief from the outside oven-like temperatures, it is important to be mindful of how you are using your air conditioner and to consider if there are more energy efficient ways to keep your house cool.

Here on the Affordable SA Helpline, we see the result of high electricity consumption and the impact that it can have on people's financial situations.

If you have received your most recent electricity bill and you believe that your consumption is high, it might be worthwhile looking at doing a Home Energy Audit or borrowing a Home Energy Toolkit from your local library. For more information about these services, search for Home Energy Audit or Home Energy Toolkit on the Affordable SA App.

If you are in financial hardship and cannot pay your electricity bill then talk to the Helpline to see if you qualify for concessions or an EEPS grant (Emergency Electricity Payment Scheme). Accessing an EEPS will require an appointment with a Financial Counsellor, ring the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or the Affordable SA Helpline on 1800 025 539 and make an appointment with a Free Financial Counsellor nearest you or over the phone.

For tips to keep your house cool this summer, see the attached PDF 'Summer Cooling Guide 2019-20' from the Government of South Australia.

'A Christmas Greeting from us all here'

Throughout the year many people who have used the Affordable SA App or website, rung the Helpline or had appointments with our financial counsellors, have sent cards, e-mails and rung to tell us how they feel after receiving help.

We thought we should share some of their message... go to our video.

Please have a great and safe Christmas.

"Last Minute Gifts"

I always find the next 24 hours to be a bit overwhelming

All around us there is cooking, assembling, wrapping, shopping, queuing, organizing, decorating, visiting, cleaning, caroling, flying, driving…the list goes on.

If you’ve sat down at your kitchen table and realized you've forgotten to get (insert name here) a Christmas present, don’t fret we have put our thinking caps on once again to come up with a list of last-minute DIY gifts.

- Home-made gingerbread biscuits

- Cookies/Cake in a Jar (layer the dry ingredients)

- Coupon book (e.g. wash the car, mow the lawn, cook dinner, etc)

- Homemade bread

- Photo Collage

- Salt dough ornaments

- Homemade salsa or jam

- Personalized Phone Case



"Christmas Travel"

Whether you are heading towards The Big Lobster, The Big Pineapple, The Big Merino, The Big Cockroach or The Big Orange this Christmas, travelling by car with children can be expensive during the festive season.

Here on the Affordable SA Helpline, we have put our thinking caps on to create the following list of tips to help save money while travelling during the Christmas period.

- Depending on the length of the trip, try and embark and arrive between meals so you don’t have to spend money on food (e.g. leave just after breakfast or lunch)

- Fill up the petrol tank prior to Christmas Eve/Christmas Day to avoid the higher prices

- If it’s going to be hot, freeze water in water bottles the night before so you don’t have to rely on buying expensive cold water at the petrol station.

- Download music and videos using WIFI before you leave home, rather than relying on data

- Consider constructing a DIY lunch box for each person in the car, so you don’t have to rely on petrol stations, bakeries or fast food restaurants

- Check the oil and water levels in the car before you leave. The last thing you want to do is pay a mechanic if your car breaks down.

- If it is going to be hot, try and avoid driving during the hottest part of the day to save on using the air conditioner (which ultimately can save on petrol costs)

Take it easy and have a safe trip, especially if you're travelling far, far away

“Feeling the Stress?”

It’s the 21st of December,

- Have you still got Christmas presents to buy?

- Is your electricity bill and water bill due?

- Have you got people staying with you? (are you using a lot more electricity?)

- Is your monthly credit card payment due?

- Have the lights on your Christmas tree stopped working?

- Is your car registration due 2 days after Christmas?

- Are your children asking the age-old question, ‘How does Santa get into the house when we don’t have a chimney?’

- Have you got the money to pay for petrol to drive the hour to your brother’s house for Christmas lunch?

Christmas can be a stressful time of year.

Even if we have a list…and check it twice, something will always pop up this time of year us to add to our ever-increasing stress levels. The important thing to remember is that we can not control everything…take the weather for example.

It is important to focus on the things that we can control and the steps that we can take now and into the new year so next Christmas doesn’t have to be as stressful.

To start planning for Christmas 2020, consider creating (and sticking to) a budget.

For tips and tricks around budgeting, see the attached link from the ABC.

If you are are feeling stressed about your financial situation and you would like to discuss your options with a Financial Counsellor, call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or search for Financial Counselling on the Affordable SA App.

“Right to be Safe”

The idea of home is an important part of the festive season.

- “When is your sister flying home?”

- “We are not going to be home for Christmas”

- “Can we go home, my feet hurt!” (one of the pitfalls of Christmas shopping)

- “Are you going to be home on Boxing Day, I’ll drop off your salad bowl?"

One of the most important things about your home, is that it is a safe place.

For some of us, home is not a safe place.

You might feel unsafe around the people that you share your home with or who come to visit you in your home.

This Christmas, everyone has the right to feel safe in their home.

If you are feeling unsafe in your home, contact 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732 to speak to a trained counsellor or search for 1800 Respect on the Affordable SA App.

For more information about Domestic Violence, see the attached document 'A Right to be Heard'