Anyone who owns a vehicle knows the need to get a regular warrant of fitness to ensure it’s up to standard, but have you considered doing the same with your finances?

Central Otago Budgeting Services office manager/co-ordinator Pam Hughes recommends just that.

“When people are struggling financially, what we suggest is they come and get a financial warrant of fitness done,” she said.

“We look at doing a budget, because you have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. From there, we can say, ‘You could be getting accommodation supplement and you’re not,’ or “You’ve got Sky, Disney and Netflix - do you need all of those?’

“We don’t tell people what to do, but we make suggestions of how they could improve their income to their outgoings. Giving them some ideas of how to save money without it being too hard.”

The service works with people who are financially in crisis, helping them talk to creditors, Pam said, as well as being involved in community education, through talks to community agencies or groups. 

“We do Studylink, helping the students going on to university get their student loan and student living allowance applications all completed so when they are finished that session with us they are already enrolled.”

Pam is also a Justice of the Peace so is able to witness all the necessary documents.

As part of the Central Otago REAP Choices programme, she and her colleagues cover “everything to do with budgeting, from hire purchases, insolvencies, Work and Income, IRD, and Working for Families”.

“Anything that can go towards making up a budget. We also look at real live budgets and then get them to do their own budget.” 

The service’s main funding comes from the Central Lakes Trust (CLT), from which they received $79,765 in the first round of funding for the financial year, as part of a multi-year grant. CLT does not cover the Maniototo so funding is also sought elsewhere.

“We travel to our clients throughout the area. The funding that we receive from CLT manages enough for the service to employ four part-time staff, and we will travel throughout the Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago area to work with clients.”

The service also works in conjunction with REAP to run digital banking classes, something that has become increasingly necessary in an area with many older residents who may not be computer-savvy.

Members of CO Reap’s U3A enjoy a warm drink between sessions of a talk by Pam Hughes last week.

Last week, Pam gave a talk to REAP’s U3A (University of the Third Age) members, drawing an audience of more than 20 people.

She told them many people were not aware of what they might be entitled to.

“You might be entitled to a community services card, you might be entitled to a rates rebate - the government doesn’t know what you’re trying to tell them unless you tell them.

“It’s just looking at different options, giving different ideas to people, just seeing what they may be able to make changes to in their budgets.”

Questions from the audience were wide-ranging, many addressing issues affecting the questioners' children and grandchildren as well as themselves.

Alexandra resident Jo Wilson, who attended the talk, said she gained a lot of information she could pass on to others.

“I didn’t realise it was going so locally,” she said of the service. “The coverage over the entire Central Otago area is amazing.”