Organise your finances

Organising your money is often the first step to feeling in control.

  • Create a realistic budget
  • Manage your debts. You may find setting up a standing order to pay off your debts each month is helpful. The Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre offers debt and financial management counselling. 
  • Consider setting up direct debits for your bills and other regular payments so they don’t pile up.
  • Limit yourself by paying for weekly shopping with cash instead of cards. You could take out only the amount of money you are able to spend.
  • Put all important documents in one place, so that you can find them easily. This could be letters, bank statements, payslips, bills and receipts.
  • Look into bank accounts that allow you to put money aside for essentials in separate sub-accounts. This can help prevent you spending money you need for rent or bills.
  • Check your bank balance at a regular set time to understand where you spend money. 

Planning ahead for being very unwell

No one plans to have a crisis. But it could help you feel secure to plan ahead about money, just in case.

  • If you ever have to go into hospital, money can be a big worry.
  • If you ever become unable to make decisions, you may need to give legal control of your money to someone else. You can make an enduring power of attorney, which says who you want to make decisions for you.
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