It is a good sign that, as Christmas approaches, more Australians are equipping themselves with the skills to better manage their money, Peter Dutton, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Revenue, said today.
“Christmas is the season where Australians love to spend time with family and friends.”
“Unfortunately, people sometimes spend more than they can afford leading to some unwanted financial headaches down the track – this can particularly be an issue for young people.”
“That’s why the Government launched the Understanding Money campaign in July this year, to assist all Australians increase their financial knowledge and better manage their money.”
Since the campaign was launched over 300,000 Australians have benefited from the information on the Understanding Money website.
In addition, over 600,000 Understanding Money booklets have been sent out to people who requested them from either the website or the Understanding Money hotline.
“The campaign has proven to be very helpful in providing people with information and resources to better handle their finances.”
“This Christmas, it is very important that all Australians try and adopt a solid budget strategy to avoid being hit by unplanned post-Christmas bills,” Mr Dutton said.
“I would encourage all Australians in the weeks leading up to Christmas to take a look at the information on the website or call the hotline to order an Understanding Money booklet,” Mr Dutton said.
The Understanding Money website can be found at www.australia.gov.au/understandingmoney, or alternately a handbook can be ordered by calling 1800 236 235.