Help, tips and advice centers for money worries

Financial difficulties can affect any family, and there are many causes. Rising living costs, job loss, illness, separation or divorce can all be reasons for this. But there is targeted support available. If you have money worries, practical tips and special advice services can help you get the situation under control again.

If money is tight in the household budget, the first step should be to get an overview of your income and expenditure:

• How much money do you have available each month?
• What fixed and variable expenses are incurred each month?

Take your payslips or payslips, your bank statements, bills and receipts, insurance documents and all contractual obligations such as rent, cell phone costs, GEZ fees, etc. to hand. Divide annual expenses into one month by dividing the amount by 12. Also take into account your personal needs for hobbies, leisure activities, gifts and other expenses that arise out of the ordinary. It is important that all expenses are accounted for. Plan for any necessary reserves.

Deduct all fixed and variable expenses from your monthly income to determine how much money you can freely dispose of each month.

Consider where there is potential for savings, for example with subscriptions and memberships: What do you want and can you continue to afford? What habits can or do you want to do without in the future? For example, question expensive streaming services or your little-used gym membership. Which contracts can be canceled or discounted?

Consider not only your expenditure, but also your income. Are there ways to increase them - at least in the medium term? For example, check whether there are any state support options to which you are entitled, such as child supplement or housing benefit.

It often helps to keep a budget book over several months to monitor income and expenditure. You can use digital apps or keep a simple list. You can find a free budget sheet to download under downloads.

Go on a targeted search for ways to save money. Sometimes even small changes in everyday life can help to alleviate the situation without having to give up a lot. On the website of Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen you will find numerous tips to help you save money.

And you can also save money with the following suggestions:

Sustainable consumption

• Buy clothes for yourself and your children second-hand or at sales. This is not only cheaper, but also more sustainable and often just as stylish.
• Toys and many other things can also be bought second-hand, borrowed or shared with family members or neighbors.
• Use swap markets for books and toys.
• Split the cost of streaming services with family members and friends via account sharing. This makes it cheaper for everyone.
• Repair instead of throwing away and buying new. You can find instructions and tips on how to do this in many repair cafés and on digital channels.

Organize leisure time

There are many free or inexpensive leisure activities for families, such as visits to animal or nature parks, playgrounds or events in your region. You can find tips here on the Familienportal.NRW in the articles "Lots of variety for little money" and "With kids on tour".

Targeted financial assistance is available for families with a low income. Here you can find out which benefits you can receive and where you can find more information about the eligibility requirements:

Child supplement: Check whether you are entitled to child supplement in addition to child benefit. You can find detailed information on the child supplement here on Familienportal.NRW. There you will also find a link to the KiZ-Lotsen, which you can use to check whether you meet the eligibility requirements for the child supplement.

Education and participation package (BuT): Children and young people from low-income families are supported with benefits from the education and participation package so that they can take advantage of school, daycare and leisure activities on an equal footing. For example, there is money for school trips, school materials, tutoring or communal leisure activities. Information on the BuT benefits can be found here on the Familienportal.NRW.

Housing benefit: If your rent takes up a large part of your income, you can apply for housing benefit under certain conditions. The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia provides a housing benefit calculator and further information on housing benefit on the Internet.

When money is tight, it is important to talk openly with the family about the situation. Even younger children often understand that it is important to stick together and look for solutions together during tense periods. You can read about how to talk to your children in the article "Talking to children about money worries" here on Familienportal.NRW.