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Struggling to celebrate Christmas
Bill is 71 years old and lives at home in Hobart. Bill's daughter and three grandchildren live up north.
Each Christmas Bill looks forward to Christmas day spent at his daughter's house. It's not the fabulous roast dinner or the presents he looks forward to, but the time spent with family.
Tasmanians don't have to be told about the rise in basic living costs like food, petrol and electricity. We're all experiencing the effect of these rises. Cooler temperatures have lasted longer this year and many Tasmanians, including Bill, are struggling to pay the extra heating costs.
Bill has been managing on one to two meals a day just to pay his electricity. He has barely taken his car out of the garage in months because he can't afford the petrol. Bill will be spending Christmas day alone for the first time in his life this year - he can't afford to go to his daughter's home and he knows she is struggling to put food on her own plate.
Bill is a proud man and it took him a while before he came to us for help. Anglicare was able to provide him with some food and essential household items to get him through Christmas, and a counsellor from Anglicare's Financial Counselling Services has been able to work out a manageable payment schedule for his debts.
Bill knows there could be tough times ahead but he is hoping to get to his daughter's soon and he knows Anglicare is here to help whenever he needs it.
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