Yes — you must book an appointment before seeing one of our financial mentors. This ensures we can give you dedicated time and support. Call us on 0508 HELP 4 ME (0508 4357 463) or email budgeting@phbs.org.nz to book.

Yes — your first consultation must be in person so we can properly review your situation together. After that, follow-ups can be in person, by phone, or online depending on what works best for you.

To make the most of your session, try to bring:

• Recent payslips or WINZ income print-outs

• 3 months of bank statements

• Latest bills (power, phone, rent, etc.)

• Statements for any debts or loans

• A list of monthly expenses

• Your My.MSD login details (if available — we can print info here)

Don’t worry if you don’t have everything — just bring as much as you can.

Our financial mentors offer free, confidential, non-judgmental support to help you:

• Create a personalised budget.

• Understand your income and entitlements.

• Talk to creditors about repayment options.

• Navigate debt challenges and financial stress.

• Explore financial support options like KiwiSaver hardship or insolvency assistance.

Anyone who wants help managing money — whether you’re struggling financially, working toward goals, or just want to be more confident with your money. Our service is free and open to all.

All our mentors are trained to the National Building Financial Capability Charitable Trust standards, which includes formal education, on-the-job experience, supervised practice, and ongoing professional development.

We use your appointment time efficiently to gather the information we need and work through your budget, so we can quickly identify next steps and a plan that works for you. If more time is needed, we’ll schedule follow-up support to make sure everything is covered.

Yes — if needed, our mentors can advocate on your behalf by contacting creditors to explore repayment plans or options that work within your budget.

Absolutely. Everything you share with us is treated with strict confidentiality and privacy — we won’t share your information without your permission.