At 68, Lynette has spent most of her life without having to manage finances.
Her mother took care of all the bills. But with her mother’s passing, Lynette realised she needed to learn how to manage her own financial responsibilities.
“My mother used to do all the bills and everything, and now that I’m living with my partner, I’ve got to learn to do bills. I’m getting there.”
Attending the Financial Wellbeing Program gave Lynette the confidence to start handling her finances, beginning with paying bills through online banking.
“We’re doing it through B-Pay. My cousin suggested it. Graham (my partner) used to do it the old-fashioned way—going to the post office—but we’ve both got to learn to do it electronically now,” Lynette explains.
“We've only had one bill so far. It was a gas bill. That's about it. But it seems pretty simple, when you do it on B pay.”
Learning how to navigate an increasingly digital financial world has been challenging, but Lynette sees the value in adapting.
“It is very hard, especially when you don’t know much about the technology, especially at my age. Everything changes quickly, and I can’t keep up.”
Despite the learning curve, she appreciates the practical skills she gained from the program.
“The only way to learn is by doing these programs. That’s how I find it because how would you know anything if you don’t go and learn?”
One of the key topics that stood out to Lynette was understanding payslips. She believes they should be made clearer and easier to read.
“Look, a lot of people don't understand their pay slips at all, and they should be changed,” she says.
“My mum, used to be a pay officer, and she read my pay slip and said you can't understand it. It should be readable so people in the workforce can understand it.
“Just say a pay officer makes a mistake, which does happen—you might miss a day's pay by accident, and people around the workshop wouldn't even know about it. They would lose that day’s pay forever.”
The program also explored taxation. Even though Lynette doesn’t currently pay tax, she realises that it might become relevant in the future.
“I’ve got to worry about my mother’s will and everything, so I might end up paying tax, and I don’t know the first thing about it. Haven’t got a clue.”
Kelly Taylor with the team at Ability Works.
Lynette also became aware of how financial systems are shifting, and she’s worried about those who don’t keep up with the changes.
“I know one fella who works here, he doesn’t even have a bank card. He still has a bank book and is too scared to get a card. And I told him, you've got nothing to be scared of. But he doesn’t realise that some places don’t even accept cash anymore. he's doing himself more harm than good.”
The program reinforced Lynette’s belief that financial education is crucial, particularly for older adults who may feel left behind by modern banking and payment systems.
“I enjoyed the whole experience and just wish we had more programs like it. I really enjoy them because it’s a good education.”
While stepping into financial independence has been daunting, Lynette is determined to keep learning and gaining confidence in managing her finances. The Financial Wellbeing Program gave her a foundation to build on, ensuring she feels less afraid and more capable of handling her own financial future.
“My partner can tell you how scared I get, but I've just got to learn what my mum used to do all the time, because I've got to look after myself now, and it can be rather scary.”