LGA supports more input from councils for fund management

Adequate fund management is crucial for families who may be one event away from financial disaster.

07:21 14 August 2013

A recent LGA survey found that councils will need to make some changes to the way assistance is provided to those in need. In order to increase effectiveness of the way funds are distributed, the LGA is supportive of the idea of enabling councils to have more input into how things are done.

While not everyone may be in need of multiple forms of social aid, the reality is that many people do need some help. Even households that are surviving might be one financial catastrophe away from falling into an abyss. One event, perhaps something out of a person’s control, could be enough to set the person on an unfortunate path. It could be something like debit card fraud that causes an initial issue.

Allowing councils more freedom to place funds where they are needed most is expected to help the general public attain a better lifestyle. In the meantime, here are a few ways to lessen the risk of becoming a victim of debit card fraud:

• Secrecy—we may all have great intentions, but when the unexpected happens it’s possible that if you shared your PIN with someone else, they may be tempted to “borrow” some of your funds, fully believing they will be able to pay you back before you’ve even noticed the funds are gone from your debit card. To keep our account as safe as possible never share PINs, and if you absolutely do have to share it, change it as soon as possible.

 

• Line of sight—a great rule to follow when shopping anywhere is to keep your debit card in your line of sight. You’ll be able to see what is done with the card, and if anything looks suspicious you can report it to management as well as the bank.

 

• Don’t save—when shopping online don’t save your debit card information for future purchases.