How one phone call could help get you out of debt for free

No one likes to admit they're drowning in debt but making one simple phone call could be your lifeline.

The National Debt Helpline is a free service, staffed by trained financial counsellors.

It's the initiative of the Financial Rights Legal Centre and according to Principal Solicitor Alexandra Kelly, counsellors aim to give as much information as they can over the phone.

"What you really need is strategic and free advice about what's the best option in your individual circumstances," Ms Kelly told 9NEWS.

"For consumers who need that extra bit of assistance we might refer someone to see someone face to face."

Helpline counsellors say the most important first step to getting on top of debt is to call your creditor.

"They can often do wonderful things like stopping payments, freezing interest and other things that might just give you some temporary relief," Ms Kelly said.

The second step is to track your spending by writing everything down so you can work out where to cut back and make extra repayments when you can.

Consider getting temporary help from family and friends, cancelling direct debits and seeking out government emergency payments.

Low cost grocery warehouses like Lighthouse Care can provide a stopgap.

They sell a $25 trolley of food stocked with pantry staples, fruit and vegetables and cold items.

Co-founder Debbie Hill says the group has outlets throughout south-east Queensland.

"The cash that you will save on your grocery bill will help with the other things that you're struggling with," she said.

If you're struggling with any sort of loan repayment, it's worth checking if you've taken out something called Consumer Credit Insurance.

You can claim on it when you're in trouble and there's a sample letter you can use on the debt helpline website.

For more information, contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or go to http://www.ndh.org.au/

For more information on the $25 trolley, go to http://lighthousecare.org.au/