HIT FOR SIX?
START WITH TODAY.

This example is for one adult with a fridge and microwave. Adjust quantities to your appetite and who you are feeding. Check allergies, dietary needs and storage instructions. It is a shopping example, not a prescribed diet.

• A small loaf or pack of wraps.
• Enough oats or cereal and milk for three breakfasts, or another familiar breakfast.
• Three pieces of fruit, plus more if you want them.
• A small bag of salad or a cucumber and tomatoes.
• Single-meal tins or pouches of beans or tuna, or another filling you like, for three lunches.
• Three easy dinners: for example, ready meals that suit you, or microwave rice, beans and frozen vegetables. Check packet serving sizes before deciding how much to buy.

Before paying: check your total, remove anything you will not use and choose pack sizes that fit your budget and storage. A bulk pack is no saving if you cannot store it or it goes uneaten.

One meal, step by step

1. Wash your hands and use a clean plate or bench.
2. Put a wrap or two slices of bread on the plate.
3. Add your chosen ready-to-eat filling and washed vegetables, following the labels.
4. Eat. Put perishable ingredients back in the fridge promptly.

Tomorrow: use the same ingredients again. Repeating a simple meal reduces the number of decisions you have to make.

No energy: buy one ready-to-eat meal rather than ingredients for an ambitious cooking session.

No cooking equipment: bread, fruit and ready-to-eat fillings can make a meal. Check labels; some products still need cooking.

No fridge: choose unopened shelf-stable food in portions you can finish when opened. Do not save perishable leftovers without safe refrigeration.

No money or transport: look for food support on Ask Izzy, or ask someone to help you find it. Check opening times and eligibility before travelling. A lack of resources is not a failure of effort.

Keep food safe: refrigerate perishable food at 5°C or colder, follow use-by dates and packet instructions, and cool cooked food promptly in shallow containers if saving it. Read Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s food-safety basics.

Put shopping before meal preparation in your weekly plan. Choose familiar recipes, check ingredients and make enough portions for the meals you need. You could build towards three dishes you can rotate, but begin with one if that is more manageable.

Divide cooked food into small, shallow containers so it cools quickly. Label portions with the meal and date. Refrigerate promptly and use refrigerated leftovers within two to three days; freeze portions intended for later in the week promptly rather than keeping a whole week’s meals in the fridge. Follow recipe and ingredient storage instructions. People at higher risk of foodborne illness may need stricter precautions.

Thaw in the fridge or use an appropriate microwave defrost setting, not on the bench. Reheat until hot throughout; the Food Safety Information Council’s leftovers guidance recommends checking at least 75°C in the centre with a food thermometer. If you cannot store food safely, use the single-meal options above.

• Morning: wash or shower if you can, attend to your usual grooming and get dressed. Eat something, include some movement suited to your ability and pray if you wish. Then begin today’s chosen job.
• During the day: use a few labelled reminders for important calls, bills or appointments. “Leave for appointment at 10” is more useful than an unexplained alarm. Leave enough travel time.
• One home job: wash a plate, clear a space to make food or put one load of washing on.
• One connection: ask someone for a short call or make a support appointment.
• Evening: check tomorrow’s commitments and choose up to three priorities. Set out what you need and prepare the first step.
• Wind down: put screens aside for a while, read or pray if helpful, and note something you appreciated today. You do not need to pretend the day was good. Make room for rest.

Fit this around work, caring responsibilities, disability and the place you are living. If a full day feels too big, plan only the next hour.

Make the job smaller

“Fix my finances” becomes “Open the bill and write down its due date.” “Sort the house” becomes “Clear enough bench space to make food.” “Get help” becomes “Find the appointment number.”

Handle safety, food, essential care and genuine deadlines first. If a deadline is unclear, ask the relevant service. If you cannot pay a bill, contact the provider about support rather than avoiding the letter. You can stop after the chosen job.

Borrow this rhythm and move the days to fit your work, household and energy. Keep the purpose of each job; change its size or ask for help where needed.

This is the main weekly job, not permission to leave food scraps, dirty dishes or essential care untouched until their allocated day. Small daily clean-ups keep the larger jobs manageable.

Missed a day? Resume with today’s scheduled job. Fit the missed task into a small available slot or its next cycle if it can safely wait. Do not defer urgent bills, appointments, hygiene problems or essential care just to preserve the timetable. The routine should help you, not override reality.

Once a month: review upcoming bills, appointments and necessary maintenance. Adjust the routine rather than abandoning it when circumstances change.

1. Gather dirty clothes into one basket and empty pockets.
2. Read garment care labels. Separate items that need different treatment; keep new dark colours away from whites.
3. Follow the machine and detergent instructions. Do not overload the drum or guess extra detergent will clean better.
4. Set a reminder to remove the washing when the cycle ends.
5. Hang or machine-dry as the labels allow. Dry clothes fully before putting them away.
6. Fold or hang them and return them to a drawer or cupboard.

No machine? Find a laundromat, check its payment method and cost, or ask someone about one agreed load at their place. If access to clean clothes or a shower is the issue, look for everyday-needs support. Asking how a machine works is a practical question, not something to be embarrassed about.

Estimate the next year’s recurring bills using recent statements and known changes. Divide that total by your expected paydays: usually 52 weekly, 26 fortnightly or 12 monthly. Review the estimate when prices or your circumstances change.

Worked example: an estimated $2,600 a year for a particular set of bills means setting aside $50 weekly, $100 fortnightly or about $216.67 monthly. This is only an example, not a suggested household budget. Round up if affordable.

Setting aside is not the same as paying. A transfer into your own bills account creates a reserve. You still need to pay the bill by its due date, or have an agreed instalment arrangement with the provider. Check the next bill: starting a reserve today may not build enough before it falls due.

Check available funds before scheduling transfers. If money is short or a bill is overdue, contact the provider early and ask about hardship assistance or an affordable arrangement. Do not simply replace a required payment with a smaller amount you calculated yourself.

Read Moneysmart’s help with bills. A free financial counsellor can help when payments compete or arrears are growing. This is general organisation guidance, not personalised financial advice.

You could send: “I’m thinking of coming for the first time. What happens at a typical session, and is there anything I need to bring?”

• A class: ask whether beginners are welcome, what equipment is needed and the total cost.
• A community activity: ask where to meet, how long it runs and whether booking is required.
• A church group: ask who can meet you at the entrance and whether you can simply come and listen.

Check transport and accessibility needs beforehand. If cost or travel is the obstacle, ask about a free, closer or online option. If one venue does not reply, try another contact; you do not have to chase indefinitely.

For the visit, choose one modest aim: meet the organiser, stay for part of the activity or learn how it works. Arrange your own way home where possible. You can leave if it is not a good fit, and you do not owe anyone your personal history.

Afterwards, ask: “Was I treated respectfully? Would I try this again?” An awkward first visit is information, not a verdict on your ability to connect. Try a different setting if needed.

Start with a service. MensLine Australia offers free counselling for men by phone and online. Call 1300 78 99 78, available 24/7. You can say: “Life has changed and I don’t know where to begin.”

A doctor can also help you work out what support fits. When booking, ask for a longer appointment to discuss how you have been coping. Write down what has changed, how long it has been happening and what daily tasks are becoming difficult. See Healthdirect’s guide to talking with your GP.

A person being unavailable is not proof that you are a burden. Try another safe contact or a service. Children should not have to carry an adult’s emotional support role.

You can ask now, even without a particular warning sign. If difficult days are becoming more frequent, daily life is getting harder or your reactions are affecting people around you, tell a doctor or counsellor what you are noticing. You do not need to diagnose yourself first.

For crisis support, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14. If life is in immediate danger, call 000. Do not wait for a mission email reply.