“Everyone in this country has debt,” says Gwen Harris from the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS). “When you get an electricity bill, that’s a debt. When you get a gas bill, that’s a debt.”The regional manager for north Dublin wishes she could destigmatise the word, pointing out the myriad reasons people owe money. From the benign aforementioned bills to more serious arrears, like mortgage or credit card debt. “Life happens,” she saysPeople can often go through a period of financial hardship, not just from the upheaval of unemployment, illness or family separation to unemployment, and even joyful events like the birth of a baby.Harris has been working with MABS for almost 31 years and notes that while the profile of clients has changed particularly post-2008, “what has not changed is how people feel, how [debt] impacts them. The emotional guilt. The shame.”In this episode of Better with Money, she walks listeners through the holistic process of addressing financial arrears – from the basics of budgeting (“it’s the story of the money that comes into my house and what happens with it”) to the more technical aspects of tackling debt like consolidating high-interest loans and applying for personal insolvency.Harris also explains the “snowball” and “avalanche” methods of clearing debt, popularised by American finance influencers. And she also highlights the various ways people may inadvertently leave money on the table, via unclaimed tax entitlements or welfare payments.But when it comes to parents of adult children who are living in the family home, Harris emphasises the importance of having a conversation about rent. “If you are struggling financially, that is a really critical income for you because your expenses – if they weren’t living at home – would be less.”She also shares a few tips she’s picked up over the years for saving small amounts that result in significant sums, like converting her Deposit Return Scheme receipts to grocery vouchers and sitting down for a big January reset at the beginning of every year.This episode is available to listen to on the player above, or search for Better with Money wherever you get your podcasts.You can contact MABS for free via their website, attend a local office in person or call their helpline on 0818 07 2000.