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Fuifui Tasi has got her debts under control - but at the cost of cutting back her donations to her church.
Her church, like some others in the Pacific Island community, demanded loyalty by reading out the donations from each family to the whole congregation.
"People fear that their name is going to be read out in front of the church and everyone is going to belittle their family," Tasi says.
"There's also the women's group - donate the money; the youth group - donate the money; the men's group - donate the money. So there's heaps of money."
As well as cash, families are expected to donate chicken on a rostered basis for the feast that follows the Sunday service and many end up paying far more than the biblical tithe of a tenth of their incomes.
Tasi's marriage broke up 10 years ago, partly because her husband insisted on paying the tithe.
Faced with five children to feed, not counting three adult children, she has made a stand.
"I told the people at church that we were taught to pay tithing of 10 per cent in the Bible, but in times of need my personal understanding is that God is love and he wants to feed his people," she says.
"So I give $2, whatever I can afford. It's between me and God."
Her adviser at the Otara Budgeting Service, Rakanui Tangi, says: "I've got nothing against donations, but clients come and put $150 in the donation and the other half into paying their rent.
"If you say, 'Would you prefer to keep your house or have the donation?' they wouldn't be back to see you tomorrow. What you are trying to advise is that they get a better balance."
Mangere Budgeting and Family Support Services manager Darryl Evans says that when he asks clients to prioritise their spending they often put the church first and the rent seventh or eighth on the list. Some clients give 20 or 30 per cent of their income to the church.
He says the church seldom returns the favour by helping families in need.
"I only know of one family in this service that has been financially supported by the church, and they had to pay it back in a short period of time," he says. "My belief is that you have to have your own house in order before you donate to the church, but culturally the church is a huge part of people's lives."
But the Superintendent of the Samoan Methodist Church in Auckland, the Reverend Vaiao Alailima-Eteuati, says the practice of reading out donors' names is "part of our tradition". "We indigenised Christianity and that's the way we do it," he says.
With Rakanui Tangi's help, Fuifui Tasi got her full entitlements to family assistance, a special benefit and food grants from Work and Income.
She paid off the car loan that was costing her $120 a week, and caught up with the $3000 arrears on the mortgage.
"We made a plan," she says. "Nui just sat down and we did it. The main thing was that she released me from that stress. She was a good listener and allowed me to really express what I was feeling, and she listened."
Fuifui Tasi is now a budget adviser at the Otara Budgeting Service in Otara town centre, 274 6432.
