GLENN BILLEY has been hit harder than most by the global financial crisis. He had a job as a car salesman at Barry Smith Holden in Pennant Hills six months ago. Now Mr Billey sells the Big Issue outside Central Station each day to pay his bills.

He is homeless, he says, but remains positive. "Hope never dies, you know. You start giving up hope, you start giving up [on] life, on yourself."

Mr Billey, who turned 40 on Sunday, said his story could be anyone's in the current financial climate. "I've never been homeless before. I'm sort of trying to rebuild again and climb the rungs again, but it's very difficult."