Financial Literacy Month

Financial Literacy Month was established in 2004 to encourage Americans to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. Income taxes are due in April, making it a good time to look at your overall finances.

There are lots of resources available that claim to help you clean up your credit or reduce your debt. Be careful; you don’t want to pay for something that will cause you more trouble. Instead, take a look at some of the free information available, most of which is provided by non-profit organizations.

The National Foundation forCredit Counseling (NFCC) and Money Management Internationalare two sites that provide free financial management counseling and education.

Taking a serious look at your finances can be scary. Start small: get a free copy of your credit report  from one of the three credit-reporting agencies this week.

 

Next week, look at your charge card statements to ensure all of the charges are legitimate.

 

The following week, choose one thing you can stop buying for the rest of the month (coffee, soft drinks, gum, etc.).

 

The fourth week in April, open a savings account with the minimum required. Many credit unions allow you to start with a $5 deposit.

 

Finally, in the last week of April, ask your employer about joining the company 401(k) plan or talk to your bank about starting an IRA.

How do you feel about your money management skills?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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