Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host “Money Smart: Prioritizing Bills, Managing Debt and Improving Credit” virtually on Wednesdays, April 7, 14 and 21 from 12 to 1 pm. Participation in any of the three sessions is free and open to the public.
ISU Extension and Outreach’s “Money Smart” workshop series can help individuals grow their financial knowledge with research-based information and enable them to explore strategies for making wise choices when money is short, income has dropped, or unexpected expenses arise.
“Have you struggled to pay bills or know someone dealing with reduced income?” asked Carol Ehlers, human sciences specialist in family finance with ISU Extension and Outreach, who will lead the program. “It can be tough to decide which bills and monthly expenses to pay first, especially if you’re on a tight budget, and although it is important to try to make all of your monthly payments, it may not always be possible.”
The “Money Smart: Prioritizing Bills, Managing Debt and Improving Credit” series provides tools to help manage money effectively, make better financial decisions and live according to your priorities. Participants will improve their financial wellbeing by developing an emergency spending plan, creating a prioritized bill paying strategy based on future consequences, learning strategies to manage debt, and developing skills to improve their own credit score.
“The topics – prioritizing bills, managing debt, and improving credit – will be presented in one-hour online Zoom sessions,” Ehlers said. “When you have sound information and strong skills, you can make your money work for you and for your future even when money is short. These ‘Money Smart’ tools and ideas will help participants take control of their financial situation.”
Sessions are free to participate in, but pre-registration is required online at http://bit.ly/smart17694. Once an individual has registered, they will receive an email confirmation with the Zoom link and class information. Questions can be directed to Mary Weinand at mweinand@iastate.edu,Carol Ehlers at xehlers@iastate.edu, or Jeannette Mukayisire at jeannet@iastate.edu
