SEVCA Offers a Free Workshop Series in December- Money Management
Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) is providing a series of 4 Financial Fitness workshops to provide training, support and resources to help participants gain control and manage their money. Workshop topics include: creating a personal, workable budget; reducing debt; setting personal goals; modify spending; basics of banking; plus credit.
Workshops are free to Vermont residents. SEVCA will provide a gift card cash incentive to those Vermont residents affected by Covid who attend all three workshops on Budgeting and Credit. Additional counseling is available to attendees. Courses will be offered on Zoom, an online platform. For more information email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Zoom Workshop dates and time:
Workshop 1: Dec 1st: 10am-11am or Dec 2nd: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 2: Dec 8th: 10am-11am or Dec 9th: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 3: Dec 15th: 10am-11am or Dec 16th: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 4: Dec 22nd:10am-11am or Dec 23rd: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 1: Take Control of Your Money – Start by Creating a Budget
Date: Dec 1st: 10am – 11am OR Dec 2nd: 6pm - 7pm
Understanding and tracking the details of your financial situation is the start to making better money decisions and building a more secure future. When life situations change, and it often does (job loss, moving, illness, birth of a child, new job, divorce, etc.) it’s again time to review how to manage your money. This workshop will help you take control of your money by taking the first step by...creating a budget. We’ll learn what a budget is, why use it, and create a budget step-by-step.
Workshop 2: Review Your Budget - Set Your Goals
Date: Dec 8th:10am - 11am OR Dec 9th: 6pm - 7pm
Participants will be referring to the budget created from workshop 1. With the awareness of the ins and outs of where money is going, the next step is to identify goals. Examples are: paying off debts, saving for a car, or managing holiday expenses. Creating a plan and taking control of income and expenses helps achieve goals. We’ll focus on successful strategies to achieve goals by using ways to lower expenses and to increase income, and what to do with bills you can’t pay.
Workshop 3: Credit Cards – Tame the Credit Card Beast
Date: Dec 15th:10am - 11am OR Dec 16th: 6pm - 7pm
Let’s face it, credit cards make life more convenient. But when credit cards are overused, they become a trap and one of the biggest barriers in reaching financial goals. The average Vermont household carries a balance of $5,400 in credit card debt. This workshop reviews credit: The do’s and don’ts of credit, how to avoid credit traps and ways to get out of credit card debt. We’ll also learn about the infamous “Your Credit Score”, why is it important, what affects it, and how to improve it.
Workshop 4: Banks and Credit Unions – Banking Basics
Date: Dec 22nd: 10am - 11am OR Dec 23rd: 6pm - 7pm
Where money is kept, whether it’s in a bank, credit union or under the mattress, does affect finances. This workshop explains the differences between banks and credit unions plus describes the accounts, benefits, and services (and fees) that they offer. We’ll look at checking accounts, debit cards, savings accounts, loans and interest rates. We’ll also look at “Instant Cash” payday loans.