Free Workshop Series on Money Management in February

Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) is providing a series of four 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; modifying 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 Workshops 1,2, and 3. Courses will be offered on Zoom, an online platform. Additional counseling is available to attendees. For more information email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Zoom Workshop dates and times for February 2022:

Workshop 1: Wednesday, February 2: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 2: Wednesday, February 9: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 3: Wednesday, February 16: 6pm-7pm
Workshop 4: Wednesday, February 23: 6pm-7pm

Workshop 1: Take Control of Your Money – Create a Budget
Date: February 2: 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 they often do (job loss,
illness, birth of a child, new job, divorce, etc.) it’s 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 and review a budget step by step.

Workshop 2: Manage Your Expenses - Set Your Goals
Date: February 9: 6pm - 7pm

After creating a budget, the next step is to review the expenses, then identify goals. Goal examples
are: paying off debts, saving for a car, or building an emergency fund. Creating a plan and taking
control of income and expenses helps achieve goals. We’ll look at ways to lower expenses, increase
income, what to do with bills you can’t pay and using strategies to achieve goals.

Workshop 3: Credit – Tame the Credit Beast
Date: February 16: 6pm - 7pm

Let’s face it, using credit to make purchases makes life more convenient. But when credit (loans and
credit cards) are overused, they become a trap and one of the biggest barriers in reaching financial
goals. 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 will learn about “Your FICO Credit Score”, how it affects your
lifetime of interest rates, how interest impacts monthly payments, and how to improve a credit score.

Workshop 4: Banks and Credit Unions – Protect and Grow Your Money
Date: February 23: 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) they offer. We will look at checking accounts, debit cards,
savings accounts, loans and interest rates, plus strategies to grow and protect money. We’ll look at
“Instant Cash” payday loans, how to protect your information and identity theft.