April 2021 Financial Literacy Month
Published April 16, 2021
Every year in the United States, the month of April is dedicated to financial literacy. Some may find this to be a perfect time for reviewing their financial health is on track and maximizing opportunities, or for others, this may be the perfect time to learn new money habits that help in the long run. Financial institutions across America are celebrating financial literacy this month. Today we will cover the different ways financial institutions across the country are celebrating, including our very own plans at Neighborhood Credit Union.
Money Management International
Money Management International is a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals gain confidence when navigating financial challenges. According to their site, the nonprofit “strives to go beyond simple fixes and provides our clients with the skills and understanding necessary to overcome today’s challenge and avoid tomorrow’s setbacks.” They aim to create consumers that can solve their own problems, but want to encourage them to reach out for help when their burdens are too great to bear alone.
Right now, you can take a 30-day pledge with Money Management International. Work to build your financial health over the next 30 days. A few of the steps they provide for guidance are:
Right now, you can take a 30-day pledge with Money Management International. Work to build your financial health over the next 30 days. A few of the steps they provide for guidance are:
- Commit to Change (Step 1)
- As it is with any serious lifestyle change, the first step is to commit yourself to take action. Making a commitment for bettering your financial health will set you up for a successful change.
- Make Your Money Count (Step 7)
- Know what you are expecting or wanting to make, is it coming from the same source as it has in the past, or are you expecting it to come from somewhere else?
- Set Your Priorities (Step 10)
- Create a clear and defined list of what you want and need of your financial health journey.
- Follow Where Your Money Goes (Step 18)
- Where is your money going? Track your spending habits to get a better idea of where change can happen.
- Keep Moving Forward (Step 30)
- Just as important as it is in the first step to commit, continuing to move forward with your newly learned money habits will keep you going in the right direction.
Take the 30-Day Pledge with Money Management International here to learn more.
Cengage
Cengage, a tech company dedicated to education, is offering a free educational course throughout this month. Normally $129, ed2go’s Personal Financial course is designed to help participants develop and grow skills that help them gain confidence in their financial decisions. This course is perfect for both professional and personal lives. The self-paced course help participants develop a retirement savings plan, prepare to make large purchases, and plan for taxes. Enrollment will be open until April 30 at 7 p.m. CST, and you will have 12 weeks (about 3 months) to complete the course modules.
GreenPath Financial Wellness
At Neighborhood Credit Union, we are proud partners with GreenPath Financial Wellness. They offer debt counseling to help individuals who are dealing with debt and don’t know how to start. GreenPath offers tons of educational tools covering topics from financial stress, teaching financial health to kids, and so much more. They also offer free webinars regularly.
Join them this month on April 28, 2021, at noon CST for Money Moves: Eight Steps to a Brighter Financial Future. GreenPath has curated eight financial steps to jumpstart your financial future. Individuals will learn how to get your financial life organized, understand your spending, and create small habits that will lead to long-lasting results. Register for GreenPath’s webinar today!
Neighborhood Credit Union
Throughout the year, Neighborhood Credit Union offers completely free Financial Literacy Workshops. Open to the public and members, those attending can follow along to the workshop with participant guides. With a passion to help people in all stages of life, the workshops will cover topics from retirement, buying a car, buying a home, credit scores and reports, and so much more. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss topics to help lead them to better understanding. Those attending the workshops also learn about ongoing promotions and products that Neighborhood Credit Union offers.
Join us on April 28, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. CST for Making Budgets Work. Participants will identify personal obstacles with budgeting, then create and apply a structure to track and analyze spending. They will also discuss the importance of debt reduction and building emergency savings. Ultimately, participants will learn how to apply easy strategies to manage day-to-day spending. Register today!
Neighborhood Credit Union Foundation
In December of 2020, we decided to further our efforts in providing financial literacy to all by founding the Neighborhood Credit Union Foundation.
The mission of Neighborhood Credit Union Foundation is to help Texans make smart financial choices in money management and attain financial prosperity. The foundation wants to improve the lives of those in Texas by promoting financial wellness, providing access to financial education, and raising the overall level of financial literacy. With a focus on guidance, assistance, and support in financial health initiatives.
Resources for Bettering Financial Health at Neighborhood Credit Union Foundation
Utilize the foundation's library of free financial education resources powered by EverFi and GreenPath Financial Wellness.
EverFi
EverFi is a program that will help you get started with the knowledge and skills needed to make smart financial decisions. EverFi helps evaluate your financial behavior, compare different financial options, and find opportunities for improvement.
EverFi
EverFi is a program that will help you get started with the knowledge and skills needed to make smart financial decisions. EverFi helps evaluate your financial behavior, compare different financial options, and find opportunities for improvement.
- Explore EverFi’s course specific topics such as Money Basics, Buying a Home, Loans and Payments, and more.
- EverFi provides topic-specific calculators that make creating a plan and budget a breeze. Examples are: Creating Budget, Planning for Retirement, Building Emergency Savings, and so much more.
GreenPath Financial Wellness
On myncu.com and neighborhoodcuf.org, you can chat in real-time with Lea, the GreenPath Virtual Learning Coach. Powered by GreenPath, Lea can help you with:
- Personalized financial health advice just for you.
- Achievable action plans to reach your financial goals.
- Easy to use to ensure your financial health success.
- Friendly and timely step-by-step guidance.
- Ongoing support to keep you on track with your financial goals.
Closing Remarks
Tackling financial literacy should not be hard, confusing, or boring. With an entire month devoted to financial literacy, learning new habits can be fun no matter the age of the participant. From Money Management International, GreenPath Financial Wellness, Cengage, and our very own Neighborhood Credit Union, utilize these free resources and take hold of your financial future!
Skyler has been a Marketing Content Specialist at Neighborhood Credit Union since 2019.
Who We Are
As an active part of the community for 93 years, Neighborhood Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial organization serving the state of Texas with branch locations in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, and Tarrant counties. With assets topping $1 billion, Neighborhood Credit Union has a continuously growing membership of over 60,000. For more information, call (214) 748-9393 or visit our homepage.