Personal Finance

Times are tough, making financial workouts more important than ever. The goal of this multi-part financial fitness series is to help adults of all ages and life stages achieve greater personal financial wellness.  Sessions are interactive and experiential.

Adults will be able to learn these topics and skills:

• Money Personality and Values – Define personal values and how they become the foundation for setting goals.  Analyze money personalities and reflect on the experiences behind money habits and attitudes.

• Setting Financial Goals – Learn how to set clear objectives and personal financial goals.

• Tracking Spending and Creating a Plan – Identify information needed to create a spending plan, list ways to track spending, and identify ways to prepare a spending plan when times are tough.

• Meeting Expenses – Create an action plan, track and manage income and spending, prioritize bills and expenses, and understand rights and responsibilities when contacted by debt collectors.

• Building Savings – Prioritize and set savings goals, prepare for unexpected expenses, find a place for savings, and make the most of a tax refund.

• Dealing With Debt – Get a full picture of existing debt, prioritize debts, set repayment goals, and plan how to avoid additional debt.

• Understanding Credit – Monitor and understand how to access credit report, understand the sections, and what goes into calculating the credit score.  

University of Maryland Extension 4-H youth leadership and personal finance educators team up to offer Smart Cents, a live, interactive, 10 hour personal finance program for teens conducted over Zoom. Smart Cents has been developed by a handful of universities to help kids and families develop healthy money habits in the long-term. The family component also helps spark conversations about money and values. The overall goal of the Smart Cents program is to increase the ability of youth to make informed decisions about financial health while strengthening their use of social and emotional skills necessary for success as they grow into responsible adults.

Youth will learn the skills of:

• Financial Decision Making for Kids

• Spending and Saving-How Does that Work?

• Credit and Debt-Smart Choices Start Now

• Employment and Income-Ideas for Now and Later

• Investing to Grow Your Dough

This program will help adults who are considering education for themselves or their own child(ren). The goal of this program is to help them plan carefully for financially savvy options.