AMES, Iowa – Over half of Iowans report feeling anxious when thinking about their personal finances and just under half reported feeling stressed when discussing their finances. The anxiety and stress of some Iowans is greater, particularly those who find themselves unemployed or with reduced household income.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a free “Money Smart When Money is Short: Prioritizing Bills, Protecting Credit, and Managing Debt” virtual series on Mondays, April 4, 11 and 18, from noon to 1 p.m. or 6 to 7 p.m. Participation in any of the three sessions is free and open to the public.
The “Money Smart When Money is Short: Prioritizing Bills, Protecting Credit, and Managing Debt” series provides tools to help manage money effectively, make better financial decisions and live according to your priorities. Participants will improve their financial well-being by developing an emergency spending plan, creating a prioritized bill paying strategy based on future consequences, developing skills to improve their own credit, and learning strategies to manage debt.
The topics – prioritizing bills, protecting credit, and managing debt – are presented in one-hour online Zoom sessions.
Individuals may choose to register for either the 1 p.m. session or the 6 p.m. session as they will cover the same content. Human Sciences Specialists in Financial Health and Well-being with ISU Extension and Outreach will lead the program using research-based strategies to decide which bills and monthly expenses to pay first, how to protect one’s credit history, and managing debt even when money is short.
Sessions are free to participate in with pre-registration required online by Friday, April 1. Register for the Noon to 1 p.m. session at https://go.iastate.edu/BDFB5U or the 6 to 7 p.m. session at https://go.iastate.edu/W2U1NZ.
Once an individual has registered, they will receive an email confirmation with the Zoom link and class information.
Questions can be directed to Carol Ehlers at 712-732-5056 or xehlers@iastate.edu.