Financial Education & Prosperity
Free beginning financial education course starts January 10. View/print flyer [PDF]
The Financial Education and Prosperity HUB is a coalition of partners who educate and support people with low incomes in making sound financial decisions and managing their money in order to build assets over time. These partners align educational programs, banking services, tax preparation volunteers, and individual counseling resources so that people can achieve financial stability.
For questions, or information about how you can participate, please contact:
Jeanne Marie Thomas
Thurston Asset Building Coordinator
(360) 357-2502
Financial Education Providers:
(800) 355-2227 x1371Apprisen Financial Advocates
- Free and Confidential Debt Management Counseling: We help individuals achieve financial goals, including: paying off debt, avoiding foreclosure, qualifying for a mortgage, and creating a budget or spending plan. For more than a half-century, Apprisen Financial Advocates has led the field of credit counseling and personal money management. We offer free counseling sessions for individuals and couples, as well as financial education classes on a variety of topics for groups and employers. To schedule an appointment (available in-person, over the phone, or via the internet) or to request more information, please contact Apprisen at the phone number or email address listed above, or visit www.apprisen.com.
Christina Daniels, 360-704-3375, or email.Enterprise for Equity
- Beginning Financial Education: An eight-class series offering the basics of financial education. Great for first-timers or those needing refreshing. Topics Covered: Banking Basics, Account Management, Budgeting, Debt Management, Savings and Investing, Borrowing Money, Insurance, Retirement Accounts, Credit Reports. Students will get a free credit report with scores and a $50 cash stipend for successfully completing the series.
Class registration and speaker requestsBECU
Classes are held at your location as requested, and are facilitated by BECU staff. There must be at least 15 students in attendance. Classes are also held on an on-going basis starting in 2010 at the BECU Hawks Prairie location.
- Budgeting: This interactive and highly entertaining presentation helps participants identify their goals and create a spending plan based on their current spending. Participants receive an overview of creative budgeting techniques that shows them how to design their own personal budget. Regardless of a person’s financial situation, this course is sure to introduce ideas and techniques which will enhance monthly money management.
Mary Beth Spuck, 360-923-4415TwinStar Credit Union
Classes are held as determined by TwinStar at Saint Martin’s Worthington Center, 5300 Pacific Ave in Lacey [map]. For upcoming classes visit: www.twinstarcu.com/seminars
Class registration and speaker requestsWSECU
Classes are held at your location as requested, and facilitated by WSECU staff. There must be at least 15 students in attendance. An expert in the area of financial literacy, identify theft, home buying or investing will come to you and tailor a class to meet your needs. For more information, please contact Suzanne Klenk at 800-562-0999, x10027, or by email.
Industry Partners:
360-705-9054, or email.Paul Muldoon, Edward Jones
- Investing 101 will be offered in Spring and Fall. Students will learn the basic language of investing and how different investment tools work.
360-956-1014, or email.Kelly Wells, Credit Restoration of Washington
- Students will understand what credit reports are, how the scoring system works and how they can take control of their credit score and profile.
360-753-3064, or email.Christina Daniels, Olympic Lending Solutions
- Homebuying Preparation: Students will learn the basics of buying a home and how to prepare to be a solid home buyer. Budgeting, credit, loan programs, loan qualification and the home buying process will be covered.
360-491-5625, or email.Tish Carr, Johnson Insurance Agency
- Students will learn the language of personal protection insurance, including how to review and understand a policy, how to shop for the best product, what factors affect your insurance rates and how the economy affects insurance.
- Dress for Success: Clothing makes the person or so they say. It’s a fact that someone who is dressed smartly will make a better impression at a job interview. Fortunately it doesn’t take an entire paycheck to obtain a smart professional wardrobe. This course will reveal secrets and hints that can fill a closet at a fraction of the usual retail cost.
- Supermarket Savings: What does unit pricing mean? Is it better to shop at a discount club or clip coupons? These questions and more are answered in Supermarket Savings. This course is especially valuable for new homemakers or persons trying to meet a certain budget
- Surviving a Layoff: If a layoff occurs there are strategies for overcoming the setback. This course focuses on strategies to help cut costs when a dramatic job change has occurred. Resources are available to help with urgent needs and this course shows participants how to easily find them.
- Understanding Credit Reports: Is there such a thing as credit repair? Information is the best tool if you want to improve your credit report. This seminar will teach you what you can and cannot do to correct errors of information on your credit report. Learn how to contest errors and contact bureaus. Also learn about the potential pitfalls of using “credit-repair agencies.”
- Car Buying: Car Buying Saving Tips is an interactive course covering all the information needed to make a decision on purchasing a car. The course walks participants through all aspects of the car buying process including: -What questions to ask when answering a car for sale ad. -Learning the necessary car “lingo” -Calculating what the dealer paid for the car & trade-in values. -Figuring down payments and interest rates. -Techniques for successful negotiation.
- How to Find a Job: This seminar covers personal assessment, career preferences, researching and informational interviewing, the job application, resume, cover letter, interview, and follow up letter. Includes handout and workbook.
- Reduce Your Debt: Do you want to be free of oppressive debt? Start on the path of financial freedom and learn how to prioritize your debts, establish a payment plan; identify spending issues and behavior change. These and other skills and techniques covered can help you manage the debt and pay it off.
- Home Buying 101: This seminar will help you prepare for homeownership from preparing your credit to budgeting for the new home. This seminar will provide you with understanding of the process involved in applying for the mortgage. Additional areas covered include presenting your offer, the appraisal, inspection, and other helpful homebuying tips.
- Money Skills for College: It’s elementary; before you head to college (or out in the working world) come learn how you can: Create your personal spending plan, Build and Manage your credit to your benefit, Protect yourself from identity theft and fraud The personal spending plan (budget) will help you manage your money so you’ll get the most for every dollar. Making good credit decisions are important to ensuring you have a strong future, because and a good credit score not only helps with your future buying power, it affects your cost of insurance, ability to get into apartments, and possibly even getting a great job. You’ll learn guidelines to help with credit decisions and how to manage your credit. Identity theft and fraud can mess up your finances and you’ll learn how to protect yourself. Join us at one of the classes listed and get helpful smart money skills.