Financial Education and Outreach

Affordable Summer Fun while Social Distancing

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Every summer brings the challenge of trying to cram as much fun into two months as possible without depleting your bank account.  Summer of 2020 brings the added challenge of having fun while following the CDC recommendations for social distancing.…
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Spring Cleaning Your Bank Account to Improve Your Financial Health

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Now that you are spending more time at home, your financial situation has likely changed.  Your income may have decreased due to the pandemic and you cannot spend money on shopping and entertainment like you once did. As a result, your bank…
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Budgeting in a Crisis

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We are a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects are being felt hard by Americans, especially financially.  While states are starting to lift restrictions, the economy will not automatically bounce back.  We need to prepare to…
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Beware of COVID-19 Related Scams

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It seems that overnight our world has turned completely upside down.  As quickly as we all started working from home, social distancing and hoarding toilet paper, scammers and hackers created new ways to try to take advantage of us during this…
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Teaching and Entertaining Your Kids During Social Distancing

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Social Distancing is hard for everyone and those with kids at home really know how long it can take for an hour to go by.  Since the COVID-19 crisis, many great resources for entertaining children at home have popped up.  From virtual field…
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Supporting your Community during Social Distancing

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As social distancing becomes more intense, our communities are suffering financially.  Individuals are losing their jobs on a short-term basis and small businesses are working harder than ever to keep their operations going.  While we all…
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Budgeting in a Crisis: What to do when your Income Suddenly Drops

As countries continue to increase the restrictions of our normal everyday lives due to COVID-19, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the financial burden that is being placed on Americans right now. In some industries, such as hospitality, working…
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The Five Factors Contributing to Your Credit Score

Have you seen your credit score recently and been less than thrilled with your report? Potential lenders use this score, along with your credit history, to determine your future ability to repay the credit they consider extending you. The first…
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Why You Need a Credit Report Review

Have you been getting bombarded with emails about credit reports?  Emails with subject lines like “instant credit report” or “your credit report may have changed” are trying to sell you a product that you can get for free. The Fair…
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An Affordable Valentine’s Day: Romance on a Budget

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When you picture a couple celebrating Valentine’s Day, do images of romantic dinners in fine restaurants and extravagant gifts come to mind?  If you’re in the process of improving your financial health, these traditional festivities might…
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CCCSMD Keys to Budgeting - Part 1. Three Types of Expenses.

Keys to Budgeting Part 1: Three Major Types of Expenses

The next step in setting up a budget is to list your monthly expenses. There are three major types of expenses we all pay: fixed, variable, and periodic. Do you know the difference? When I first started budgeting, I set up an excel spreadsheet…
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New Year’s Resolutions to Build Wealth

Hopefully, you are going strong in achieving your new year’s resolutions.  Common goals usually revolve around weight loss but do not forget about the other areas of your life that might benefit from fresh goals.  That way, if you fall off…
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Financial Success amidst the Holiday Season

We have entered the most financially stressful time of the year; the Holiday season. Regardless of what holiday your family celebrates, there are an abundance of gifts being exchanged during the month of December and the expense of all that…
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Strategies for Meaningful Holiday Gifts on a Budget

The parking lots at the shopping plazas have started to reach chaos status on the weekends.  Some people are window shopping in anticipation of Black Friday deals and others are getting a jump on their gift purchases.  Gift giving at the holidays…
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Lifestyle Choices to Ensure Long-Term Financial Security

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Building financial security is all about finding that balance between planning for the future and living a comfortable lifestyle today. It’s never too late to turn your financial health around and the more committed to a healthy financial…
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