With banks, foreclosures, and economic woes in the news these days, are you feeling confused about how best to handle your money? Perhaps you’ve always been strapped for cash, and now you’re ready to buckle down and figure out your finances. Or you’re at a place in your life — whether it’s your first job, your first kid, or retirement’s looming — where you need to figure out your next steps.
While the library has many, many books on the subject, we also recognize that there are other ways to absorb information. For those who would rather start with a person to explain things, we have partnered with the Financial Education Consortium of Southwestern Pennsylvania to offer Money Matters: A Personal Finance Speaker Series.
Starting this Saturday, April 18th, and continuing through June 13th, you can come to the Main Library in Oakland and hear experts speak about housing, budgeting, credit, investing and insurance. Here is the line up:
Saturday, April 18th, 3:00-4:30 PM
Smart Housing – Making Good Choices with Sarah Newman of NeighborWorks® Western Pennsylvania
Learn about renting versus owning, your rights as a tenant, understanding the home buying process and becoming familiar with local programs for low-income and/or first time homebuyers.
Wednesday, April 29th, 6:00-7:30 PM
Get a Handle On It: Credit and Debt with Jada Grandy of Fifth Third Bank and Iris Valentin of FDIC
You can do this. We’ll help you to evaluate your credit, repair it and stay safe from unwise use of credit and predatory lending.
Saturday, May 16, 3:00-4:30 PM
Budgeting – Hold on to More of Your Money with Amanda Burkhart of ACTION Housing, Inc. and Bill Long of Operation HOPE
Learn the fundamentals of budgeting and cutting back on spending so you can save more, invest more, and worry less.
Wednesday, May 27, 6:00-7:30 PM
Understanding Investing – Taking Care of Ourselves and Our Kids with Larry Garvin from the PA Treasury Department and a speaker from BetterInvesting, Pittsburgh Chapter
Don’t let the economic downturn scare you away from investing in your family’s future! Now is the perfect time to learn more about investing in your retirement and your children’s college education.
Saturday, June 13, 3:00-4:30 PM
Play it Safe: Insuring Your Assets with Ed Cerezo and Kevin Kerr of The Kerr Agency
Protect yourself and your loved ones with appropriate levels of insurance. Learn more about the ins and outs of auto, home, health, life, and renter’s insurance at this informative presentation.
-Kaarin
Eleventh Stack 