Financial Education Classes

Heartland United Way and Wells Fargo Bank partnered to pilot a financial education program at Howard Elementary School in Spring 2011. The six-week program was offered in English and Spanish to parents of the elementary school children and covered basic tools and principles of financial education.

Each of the six classes covered a different course topic including:

• Banking Basics (safe places to keep money, setting up an account, types of accounts, fees, online banking, income and expenses, budgeting)
• Money Management Tools & Tips (spending plans, smart shopping, kids & money)
• Protecting Yourself Financially (identity theft, when you are short on cash, predatory lending, payday loans)
• Using Credit to Your Advantage (credit explanation & importance, credit report & score, rebuilding credit, credit cards)
• Bending Your Budget (spending choices, expense discussion, income alternatives, EITC, incentive programs & resources in community)
• Planning Your Future (buying a home, starting a business, going to college)

At the end of the program, the participants who attended all six classes and completed all the required coursework received an investment of $100 toward their financial goals.

For more information about the 2012 session, call the United Way office at (308) 382-2675.