Managing money is not easy, trust me I know and have struggled for years. I got help from a wonderful lady to get myself back on track. I want to share some resources here that may help you.
Tip: Since the word "budget" brings about such dread and negativity in people's mind, there is a move to rename it a spendng and savings plan, because that is essentially what a budget is. And it sounds a little better I guess. 

Step 1: Log your spending

Write down EVERY DOLLAR EVERY CENT YOU SPEND for 30 days. You will be made more aware of where your money is going and can have better control of it. Remember: EVERY PENNY!!!
Protect your identity (and your children’s) when you travelJANUARY 14, 2020 BY MEGHAN HUNTER
Read this great article here:  https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/protect-your-and-your-childrens-identity-when-you-travel/

IRS Identity Theft Protection Pins- learn more and apply here:  https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin 

Financial Literacy from Annuity.org

In hopes of promoting Financial Literacy, Annuity.org has created, what they believe, to be the most comprehensive, easy-to-read guide on financial literacy on the internet. Their page covers topics such as setting a budget, how to use credit responsibly, planning for retirement and much more. You can check out their guide here:

https://www.annuity.org/financial-literacy/
https://www.annuity.org/annuities/types/

2. Debt Snowball Calculator--get out of debt faster. 
Maybe you’ve struggled with credit card debt. Maybe you’re still dealing with student loans, or have a car payment that prevents you from having more margin.
It can feel overwhelming to try and make a plan to pay it all off, especially when money is already tight.
The Debt Snowball Calculator does the hard work for you! All you have to do is enter your balances, interest rates, and minimum payments. The calculator gives you a month-by-month plan to get out of debt faster, and with less interest. Ready to try it for yourself?
USE THE CALCULATOR
Begin building an Emergency Fund

Crown Money Map--plot your journey

A 7 step Visual Guide to Financial Freedom; Crown is short for Crown Financial Ministries-- this is a wonderful resource for all to use. While I got these for being part of an online financial management class that I paid for, these resources are also available for free on the internet so I thought I would share them here with others. You can click on the images below or use this link:  https://crownfinancial.lpages.co/mml-money-map-download/

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau  has a ton of great resources--click on their logo

Money as You Grow: Help for parents and caregivers
No need to be a money expert—the tips and activities here can help your children’s money skills, habits, and attitudes grow.

​​Your child’s money milestones See if your child is reaching age-appropriate money milestones. Then, find activities and conversation starters that can keep your child on track.
​www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/
Another terrific resource on the CFPB webpage is their MONEY AS YOU GROW BOOKSHELF. The bookshelf has reading guides to go along with over 20 children's books that can be found at local libraries or purchased online inexpensively. The guides can help build your child’s money skills while you read together by:

  • Helping you explain the key ideas covered in the book, and then providing you with signs your child understands the key ideas and can use them in daily life. 
  • Giving you things to think about before reading the book with your child. These can help you spot key points in the book or spark ideas to discuss later.
  • Helping you prepare for an enjoyable reading time with your child. 
  • Providing questions to talk about with your child. 
  • Suggesting activities that help your child put ideas and lessons into action.
The CFBP website is a great resource for financial education for people of all ages.
They have resources on so many financial topics--and a lot of great tips and resources in regards to fraud and financial exploitation. Some of the topics they cover are: There is a ton of information CFPB has to share, and resources to help get the word out from handouts, bookmarks, posters, MP3 audio files, workbooks, placemats, and more. 
One resource I from CFPB I really like is the Your Money, Your Goals Publications
They are available FREE of charge (shipping is FREE too!) from CFPB and a few are even available in Spanish. Before each tax season, we order a bunch of these and provide them at our tax sites for clients to view and take.

These are spiral bound small booklets about 20-24 pages each)
Behind on Bills? Start with One Step. 
Behind on Bills? Start with one step (Spanish)
Building your savings? Start with small goals
Debt getting in your way? Get a handle on it.
Want credit to work for you? Start with these steps
Want credit to work for you? Start with these steps. (Spanish)

Also available are:
Your Money, Your Goals-Focus on Reentry: Criminal Justice (112 pages)
Your Money, Your Goals: Focus on Military Communities (100 pages)
​Your money, your goals: Focus on native communities (72 pages)
Your Money, Your Goals: Focus on people with disabilities (65 pages)
​Your money, your goals: A financial empowerment toolkit ( 241 pages)
Your money, your goals: A financial empowerment toolkit (Spanish) 370 pages
There are a great many other online resources:
Washington State Department of Financial Institutions- Check out their Money Savvy Kid Videos and the Free Interactive Financial Education Portal for links to great resources on topics like:
 Financial Planning
  • Annuities
  • Debt Management
  • Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
  • Mindful Living
  • Taxes: The Basics
Preparing for Retirement
  • Preparing for Retirement
  • 401(k) Plans
  • When to Collect Social Security
  • FIRE Lifestyle
  • Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
  • Estate Planning
Owning a Home
  • Considering Home Ownership
  • Reverse Mortgages
  • Buying a Home
  • Mortgages
  • Mortgage Relief
  • Investment Property
And so much more!!
​
There are even Links to free online games and apps that teach kids about money.
Investing in Your Future
  • Building Emergency Savings
  • Shopping for Insurance
  • Health Savings Accounts
  • Sustainable Investing
  • 529 Plans
  • Certificates of Deposit
Financial Caregiving
  • Preventing Elder Abuse
  • Reporting Elder Financial Abuse
  • Planning for a Financial Caregiver
  • Expectations of a Financial Caregiver
  • Becoming a Financial Caregiver
Growing Your Small Business
  • Overcoming Small Business Financial Hardships
  • Obtaining Financing and Funding for Your Small Business
  • Managing a Growing Team
  • Customer Acquisition and Retention
  • Opportunities for Women- and Minority-Owned Small Businesses
The article,​ 12 Best Free Online Personal Finance Courses​, written by Geoff Williams and published April 11, 2022 by US News & World Report, lists a dozen free online financial education courses for all ages.  A wonderful resource from some very well known educational institutions--thank you Mr. Williams for putting that together!
Click on image to read article
The article on the right was shared with me to add to this webpage. It is so "readers who may be facing financial uncertainty could have access to this beneficial information."

I can't think of a more stressful financial time for so many as now. I have had so many clients lose their job or significant other (and household wage earner), had income reduced, rent increase, and the list goes on and on. 

​Some are bouncing back, others are struggling.  Hang in there everyone, and seek help if needed. 

There are great suggestions in this short article.

Also, don't forget to call your local 2-1-1 United Way Resource and Referral line to find non -emergency help in your area.
Kelly and

Mrs. Gianaka,

if you are seeing this,

​have a Safe and

​ Wonderful Summer!
Image copied from: http://www.a10summerfun.com/events-1/2020/6/26/summer-of-star-wars-bxagf   May 5, 2022
Teaching children financial literacy: How this guide can help
Do you want to teach your child the ins and outs of money management, help them establish good credit and encourage financial independence as they grow older? With lessons, resources and interactive games, apps and activities, this guide can help. Each section in this guide is based on the Council of Economic Education’s standards for financial literacy.
​ www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/financial-literacy-teaching-resources-for-parents-and-teachers/#1  

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are commercial sites or they have ads--that is how they stay in business. Like with every webpage you visit, be careful what you click on, don't share your information with anyone, be safe and smart.  I am just sharing resources and am not affiliated with any of the agencies or companies that these links go to. I am just creating a page to put similar resources that I think are useful and important and can be sometimes hard to find. I created this website as a place to store useful information for myself as a VITA volunteer, then expanded it to share with other volunteers and clients who might also find it useful. Take care and stay safe and happy.~ Mary
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You can contact me at maryvitataxes@gmail.com 
Please note: I, Mary Meador, AM NOT a certified accountant or tax law expert. I volunteer with VITA providing free tax preparation for individuals and families whose income is less than $66,000 a year. We deal with simple returns at our sites.  I cannot guarantee the accuracy of all the information on this site as tax laws change and I may not have a clear understanding of complicated issues. I am trying to provide basic tax preparation information for our volunteers to get started--remember Publication 4012 is your go-to resource for questions, as well as irs.gov and Publication 17. ​