April is Financial Literacy Month, Post 1

Since April is Financial Literacy Month, it’s a great time to take advantage of FREE programs and learning. Get yourself more educated about finances, budgeting, and planning for the future. No matter your income level, no matter your age, this is a great skill to work on!

Your Finances and the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau  (CFPB) is “a United States government agency that makes sure banks, lenders and other financial companies treat you fairly”.  This agency also offers financial information that can be used in our everyday lives to help us better manage and use our money.  Over the course of April, we will share some of the information available on this site, so check back on yorklibraries.org for new blog posts!

Locally, YCL members may be interested to know that the Community Progress Council has put together a website for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which helps qualified families cover their rent or some limited utilities if they are experiencing financial hardship or income loss due to COVID-19. Visit https://www.yorkcpc.org/take-action/ to learn more. Read the entire page for qualification information before you fill out the application. You must create an account to apply. Details on the York CPC website.  

Week 1: Your Finances & Coronavirus

This week our focus will be “Your Finances and the Coronavirus Pandemic”.  The CFPB’s webpage provides up-to-date information and strategies on managing and protecting your finances during the coronavirus pandemic. (You many click on the hyperlink or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/ )

If you are having financial hardship because of the coronavirus pandemic, you will find information on:

  • options for mortgage and rental relief;
  • resources for student loan borrowers;
  • how to protect yourself from scams; and
  • managing your finances when faced with such issues as loss of income while having to pay your bills;
  • questions about stimulus payments;
  • how to directly deposit unemployment benefits into your bank account and how to use online banking;
  • how to contact lenders;
  • plus much more.

York County Libraries thanks the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for allowing us to share their information with our community! 

Money Smart Week is April 6–17, 2021

On Tuesday, April 6, from 6-6:30 pm, join Angela as she showcases this month’s York Reads book, Budgeting 101.  Learn more here:  https://www.yorklibraries.org/event/york-reads-online-2020-12-15-2/2021-04-06/

A virtual Money Smart Week 2021 runs from Saturday, April 10 – Saturday, April 17 . This week-long free virtual campaign aims to help people better manage their personal finances with a focus on those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s line-up includes:

  • Saturday, April 10 @ 10:00 a.m. CST/11:00 a.m. ESTTalking Cents (The University of Chicago Financial Education Initiative)
  • Sunday, April 11 @ 10:00 a.m. CST/11:00 a.m. ESTSaving (FINRA Investor Education Foundation)
  • Monday, April 12 @ 12:00 p.m. CST/1:00 p.m. ESTBasic Banking (The Economic Awareness Council)
  • Tuesday, April 13 @ 12:30 p.m. CST/1:30 p.m. ESTStudent Loans (U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid)
  • Wednesday, April 14 @ 1:00 p.m. CST/2:00 p.m. ESTFraud Protection (Internal Revenue Service)
  • Thursday, April 15 @ 1:00 p.m. CST/2:00 p.m. ESTPersonal Finance (Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center)
  • Saturday, April 17 @ 10:30 a.m. CST/11:30 a.m. ESTBudgeting (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension)

Learn more at www.moneysmartweek.org. Events are free and open to the public, but registration is advised. Questions for the panelists can be submitted during the registration process.

Want to read up on financial literacy? Check out our selection of expert-selected library books here. They range on topics from setting up a basic budget to planning for retirement.