April is Financial Literacy Month. The Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Financial Empowerment believes there is no better time for your financial checkup! To begin the examination, review the checklist below.
Checklist of Signs You Might Need Financial Education:
You are:
- Unable to pay the minimum balance on your credit card or loan each month.
- Paying your credit card bills on time, but the amount you owe is still not decreasing.
- Falling behind on your rent or mortgage.
- Unable to work out repayment plans or negotiate rates on your own.
- Contemplating a debt consolidation loan or bankruptcy but are unsure if this is the right step.
- Stuck in an agreement with a credit repair agency and don’t know how to get out.
- Can’t seem to manage your budget to save more money.
Whether you checked one sign or several signs, DCA’s OFE challenges you to take the first step toward financial empowerment. Providers part of the City’s Financial Education Network can help.
Prescription: Financial Empowerment
View a calendar for this month’s financial education programs. All classes, counseling, and workshops are free unless a fee is noted in program descriptions.
Search the Financial Education Network Directory. The Directory lists free and low-cost financial education classes, workshops, and one-on-one counseling services available Citywide. You can search by borough, language, and topic.
Schedule an appointment at the Financial Empowerment Center in Melrose. Launched in June 2008 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the Financial Empowerment Center in Melrose, the Bronx offers free one-on-one counseling and financial coaching in the areas of money management, budgeting, financial planning, credit counseling, negotiation with creditors, affordable banking services, and government benefit screenings. Counselors will also provide referrals to other services and organizations. Assistance is available in Spanish. DCA’s OFE will open five new Financial Empowerment Centers in targeted communities throughout the year as part of Mayor Bloomberg’s 18 initiatives to help New Yorkers weather current economic challenges.
Financial Empowerment Center in Melrose
at the Phipps Opportunity Center
Third Avenue at 159th Street
Bronx, NY
(347) 329-3929
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