- 10/17/2024 6:00 PM
In the Money Management/Budgeting Workshop we discuss financial goals, various spending styles that affect credit, financial health and how inflation affects a person’s ability to pay bills on time. We give participants budgeting and spending plan tips and show how using a calendar can help people create budgets. We talk about budget basics, the difference between a quick budget, an emergency budget, and a detailed budget. We discuss calculating income and expenses and discuss what to do if you cannot pay your bills on time.

 - 10/18/2024 9:00 AM
This course teaches the concept of debt reduction and shows students how to wisely manage credit and personal debt. It is based on the premises that there are a lot of lifestyle changes and financial decisions that a person can make to take control of his or her financial position. In the second part of the class we discuss how students today are graduating with more student loan debt then we have ever seen. Learn what you can do to pay off your student loans and ensure you are not just another statistic. We discuss various student loan repayment options, things to avoid when it comes to repayment, and how to seek help if needed.

 - 10/19/2024 10:00 AM
This class helps consumers increase their knowledge about credit – how to get it, why it is important and how to navigate the types of credit that is available today. We discuss what lenders are looking for in borrowers and how to establish good credit. Our discussion of credit scores and information about credit reports helps consumers understand what to do and what to avoid when working to increase scores. We discuss interest rates and how these impact credit and debt payments to creditors.

 - 10/22/2024 5:00 PM
Educators from Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, joined by experts from real estate and mortgage lending institutions. Each series consists of two sessions that last about three hours each. The classes are designed to help familiarize participants with the process of purchasing and maintaining their own home. Following the class, participants meet individually with housing counselors and coaches to address their individual situation. A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who have completed both parts of a series. These classes meet the counseling requirements of national, state and local down payment assistance programs, as well as counseling requirements made by HUD, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and a variety of other mortgage products. Courses are offered online via Zoom.

 - 10/24/2024 6:00 PM
This class provides an opportunity to talk about how communication works to develop, maintain, enrich, or limit family relationships. It is based on the assumptions that there are many ways to be a family. We promote an awareness that families are part of multigenerational communication patterns and they reflect ethnic communication patterns. Well-functioning families work at managing their communication patterns because developing and maintaining relationships takes effort. We discuss ways to be healthy emotionally, safely, financially, etc, on the inside and outside your home.

 - 10/25/2024 9:00 AM
This class focuses on determining insurance needs as renters, homeowners and in auto, health, and life insurance. We discuss how insurance products and professionals work and have a quick overview of insurance options and shopping for coverage. We discuss the preparation of tasks to help people in the event of their incapacitation and death. The long-term planning part of the class includes the consideration of asset, heirs as well as settling estate taxes.

 - 10/26/2024 10:00 AM
This class provides a simple introduction to the primary services offered by banks and credit unions, including checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit and debit cards. We discuss fees and features available at different banks as well as on-line banking. The class also covers opening an account, resolving problems, the options that bank customers have and the decisions they need to make when using bank services.

 - 11/5/2024 9:00 AM
Educators from Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, joined by experts from real estate and mortgage lending institutions. Each series consists of two sessions that last about three hours each. The classes are designed to help familiarize participants with the process of purchasing and maintaining their own home. Following the class, participants meet individually with housing counselors and coaches to address their individual situation. A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who have completed both parts of a series. These classes meet the counseling requirements of national, state and local down payment assistance programs, as well as counseling requirements made by HUD, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and a variety of other mortgage products. Courses are offered online via Zoom.

 - 11/7/2024 6:00 PM
In this class we learn about the federal protections that are in place to stop unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices. We understand more about the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau activities work by collecting complaints and conducting investigations. We learn what to look for in fraudulent activities, identity theft, renter’s protection.

 - 11/8/2024 9:00 AM
This class helps consumers increase their knowledge about credit – how to get it, why it is important and how to navigate the types of credit that is available today. We discuss what lenders are looking for in borrowers and how to establish good credit. Our discussion of credit scores and information about credit reports helps consumers understand what to do and what to avoid when working to increase scores. We discuss interest rates and how these impact credit and debt payments to creditors.