CSMs Free Workshop Comes to Leonardtown Campus Feb. 20
When she read about last Novembers free Money Smart conference at the College of Southern Marylands La Plata Campus, Rhonda Piegols of La Plata said to her husband, Bruce, were going. They were glad they did. They found the seminars informative and wished that they could have attended more than four of the 16 seminars offered.
Theyll have a chance to attend more seminars when CSMs free Money Smart Workshops come to the colleges Leonardtown Campus Feb. 20.
“People who understand personal finance issues, financial planning, insurance topics and real estate markets are better able to make the right decisions for themselves and their families,” said CSM President Dr. Brad Gottfried. Our community as a whole has a better chance of weathering these tough economic times if our citizens, individually, are financially stable. Being smart about money is a key to that stability. That is why Gottfried, along with financial experts and area chambers of commerce have joined to present the Money Smart workshop. The Feb. 20 event is co-sponsored by CSM, the St. Marys Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of St. Marys County, Lexington Park.
The workshops begin at 9 a.m. offering sessions on the secrets to using grants or tax credits to purchase a home; building and maintaining good credit; identity theft protection; and financial planning 101. At 10 a.m. session choices include using 100 percent financing to purchase a home; banking and budgeting; health insurance information; home and auto insurance coverages; estate and divorce planning; and how to choose a financial advisor. At 11 a.m. session choices include buying a new or foreclosed home; practical tips for saving money; annuities and retirement; paying for education; and Roth conversions. All sessions are presented by professionals in their field with adequate time for questions.
Participants will have opportunities to speak directly to local professions in real estate, personal banking, insurance and financial planning prior to the start of workshop sessions between 8 to 9 a.m. or following the workshops from 12 to 1 p.m.
For information on the Money Smart Workshop, visit www.csmd.edu/MoneySmart. To pre-register for the workshop, call Christine Bish as 301-934-7602.
Sidebar
Budget Pitfalls Checklist
Information, such as this budget pitfalls checklist provided at a previous Money Smart workshop, can assist the individual who is trying to understand their budget. The list below indicates areas where potential savings may be made.
Vending machine soda and snacks
Cigarettes
Running dishwasher or washing machine only half full
Video rental late fees
Fast food
Unwatched paid movie channels
Dry-clean-only clothing
Charging without thinking first
Buying the economy size and having it spoil before you use it up
Cashing your check instead of direct deposit and auto transfer to savings
New outfit for every occasion
Lottery tickets
Impulse purchases
Buying movies you only watch once
Shopping as entertainmento
Leftover food wasted
Morning latte from the drive-through café
Home phone line if you always use a cell phone
Grocery shopping when youre hungry
Not having an emergency fund as back-up
Buying cheap items that break easily
Parking tickets
Unread magazine subscriptions
Ignored repairs
Late fees on credit or loan payments
Air/moisture leaks in the house
ATM fees
Costly unused phone service
Extra-peak-time cell phone minutes
Water left running
Lights left on
High-interest credit card debt
Jack-rabbit starts that waste gasoline
Leaving the heat up at night or when youre not home
Half-eaten dinners out
Payday loans
Bounced-check fees
Paying full price for evening movies
Too much or wrong type of life insurance
These and other financial tips will be available at the free Money Smart Workshop at CSM, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the College of Southern Marylands Leonardtown Campus, C Building, Feb. 20. To pre-register, call Christine Bish at 301-934-7602. For information and a list of session topics, visit www.csmd.edu/MoneySmart. Snow date is Feb. 27.
Calendar
Free Money Smart Workshop at CSM: Managing Your Money in Difficult Times. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 20, College of Southern Maryland, Leonardtown Campus, C Building, 22950 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown. A one-day education workshop on managing your money in difficult times divided into four seminars: Insurance, Financial Planning, Personal Banking and Real Estate and Mortgage, with each seminar containing multiple, individual hour-long sessions16 sessions to choose from. Topics include: Secrets to Using Grants/Tax Credits to Purchase a Home, Identity Theft Protection, Paying for Long-Term Care Insurance, Choosing a Financial Planner and more. Expo of real estate, banking, insurance, and financial planning businesses between 8 and 9 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m. provides time to talk to professionals. All sessions are presented by professionals in their field with adequate time for questions. Workshop is free. To pre-register, call Christine Bish at 301-934-7602. For information and a list of session topics, visit www.csmd.edu/MoneySmart. Snow date is Feb. 27.