Financial Education
Money Matters
At VSECU, we encourage our members to learn about managing their personal finances and saving money. Financial education is important for all ages, beginning with simple lessons about the value of money for preschoolers to more complex lessons about understanding credit for young adults to planning for retirement for people in the workforce.
It doesn’t matter what age you are, there is always more to learn about managing your personal finances. VSECU can give you some tools and suggest some helpful web sites to get you started.
We hope you find the following educational videos helpful.
Money Management Tools
Debt In Focus
A free and anonymous service will help bring your debt into focus. Get simple financial analysis and personal action strategies to help keep your finances moving forward.
Office of the Vermont State Treasurer
The Vermont state treasurer’s office is a great place to start to find all kinds of financial resources.
Smart About Money
The nonprofit National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) offers solid financial information relevant to our lives today. Check out NEFE’s Smart About Money web site and take a look at their timely ‘Economic Survival Tips.’ Also, NEFE offers a beginner’s guide to financial readiness called Your Spending, Your Savings, Your Future, a comprehensive booklet you can download from the web site. This is a great resource for any young adult preparing for financial independence.
Practical Money Skills for Life
Check out this comprehensive web site with information for all life events: saving for college, buying a car, renting an apartment, marriage, divorce, parenting, retirement and more.
FICO Credit Scoring
Like it or not, your credit history and FICO® credit score may affect whether you can get a loan, rent an apartment, obtain insurance and even get hired for a job. That’s why it’s important to know what goes into the calculation of your score.
MyMoney.gov
This is a great resource compiled by the U.S. government with a wealth of information and tools, such as calculators and budget worksheets, as well as lesson plans for teachers and parents. Not only does it offer information and activities, it points users to even more government resources. It’s a very comprehensive website for people of all ages.
Resources for Young People
CashCoursePrep
Getting ready for college? When it comes to college, it’s all about preparation. In addition to signing up for your classes, buying books and making new friends, you will have new responsibilities—managing your money! Here is information that will help you plan, pay for and manage your financial life during your college years.
Thrive by Five
Looking for lessons for your preschooler? Start simple, but start early with great suggestions by the Credit Union National Association.
Credit Unions Rock
And do we rock! Credit unions are more in style than ever. Why? Because we have become a friend that people can trust as a safe place for their money. We are a safe place to learn how to manage money, too—check out this great web site!
National Endowment for Financial Education
NEFE’s High School Financial Planning Program is used by middle and high school teachers throughout the country. Access the program online, or order the free materials.
Practical Money Skills for Life
Whether you’re a student, teacher or parent, there is something here for everyone. Students, try the interactive games!
Vermont Jump$tart
VSECU is a founding member of Vermont Jump$tart, a nonprofit organization promoting financial literacy to students of all ages. Learn what they are doing to help teachers and parents find resources to teach financial literacy to Vermont’s own young people.
Please note: This page provides links to web sites for informational purposes only (Links to other web sites open in a new browser window). Users should be aware that when a link opens to a new browser window in most cases they are leaving the VSECU web site. These linked web sites are not under the control of VSECU, and as such, VSECU does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the content on any linked web site, nor take responsibility for any transmission received from a linked web site. The inclusion of a linked web site in no way implies any endorsement from VSECU of a linked web site’s content, advertisers or sponsors.
Put Your Debt in Focus
Brought to you by VSECU, this free and anonymous service will help bring your debt into focus. After answering a few questions about your income and current debts, a simple financial analysis will provide a wealth of information – debt to income ratios, debt payment schedules, and suggested personal action strategies to help keep your finances moving forward. To begin your free and anonymous personal financial analysis, click here.
