Financial Planning

The economic well-being of St. Lucie County residents is an important issue and the St. Lucie County Extension Office is now providing programs and services to county residents to assist them in improving their financial situations.

Programs are offered in:

• Personal Finance
• Consumer Topics
• Programs for Youth

Call Carol Alberts for more details or to schedule a presentation at: 337-5684.

 

Money Tips

2008 Financial Literacy Survey:  The 2008 Financial Literacy Survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and MSN Money was released on April 29.  More...

How to raise financially savvy kids:  Parents have a lot to worry about in these difficult economic times. It costs more for everything from food to gas to clothes. It's hard for them to be a good example for their kids when it comes to being prudent with money. More...

The Importance of an Emergency Fund:  We’ve all seen that bumper sticker, right? S*%T HAPPENS. It might be a crude way to put it, but it’s absolutely true. More...

Consumer Alert:   The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous notifications from consumers of an e-mail that gives the appearance of being sent from the FDIC.  More...

10 tips to save money on your landscaping:  Landscape your yard to save some green.  At this time of year, you may be thinking about sprucing up your yard with some new plants and shrubs. More...

A step in the right direction!  Lawmakers are making efforts to curb what many feel are unfair practices in the credit card industry, and this is good news for credit card users nationwide.  For more details....

Debt Settlement:  Debt has in many ways become “The American Way” … it has become so commonplace that meeting someone debt-free is often more surprising than meeting someone with substantial debts.  More info...

Credit Card Selection:  The debate on the good, bad, and ugly about credit cards is one not likely to end anytime soon. More info...

Fee Harvesting:  An interesting story recently aired on National Public Radio about a credt card offer practice called Fee Harvesting  More info...

Credit Inquiries:  Properly managing credit is a common concern for many people.  More info...

High Yield Savings Accounts:  As people become more technologically savvy, more and more financial products are being offered online. More...

Now, Everyone Can Freeze Their Credit Files: San Diego, CA. No, it was not the result of an act of Congress; rather it was quite simply common sense, a rarity these days at most levels of government and private enterprise alike.  More info...

Improving Your Credit: It is no secret that having good credit can pay large dividends. More info...

Payday Lending:  Payday lending is the practice of using a post-dated check or electronic account information as collateral for a short-term loan. More info...

CC Balance Transfers: Transferring debt using low-rate balance transfer offers provided by credit card companies is commonplace. More info...

Sites Offering 'Free' Credit Reports: Worth Consumer Consideration?  Review of 24 Sites Shows Potential for Confusion and Unnecessary Expenses (Consumer WebWatch Study - July 2007) More info...

Equity Stripping Scams: Many Americans borrowed too much money to buy a home when interest rates were low and alluring. More info...

Eliminating Credit Card Debt:  I’ve received a lot of questions recently related to credit card debt … What is the best strategy to repay it – loan consolidation? Balance transfer? Other? More info...

Delinquent Mortgage Borrowers -- WASHINGTON - Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan unveiled two new Public Service Announcements (PSAs) aimed at encouraging delinquent mortgage borrowers to get help by contacting their lenders or a trusted housing counselor in order to avoid foreclosure. More info...

Your Credit -- Your Rights: Numerous agencies (lenders, insurers, employers, landlords, etc.) view your credit when making decisions about you – how familiar are you with your credit and your rights? More info...

Universal Default:  Hey Credit Card Users, ever hear of universal default?  Hopefully you have and have not fallen victim to it!  More info...

Jury Duty Scam: Most of us take the summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and menacing scam has surfaced. More info...

Be a Smarter Investor:  Greed and fear – commonly characterized as the most prevalent factors that drive investment activities …More info...

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