Financial Literacy Month

April is #Financial Literacy Month, and you can find events at local schools, libraries and, of course, your credit union! Along with those, be sure to plan some activities at home. Have a daily financial trivia question, like finding the difference between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA.

Financial literacy is the ability to understand and use financial skills, such as responsible money management, budgeting, saving and investing for the future. 

Let’s take a deeper look at Financial Literacy Month, and ways to become more financially literate. This way, we can manage our money responsibly all year long. 

Why is financial literacy important?

Being financially literate is the first step in being financially fit. Consider these facts:

• Personal finance is the number one topic of argument within a marriage.
• Parents rank teaching financial responsibility to their children near the top of their parenting wish list. 
• Only a handful of states require high school students to take a personal finance course before graduation.
• Poor financial literacy leads to poor decision-making, which leads to poor behavior, thus limiting the household’s ability to reach its financial goals.

Arming yourself with financial literacy is a crucial part of responsible money management and a financially fit life. 

How financial literacy month is observed

During Financial Literacy Month, financial institutions, nonprofits and human service agencies increase their focus on the importance of financial literacy through events, programs and counseling. Find out which programs and events are available to you so you can take advantage of these opportunities. 

First, reach out to your state’s department of finance, banking or consumer affairs. Ask about possible programs for Financial Literacy Month.

Next, ask a member service representative at Ideal CU about the financial literacy events they have planned for the month of April.

Finally, check out your local library to see what it has planned for Financial Literacy Month. Many libraries offer activities, lectures and workshops on financial topics, like debt and credit management, for promoting financial education during the month of April.

How to observe Financial Literacy Month at home

There’s no need to depend on an outside program – you can observe Financial Literacy Month at home:

• Make financial literacy the topic of your book club. Choose a book related to money and talk about it at your virtual or in-person book club. 
• Research one personal finance question each day. Look up the answer to one personal finance question each day of April, and at the end of the month, you’ll have amassed a ton of financial knowledge. 
• Start reading a financial blog. There’s no shortage of blogs exploring financial topics. Browse through the most popular to find the blog that best speaks to you. 
• Commit to a new financial goal. Financial literacy is all about using your knowledge to make better financial decisions. Use the opportunity of this month to commit to one financial goal in an area you find challenging. Choose your goal and make it happen!