Happy Fiscal New Year (July 1) – What are your Financial New Year Resolutions?

Celebrate this Fiscal New Year (FY2021) with the Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center. Join us for financial literacy (Fi Lit) webinars and more resources that will help change your financial future. Realize your Fiscal New Year resolutions by learning and planning with us.
 
What is a fiscal year? It's another reason to celebrate! For the City of Boston, and thus for the Boston Public Library too, it begins on July 1 every year. Read this definition.
 
What is Financial Literacy? It’s learning about how to manage your financial life. It’s skills to help you make good decisions about budgeting, borrowing, saving, and spending. These practices apply to personal finances and business finances.          
 
How Can You Change your Financial Future Now? Start with the BPL-Babson Financial Literacy Project. These workshops will change the way you think about money. They are open to everyone age 18 and over.
 
BFLP is a program to help adults get knowledge and habits for life-long financial health. Using actual situations, we explore strategies for budgeting, building credit, saving, and more. You do not need any financial expertise, and only basic math skills!
 
 
Credit cards offer convenience. They can be a huge help to building a credit profile, but they can also be a large source of misuse and overspending. Get insights on how to manage credit cards, their hidden costs, and tips to avoid credit card traps. Learn about credit reports and credit scores. Find out and what steps you can take to improve your financial standing. Interested?
 
2. Managing Your Money to Build Your Best Life July 14, 2020 7–8:30 p.m.
 
So you want to get your financial house in order. But where do you start? This fun and interactive workshop will give you the tools you need to get started. It helps you set financial goals and learn how to budget your money and start building a nest egg for your future. Interested? Register here
 
3. Investing for Your Future July 21, 2020 7–9:00 p.m.          
 
Do you find news about the ups and downs of the stock market confusing? What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average anyway, and why should you care? You may feel like you should be saving and investing, but don’t know where to start. This fun and interactive workshop will show you how to preserve and grow your wealth for the future. Learn the basics of investing. Discover the differences between stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. Find out how to choose investments that make sense for you. Interested? Register here
 
Calling all Caregivers: Make Planning Your FY2021 Resolution
 
On July 28, The AARP presents Prepare to Care: A Caregiving Planning Guide for Families. Caring for a loved one is – or may become - an important role for many people. Learn how to prepare before a critical incident occurs. Learn 5 important steps for effective planning:
  • how to start vital conversations
  • how to form a caregiving team
  • how to make a caregiving plan
  • how to find support out in your community
  • how to care for yourself. 
How else can you celebrate FY2021? Check out these five free resources - guaranteed to make your budget smile:
 
1. Manage Your Bills and Money – a resource list of books, websites, and blogs.
 

2. Money Smart Week at Home – Money Smart Week resource list. Use this e-resource list to gain financial footing. It’s never too late, it’s never too soon. Know Yourself. Set your goals. Make a budget. Learn to dance joyously into into a financially fit future. The future is NOW!

3. Managing Your Money for Beginners – A research guide to help you manage your money better. Topics include:
  • Following a Budget
  • Saving your Money
  • Managing your Credit and Debt
  • Protecting Yourself
  • Learning to Invest
  • Planning for Retirement

4. LinkedIn Learning is a great resource for learning. Type “personal finance” into the search bar. You will find courses and individual classes on many aspects of this topic. Keep searching while you are there—you will find lots more topics to help with your work, creative and home life. Closed captioning available.

5. Personal Finance - An extensive dive, available online.
 
Hungry for More? – Here are Five More Fantastic FY2021 Fi Lit Resources from the web:
 
 
 
 
4. Two Fun Female Investment Bloggers: Tela Holcomb & Mrs. Dow Jones
 
5. Fiscal fitness blog: The Mujerista/Work & Money blog
 
Have questions? Contact us via email at kirstein@bpl.libanswers.com