You probably do routine maintenance on your car – get the oil changed, filters checked, and have the tires rotated. And you probably make sure you go to the doctor and have a physical every year or so. But do you ever take the time to do a financial well-check?
That’s what Military Saves Month is all about. This April 1-30, join us for a free, virtual event that encourages everyone in the military community to focus on their individual financial wellness.
Over the course of a month, we will cover financial topics from a relatable, down-to-earth, positive perspective. You’ll end the month with tools, resources, and clarity on your current financial situation, new savings goals, and a realistic plan to achieve them.
You can think of us as your financial accountability buddy.
Start With the Pledge, and Then Join Us In April!
As you count down to our event, we encourage you to take the Military Saves Pledge, which is simply a promise to oneself that is the start of a basic spending plan. You’ll join a community of #MilitarySavers and we’ll keep you on track with emails, text reminders, free resources, and tips to help you realize your financial goals.
Through the entire month of April, you can check out our stellar lineup of events that fall under our weekly themes. Join our weekly facebook live events for a chance to win a $50 gift card from anywhere!
Week 1: Save Automatically
Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 2 pm – Join the Military Saves team for our kickoff event where we’ll give an overview of Military Saves Month and why saving automatically is the best (and easiest!) way to save. https://fb.me/e/DElJO9Cr
Friday, April 2, 2021 at 2pm – Dr. Michael Thomas, Accredited Financial Counselor and TEDx speaker, joins us to chat about Financial Empathy and how we can learn to talk about challenging money topics.https://fb.me/e/PYmF1hXk
Week 2: Save for the Unexpected
Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 2 pm - Michael Sharon, acting director of the Individual and Community Preparedness Division at FEMA, and Deborah Olvera of the Wounded Warrior Project discuss how we can prepare ourselves for the curveballs life inevitably throws at us.https://fb.me/e/2saaDwm6g
Week 3: Save to Retire
Wednesday, April 13, 2 pm – Join guests Susan Weinstock, Vice President of Financial Resilience Programming at AARP, Doug Nordman, author of “The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement” (and a service member who retired at the age of 41), and Arlene Ferris-Waks, Director, Complaints and Investor Outreach from the New Jersey Bureau of Securities as they discuss strategies for saving for retirement, challenges military spouses face, and investment scams that target the military community. https://fb.me/e/85NOG1eO6
Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 2 pm – Maurice Betts, Securities Compliance Examiner from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Regional Office will give a special presentation on saving and investing. https://fb.me/e/2dPoslD0q
Week 4: Save by Reducing Debt
Tuesday, April 20, 2021, 2 pm – Tom Quinn, Vice President of Scores at FICO and Bruce McClary, Senior Vice President, Communications at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) discuss how reducing your debt can be considered a form of saving since you’ll increase your credit score, pay less in interest, and qualify for better loan rates. You’ll also learn exactly what impacts your credit score and how you can improve it. https://fb.me/e/1bNgmjDmW
Week 5: Save as a Family
Thursday, April, 29, 2021, 2pm - Amelia O’Rourke Owens, Associate Director of America Saves and Jen Davis, Government Relations Deputy Director at the National Military Family Association talk about how you can make saving a family affair. By having open conversations about money, parents can model good behaviors and teach good money and savings habits to children from a young age. Military spouses can also have savings of their own, even if they don’t work outside the home. https://fb.me/e/3B9feIifq
Whether you participate in one event, or all of them, we hope you’ll take the time to check in on your financial well-being during Military Saves Month – your future self will thank you!