Mill to host free financial seminar

Have you recently divorced, retired or lost your job? Have you watched your savings diminish while your income shrinks?

On Tuesday, Community Financial will be holding a free, one-day New Directions seminar at Hillman's Brush Creek Mill.

The presentation is aimed to provide tips and strategies to help you find your way through the worrisome times and help keep, or get you back to, heathy economic heath.

"A major life change can be stressful for not just the head of household, but the entire family," Michelle Richards, education partnership coordinator, said. "We like to let them know that there is help out there and resources they can use."

The New Direction seminar has been a staple in the southern region of the state, but thanks to Richards, it's migrating north.

"I have been instructing the ones down here for a while, but this is the first one in the Hillman area," Richards said. "I haven't been able to reach out to the people up north as much as I have wanted to until now and that is my goal."

The seminar helps in planning budgets, clear one's credit and providing lessons for smart money handling.

"We will provide people with financial counselors to help with each individual case," Richards said. "I had one gentleman who cleaned up his bad credit approach me and thank me for helping him find the help and advice that he needed."

In extreme cases, Richards refers attendees to other institutions for aid.

"Sometimes people feel like they don't know where to start," Richards said. "We tell them that there is help out there and help them find assistance through places like the United Way or the Salvation Army."

Richards said even though people think everything is OK, the way the economy is currently, you never know when a life change can occur.

This seminar isn't just for people who are already struggling," Richards said. "There are lots of people that could lose their jobs and we can still help them outline a gameplan just in case."

If you are interested in attending you can reserve your spot by calling 1-877-937-2328, ext. 8702.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via e-mail at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689.