The national financial education non-profit offers advice on how to adapt to newly transforming economic environments
Boston, MA – December 3, 2014
Across the country, families and individuals have been forced to rethink their financial strategies and readjust to economic climates that they cannot control. Surpassing New York City, San Francisco has been listed as America’s most expensive city to live in. With sky-rocketing rent costs and increasing shifts in urban communities, those living in San Francisco’s evolving financial landscape are struggling to achieve financial success.
“San Francisco is a beautiful city that is growing and evolving” said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling. “There are a lot of different demographics that inhabit the area, and with recent shifts, it’s difficult for anyone to adjust to the economic climate, whether that person is a 20-something college student or is supporting a family of four.”
ACCC shares some strategies on how to weather these financial alterations in the Bay Area.
Neighborhoods, communities, and families are all changing with the financial times that we are experiencing. The best way to properly prepare for the change is to be financially aware and informed. This begins with your own budget. Know where your money is going. Make sure to keep track of what exactly you are spending, and what money you are receiving. In order to build savings and reduce debt, you have to manage finances. Create a financial calendar, and always stick to your budget.
Part of managing your finances is learning how to save. No matter how little you set aside each month, always put money into savings. You can set up an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings account every month to make sure this is done without even having to think about it. Regardless of any debt that you need to pay off, do not wait for it to be gone in order to put away savings.
If you do have debt to pay off, talk to a reputable credit counseling agency to figure out how to manage it. If you have a credit card, be careful of your spending. College students and recent graduates need to be careful of student loan debt. Start by prioritizing the loans that have the highest interest rate and pay those off first.
Practice good banking habits and take control of your financial future by actively contributing to it. Your account will grow with each deposit, credit will be established, and you will be able to work towards larger financial goals such as homeownership, paying off major loans and retirement.
Who knows what will happen in the economy? Always have a plan B. Set aside an emergency fund and make sure you have resources that you will not tap into unless you absolutely have to.
Finally, set financial goals. Make sure to establish how much you want to pay off by what date, and how much you want to have saved by when. Once you set these goals, stick to them.
American Consumer Credit Counseling, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers achieve financial health through education, counseling, and debt management, offers free financial workshops on topics ranging from budgeting to credit to identity theft.
ACCC’s certified and experienced counselors offer a variety of financial education, counseling and debt management services to help consumers achieve long-term financial health and stability. These financial education programs help consumers to better understand and manage their finances.
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization, that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling. call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- For more information on financial education workshops in New England, call 800-769-3571 x1980
- Or visit us online at ConsumerCredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial health through education, counseling, and debt management. ACCC provides individuals with practical solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits, but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC works with consumers to help them with the best plan of action to reduce their debt and regain financial stability. ACCC is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating. It is also a member of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. For more information or to access free financial education resources log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit TalkingCentsBlog.com. Follow ACCC on twitter @TalkCentsBlog.
