Last week we celebrated with 12 Getting Ahead graduates who completed the intensive Money & Me workshop as part of their ongoing resource-building. For many of these grads, the workshop was a first step toward earning a $500 savings account as part of our Emergency Savings Incentive Plan only available to GA grads. 

Money & Me is a comprehensive workshop geared toward those facing poverty, said Detrina Little, Economic Empowerment Director. 

“Money and Me is about understanding how money is used, how choices affect finances, and how to make better financial decisions,” she said. “It helps people think about needs, wants, spending, saving, and financial goals.”

Participants learn how to:

• Create a budget
• Separate money into spending categories
• Save for emergencies
• Identify needs vs wants
• Change a money-related habit
• Create a payment plan
• Reduce spending
• Compare unit pricing 
• Clip digital coupons
• And more!! 

Detrina facilitated the workshop and said she was very impressed with the participants’ energy and dedication. 

“One of my biggest ‘ah ha!’ moments while facilitating was realizing that people are not necessarily bad with money — they often just have not had the opportunity to learn how money works or to talk openly about their financial experiences,” she said. “As I listened to their stories, I saw how different life experiences, unexpected challenges, and past decisions have shaped the way they think about money. What stood out to me most was their willingness to be honest, ask questions, learn from one another, and consider doing things differently.”

One of the participants, Danelle Miller, said she’s going to “stop useless spending right away” as she works toward her goal of purchasing her own home. For her, that means cutting down on lottery ticket purchases and no impulse buys. Many participants say they will stop shopping without a list to help keep them on task. 

“Knowing how to budget and understanding the difference between needs and wants can absolutely change a person’s life,” Danelle said. “Your mindset and having self control also plays a significant part in having the ability to save money and not touch it.”

Participant Adrienne Cooper said she’s going to start writing down her monthly spending “until I can name every dollar” and have a conversation with her husband about budgeting. 

If you or someone you know may be interested in Economic Empowerment programs, call Detrina Little at Call Detrina Little at 704-870-0012 or email EconomicEmpowerment@CommonHeart.org. Volunteers are always needed and appreciated, too.