Bank offers free financial education workshops

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Have you ever wondered how your credit score is determined? Wanted to ask someone for help with reducing your debt? Wondered how to start an emergency savings fund?

Have you ever wondered how your credit score is determined? Wanted to ask someone for help with reducing your debt? Wondered how to start an emergency savings fund?

These are just a few questions that Hawaii First FCU, through its one-of-a-kind resource center, answers through free “Money First” financial education workshops.

Hawaii First FCU’s “Money First” financial education workshops cover a range of topics, including budgeting, saving tips, ways to reduce electricity costs and other monthly expenses, and ideas for increasing income.

The classes hash out the “debt snowball method,” understanding credit and how to improve your credit score.

Other topics covered include tools for organizing your financial documents, useful information about how to prevent identity theft, basics of buying a car, down to introduction to buying a home!

“We offer these classes at no cost because our goal is to educate our community members and arm them with the financial tools we believe every family should have on their path to achieving self-sustainability,” said Mary Ann Otake, vice president of operations and development.

Hawaii First FCU has offered free financial education workshops for the past five years. During 2012, more than 2,200 people attended.

They included high school students, staff of local nonprofit organizations and community members of a wide range of ages and backgrounds.

The workshops are offered every other Tuesday. Space is limited and first-come, first-served. Hawaii First FCU welcomes requests from local businesses and nonprofit organizations to hold workshops. For more details, please call 885-7349 for the Kamuela Resource Center or 933-6600 for the Hilo Resource Center.

Hawaii First Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit, community-based, low-income-designated Federal Credit Union organized in 1956.

Today, Hawaii First serves as a catalyst through providing Hawaii County with many no-cost services focused on overall community revitalization and economic development.