Increase your personal finances through our series of financial literacy classes provided in partnership with Utah State University Extension-Empowering Financial Wellness. All of these classes are free to attend and may require registration. Below you’ll also find new personal finance books and online financial resources available for free with your library card.
USU’s Empowering Financial Wellness has a mission to empower women, limited income households, and community educators across Utah to make informed financial decisions to serve their own life goals and improve financial wellness through (1) developing innovative resources, (2) offering timely educational opportunities, and (3) increasing awareness of personal finance best-practices.
These events are free to attend.
The Experts
Meet Kelan Combe and Vinceza Vicari-Bently are USU’s financial experts who will be teaching the below classes.
Vincenza Vicari-Bentley is an Accredited Financial Counselor and Program Coordinator for the Empowering Financial Wellness program with Utah State University-Extension, based in Salt Lake County. Vincenza is a proud military spouse, and she also earned her MBA with a focus on Marketing and Finance. Since 2015, she has been working with individuals and families providing financial counseling as well as teaching a variety of personal finance topics. She is passionate about helping others and empowering them to understand and improve their finances.
Kelan Combe is a Program Coordinator for the Empowering Financial Wellness Program, based in Salt Lake County. He has earned his BA in Family Sciences and Spanish from Brigham Young University and has been working in the financial industry helping people better manage their finances for 3 years. He is an experienced trainer and teacher in both English and Spanish and has a passion for helping others learn. He is also an avid enjoyer of Nintendo games, guitar, and the Great British Baking Show together with his wife and kids.
Upcoming Classes
March 14, 4pm: Preparing to Pay for College (in Spanish)
This class is in Spanish.
Whether you are preparing yourself or a child for college, you know the daunting price tag it carries. College can be an expensive investment, but there are many resources out there to help. Join us for this interactive class where you will learn:
- Strategies and products to help you save for college now
- Types of financial aid and where to find it
- The ins and outs of student loans
Prepararse para pagar la universidad – 14 de marzo a las 4-5pm
Tanto si se está preparando usted como si está preparando a un hijo para ir a la universidad, conoce el desalentador precio que conlleva. La universidad puede ser una inversión costosa, pero existen muchos recursos para ayudar a los estudiantes. Acompáñenos en esta clase interactiva en la que aprenderá
- Â Estrategias y productos para ayudarle a ahorrar para la universidad ahora
- Tipos de ayuda financiera y dónde encontrarla
- Los detalles de los préstamos estudiantiles
March 26, 5pm: Make Taxes Less Taxing/Hacer los impuestos menos imponentes
While everyone likes getting a tax refund, no one likes the process of filing taxes. It can feel daunting and confusing, so let us help you make it a bit easier. Join our free workshop to learn:
- What documents to prepare
- Free tax filing resources
- Credits that may help you save money
- How to effectively use your refund
RegÃstrese a continuación para este evento gratuito.
Aunque a todo el mundo le gusta que le devuelvan los impuestos, a nadie le gusta el proceso de declararlos. Puede resultar desalentador y confuso, asà que deja que te ayudemos a hacerlo un poco más fácil. Únete a nuestro taller gratuito para aprender
- Qué documentos preparar
- Recursos gratuitos para la declaración de impuestos
- Créditos que pueden ayudarte a ahorrar dinero
- Cómo utilizar eficazmente tu devolución
April 7, 4pm: The Finance Basics You Need to Know (in Spanish)
Managing your finances can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. No matter your situation, there are a few basics that everyone can do to improve their finances. Join us to learn about the best tips to improve today including:
- Creating a basic spending plan
- Strategies to save for the future
- How to improve your credit
Los fundamentos de las finanzas que debe conocer – 7 de abril a las 4-5pm
Gestionar las finanzas puede resultar abrumador, pero no tiene por qué serlo. No importa cuál sea su situación, hay algunos aspectos básicos que todo el mundo puede hacer para mejorar sus finanzas. Únase a nosotros para conocer los mejores consejos para mejorar hoy en dÃa, entre ellos:
- Creación de un plan de gastos básico
- Estrategias para ahorrar para el futuro
- Cómo mejorar su crédito
May 14, 5pm: Investing 101 (in Spanish)
This class is taught in Spanish.
You know you should be investing, but there are so many choices out there that can make it hard to know what is best to help you reach your goals. We will cover the basics of investing while providing practical strategies to help you build your own path to achieving financial security. Join our experts to learn about:
- How to incorporate investing into your monthly budget
- The power of compound interest
- How to open an IRA in 4 easy steps & free tools to research funds
Sabe que deberÃa invertir, pero hay tantas opciones que puede resultar difÃcil saber qué es lo mejor para ayudarle a alcanzar sus objetivos. Cubriremos los aspectos básicos de la inversión y le proporcionaremos estrategias prácticas para ayudarle a construir su propio camino hacia la seguridad financiera. Únase a nuestros expertos para aprender sobre:
- Cómo incorporar la inversión a su presupuesto mensual
- El poder del interés compuesto
- Cómo abrir una cuenta IRA en 4 sencillos pasos y herramientas gratuitas para buscar fondos
May 13, 5:30pm: Parenthood and Personal Finance
Becoming a parent is one of life’s most exciting and transformative experiences and brings new financial responsibilities. Join our experts from USU Extension to learn how new and expecting parents can navigate the financial changes that come with growing their families.
- Financial changes that come with growing a family
- Saving strategies for short & long-term family goals
- Review of basic insurance and estate planning considerations for a family
Special thanks to Park City Community Foundation’s Early Childhood Alliance for providing a raffle prize for one lucky attendee!
Recommended Books
In Beyond Getting By, the women behind The Financial Diet teach you how to create (and pay for) a life you truly enjoy-and that you can be proud of. They show you how to push beyond what society tells you will make you happy to determine what you actually want, with specific advice and interactive exercises.
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Unlike most personal finance books that focus on skills and behaviors, FINANCE FOR THE PEOPLE asks you to examine your beliefs and experiences around money–blending extremely practical exercises with mindfulness, and including more than 50 illustrations and diagrams to make the concepts accessible (and even fun).
When Vivian Tu started working on Wall Street fresh from undergrad, all she knew was that she was making more money than she had ever seen in her life. But it wasn’t until she found a mentor of her own on the trading floor that she began to understand what wealthy people knew intuitively–the secrets to beating the proverbial financial game that has, for too long, been male, pale, and stale.
by Connolly, M. T.
In The Measure of Our Age, elder justice expert and MacArthur “genius” grant recipient, M.T. Connolly investigates the systems we count on to protect us as we age. Weaving first-person accounts, her own experience, and shocking investigative reporting, she exposes a reality that has long been hidden and sometimes actively covered up. But her investigation also reveals reasons for hope within everyone’s grasp.
Online Library Resources
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports provides ratings and reviews, recommendations, and buying advice for thousands of products including appliances, and more.
Linkedin Learning
Linkedin Learning provides an extensive library of training videos that include many personal finance courses.
Morningstar
Morningstar provides data on approximately 456,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, and more. Learn more.
Value Line
Value Line offers access to publications covering stocks, mutual funds, options, and convertible securities, as well as special situation stocks.