A financial coach’s blog of tips for staying financially fit

By Charlestien Harris

As we navigate this very turbulent time in our lives, there are very credible sources of good sound financial advice readily available to the public.

I am a HUD Certified Housing Counselor and a Certified Financial Counselor through AFCPE (Association of Financial Counselors, Planners and Educators), with  Southern Bancorp Community Partners in Clarksdale, Mississippi. I, along with our outstanding team of financial coaches, will be sharing relevant information, links, and resources that can help you manage your finances through this unexpected interruption in our otherwise normal way of life and beyond.

When I work with clients, the first thing I bring up is budgeting. Right now is a great time to learn how to prioritize your bills – specifically, which ones to pay first. The CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) offers a great tool to help you do just that which can be found here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/budgeting-how-to-create-a-budget-and-stick-with-it/

Learning which bills you need to pay first will go a long way to helping you maintain a financial pattern which can lead to establishing a budget.  For additional resources, financial information and tools go to: www.southernpartners.org. 

Stay tuned for more tips on staying financially fit next week!