| About Us > Newsroom > Press Release |
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Giving Financial Thanks
In a tough economy consumers are thankful for life's little things
Dallas - November 25, 2009 - As we sit down this Thursday to share a Thanksgiving meal with family and friends, many of us are thankful the economy is showing signs of recovery. While things are looking more positive, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas (CCCS of Greater Dallas) continues to help families throughout the Southwest come up with solutions to pay their mortgage, find ways to save, and even figure out how they are going to buy groceries.
"As we think about Thanksgiving this week, many of us are thankful for life's little things, like family, having a job and a safe place to live," said Todd Mark, vice president of education for CCCS of Greater Dallas. "It's been reassuring to hear reports that the economy is recovering, but we know most consumers are still watching their spending carefully and hope they can make it through the holiday season without creating more debt to deal with in the New Year."
As we end the year, CCCS of Greater Dallas encourages consumers to consider these tips and be thankful to:
Have a job. While you are employed, set aside any extra money to save up at least three months of emergency savings to get you through a job loss or any unexpected event. A great way to save extra cash is to put any unexpected money like a tax refund or raise directly into savings. If you treat the money like you never had it available to spend, you won't miss it when it's in savings.
Save what we can. Put everything you can into an emergency savings account. With the holiday spending season here, you'll be tempted to spend extra money on gifts. Continue to put something into a savings account, even if it's a reduced amount during the holiday season.
Stay current on our mortgage. If you ever get into a situation where you can't pay all your bills, remember to always pay your mortgage or rent first. The car payment should come second, utilities third, food fourth, necessary insurance fifth and everything else comes after that.
Pay our bills on time. Paying bills on time will keep your credit report clean and give you some wiggle room if you're ever faced with financial disaster in the future. The better history you have with a creditor or utility company, the easier it will be to negotiate some kind of payment plan when times are tough.
Have health insurance. Be sure you are paying only for what you need as we head toward the New Year. Many companies are currently in open enrollment. Now is the time to review policies, costs and the needs of you and your dependents.
Buy food for our families. To save money on your grocery bill, shop the discount chains instead of the gourmet grocery stores. Also, keep track of every dime you spend. You'll be surprised at where you spend your money. Watch out for store coupons and special savings online. There are many bloggers who track coupon deals for all the major grocery stores.
CCCS of Greater Dallas continues to help consumers survive the recession and offers free financial education to individuals and groups. For more information, call 1-800-249-2227 or visit www.cccs.net.
About CCCS of Greater Dallas
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas, Inc. is a nonprofit, community based credit counseling and debt management service. Established in 1974, CCCS of Greater Dallas and its affiliate offices provide financial education and counseling to consumers in-person, by phone, or Internet through their 24 locations in four states. CCCS of Greater Dallas is a HUD approved housing counselor and serves as one of eight counseling agencies supporting the 888-995-HOPE Hotline. The agency is also a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), the nation's largest and longest serving national non-profit credit counseling network. To learn more about CCCS of Greater Dallas' free seminars or the agency's services, visit www.cccs.net.
|
