If you, like me, just filed your taxes in the nick of time you may have also been inspired to do a little financial fitness. Kind of like when you wash the dishes and decide to throw away the mold extravaganza growing in your fridge's to-go containers. Not always fun, but occasionally necessary.
But where to start? WNYC recently did a four part series titled Money U with Saving, Credit, Debt Collection, Banking 101.
I first saw Deyarina del Rio at The New School's Banking Under the Mattress: Financial Literacy and Unbanked New Yorkers and she is one smart cookie. She's the Associate Director for the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, a great non-profit that works towards financial justice.
Honestly, if the only annual financial thing you do is hold yourself accountable to the IRS, then we need to revise that to-do list. Banking and credit report, how about that? Once a year evaluate your banking fees, if you spend more on banking fees than you do on Spanx, then you need to move on. In other words, NO FEES! I'll get to where to park your money in a later post. And get your FREE annual credit report while you're at it. Two things. Well, three, if you count pay your taxes. Trust me, they're easier than filing a 1040 and just as important. And let's face it-- multi-national banks don't need your hard earned money, and that cultural attaché from Nigeria who's been sending you emails about a fat inheritance really shouldn't have your social security number.
photo courtesy of thebrooklinelibrary via flickr
