Judith Dymond says many Americans, of all ages, lack a basic understanding of how finance works; they aren’t given the necessary background in home budgeting, smart shopping or credit management…and as a result, they find themselves mired in debt and fighting to catch up.
This trend is part of the reason Money Smart Week exists; this nationwide effort runs from April 20th to April 28th, and there will be a variety of presentations in and around the DeKalb/Sycamore area…giving consumers some helpful hints in a wide array of financial matters, designed to help them with their own money matters.
Dymond serves as coordinator for the Center for Economic Education and is an Outreach and Engagement Associate for STEM Outreach. She connects K-12 schools to the university through professional development for educators in economics and she connects adults and students to the university by leading the STEM Cafés program.
She says one in four adults don’t pay their bills on time, 48% of millenials live paycheck to paycheck, and 28% of non-retired adults have no retirement savings or pensions. She says far too many people are unprepared for money management, and part of the problem is the lack of education during their formative years; Money Smart Week seeks to encourage educators to add financial management instruction to courses, dealing with household and/or business budgeting.