SACRAMENTO, California — With back to school season here, it's easy to get carried away with spending.
However, a free local program is helping people of all ages, including families with students, get their finances under control.
For Antelope native, Sophia O'Neal-Roberts, financial literacy started at home.
She has a family of entrepreneurs with her sister owning a juicing business and her mom being a chef. Meanwhile, O'Neal-Roberts is getting her master's degree in Real Estate Development and Design at UC Berkeley.
And, she admits being a student isn't cheap.
“I felt like my money wasn't really going to my savings, and I couldn't really track it," O'Neil-Roberts said.
That's why she signed up for free financial coaching through the Sacramento Financial Empowerment program.
“It's essentially a program that's offering, as a free service to local Sacramento residents for you, one-on-one personalized financial coaching,” said Amy Williamson, Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) manager for the city of Sacramento.
Coaches worked with clients like O'Neal-Roberts to help them reach their financial goals, like improving credit, reducing debt and building savings or connecting with safe banking services.
“Success is different to every client, because every client has different goals and dreams for themselves and their family. So the coaches work really closely with each client to determine what their goals are, and how they can help them reach those particular goals,” said Williamson.
For O'Neal-Roberts, her goal was to watch her spending.
“I think I did a lot of online shopping, because it's online. It's easy. It's accessible. I really liked having the feeling of getting a package each week,’ she said.
Financial experts like Marueen Paley, a manager for the Financial Empowerment Center, help clients stay responsible and accountable for their money situation through regular check-ins.
“Our finances are connected to our survival and our thriving," said Paley. "We're not therapists, but we know that these emotions come up. “
She said debt is usually one of the most common things that people come to them with.
"There is no money problem that is too big to overcome,” said Paley.
Since O'Neal-Roberts started the program, she has opened up a high-interest savings account, reigned in her shopping habits and understands the costs of higher education.
"I think it's a way of holding myself accountable by kind of working with them, just because I know that they want the best for me, and I signed up to do this. So I might as well do the work," she said.
The program is free to adults of all ages and there are no income requirements. You just have to be a Sacramento County resident. The coaches are trained and certified to work with people of all walks of life and cultural backgrounds.
Several of the coaches are bilingual and they have access to interpreters. Most appointments are still remote, done through phone or video chat.
They just launched an easy to use online portal to set up an appointment. You can also email FEC@cityofsacramento.org or call them 916-808-4927.
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