Budgeting class coming to Miami County

BY Paige Conley - pconley@perutribune.com

The United Way of Miami County is set to host personal money management expert Dave Ramsey’s budgeting class “Financial Peace University” for nine weeks beginning Oct. 14.

The class, open to all Miami County residents, will be held at the UWMC office located at 13 E. Main St., every Sunday from 6-7:30 p.m. The class is $99 for couples or individuals and will run until Dec. 9.

“The nine-week course is essential, for learning how to take control of money,” said UWMC Executive Director Debi Wallick.

The course will teach students how to curve their spending and save money in problem areas like groceries, restaurants and shopping with Ramsey’s envelope system.

“What it does is help you eliminate your spending sprees like when you go into the grocery store and you walk down an isle and you end up buying something you really don’t need,” Wallick said. “If you have a shopping list it helps you save that way so you can save money.”

Students will also learn about the snowball tracker which helps individuals keep track of their progress and begin paying off debt by showing which bill or item to eliminate first.

The course could not only help families, but employers as well, according to Wallick.

The class is an opportunity for employers to send their employees and help them better learn how to manage their budgets.

In fact, Wallick had a Miami County business owner call her and ask if he could send his employees to the class which is where she had the idea.

“He felt that if his employees learned to control their paychecks then it would give them better insight on how to control their budgets which means that if they can control the money they make they would become a better employee,” Wallick said.

She said the owner thinks investing in his employees and sending them to the class to learn how to budget they’ll want to work for him longer thus decreasing turnover.

“A lot of times people who make minimum wage or just above minimum wage don’t know how to set a budget,” Wallick said. “So by setting the budget they help their employee learn to become, maybe not so much financially stable, but actually teaches them to gain control over the money they make.”

The class is an opportunity for residents to pay off their debts and learn how to get ahead financially.

Wallick said it could open up so many doors for residents struggling with their budget and give them more financial freedom.

“Just the part of having the freedom of knowing how to be debt free,” she said. “Just the freedom to know how to set a budget and live by it and to have the freedom to know that you’re going to be able to pay your bills.”

While the class has been offered in years past, this is the first year it’s being held at the UWMC. According to Wallick, if the class goes well and gets a fairly large turnout they’ll offer it again.

Residents interested in learning more about the class or signing up can call the UWMC office at 765-473-4240.