HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Treasury Department kicks off its annual America Saves Week on Feb. 27.
Free webinars will be available to Pennsylvanians who want to learn how to effectively save money at a time when inflation is high and millions of Americans are feeling the pressure.
“Right now, inflation has really hurt Pennsylvanian families and it’s not letting up; we’re all paying more for groceries and other necessities, and although the gas prices are down a little bit recently, it’s still so much higher than they were a year ago; it costs so much for people to heat their homes,” said Stacy Garrity, state treasurer.
Garrity said the Treasury Department works diligently with a number of agencies and associations to help Pennsylvanians gain access to resources available to them. The webinars are broken down into three sessions throughout the week that can help families get ahead on their finances.
“What’s really hitting people harder are seniors, those who are on a fixed income, and it makes it even more important to know that they have resources available to help,” said Garrity.
The following sessions will be offered:
Tuesday, Feb. 28, at noon – Protecting Your Savings
- This session, presented by the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, will share information about the current cybersecurity landscape and provide tips on safeguarding your financial information.
Wednesday, March 1, at noon – Covering College Costs
- Presented by the Treasury and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), this session will cover affordable ways to pay for college, including the benefits of PA 529 plans and other aspects of financial aid to cover funding gaps, such as PA Forward Student Loans.
Thursday, March 2, at noon – Overview of Treasury’s Consumer Savings Programs
- Presented by the Treasury, this session will illustrate how families can use the Treasury’s savings programs to build a brighter future, including PA 529, Keystone Scholars, and PA ABLE.
“The first thing that we have to do is recognize that it is hard to save right now because of inflation, but it is still important to be prepared, so the first thing we’d like people to do is to sit down, look at the budget,” said Garrity. “The next thing we encourage people to do is start an emergency fund if you don’t already have one because we all get hit with unexpected bills sometimes.”
To register for one or more of these free webinars, click here.