A national money education program that offers regional women the opportunity to check and boost the health of their finances is coming to Geraldton this month.

The ‘Better Money Management’ program was developed with expert advice from the ASX and other industry bodies andoffers regional women access to unbiased financial education, free of charge and without having to travel huge distances.

Run by not-for-profit financial well being social enterprise 10thousandgirl and supported nationally by Rabobank, the program is designed to strengthen the financial position and planning abilities of regional women.

The Geraldton workshop is being held at the Geraldton Universities Centre on Monday 29 February, a week ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, with its focus reinforcing this year’s ‘Pledge for Parity’ theme. See below for event and registration details.

A recent 10thousandgirl survey found that while Aussie women are becoming more strategic when managing their finances, many find they need more discipline, knowledge and skills to achieve their goals – key topics the workshop will address.

“It’s important that we have goals to strive towards, but it takes commitment, information and know-how to achieve them,” said Zoe Lamont, 10thousandgirl founder and CEO, who will run the Geraldton workshop. “For many women often it’s time; we get so caught up in doing things for others, managing work, homes and families, that we don’t always take the time to sit down and do a budget, review insurances or our superannuation. Our workshops are designed to give women space and time and support to do just that.

“10thousandgirl was established to educate women, no matter where they are, to learn the skills and build the confidence to better manage their money, so they have the financial acumen to achieve their dreams.”

The 10thousandgirl survey revealed that while 63% of those surveyed said they set financial goals, 60% admitted they don’t create a budget for achieving them, with almost two thirds saying they needed more discipline, 43% more knowledge and 42% more skills. Respondents listed top financial goals as ‘general savings’ (56%), debt management / reduction (50%), house/mortgage (37%) and overseas travel (30%).

A key feature of the workshop, will be a Q&A panel session with local financial experts presenting their insights into financial management fundamentals. Topics include investment principles, financial planning, tax tips, succession planning, solutions to barriers and support mechanisms. The panel will include:

Christina Ware, Solicitor, Pacer Legal
Lisa Farnell, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ®, Financial Solutions Geraldton
Ross Jones, Senior Rural Manager, Rabobank Geraldton
Robin Taylor, Accountant, Encompass Financial

The workshop will help participantsto document key life goals and priorities. They will be assisted in completing a personal financial review and investment plan, including a spending plan, balance sheet, debt review, insurance audit and superannuation audit.

The Better Money Management program is being funded by a Financial Literacy Australia grant and global agribusiness bank Rabobank. Industry super fund HESTA, the Australian Taxation Office, the Financial Planning Association and the Insurance Council of Australia are also supporting the program.

In anticipation of the workshop, Rabobank’s Geraldton Senior Rural Manager Ross Jones said: “Servicing the financial needs of around 9 million clients around the world, Rabobank has a very strong charter to help improve the financial literacy of not only its clients, but people in regional areas more broadly.

“We’re proud to be supporting 10thousandgirl in delivering this great initiative. Drawing on the expertise of local experts in finance, insurance and succession planning, the workshop will equip women with the tools to proactively manage their savings and investments.”

10thousandgirls’ top financial tips for achieving your money goals

Set clear goals
Write your goals down as though they have already been achieved, or if you’re a visual person create a vision board using inspiring imagery

Be specific
Choose short, medium and long-term goals – breaking them down helps to see how they can be achieved

Plan
Planning is key – conduct your own financial review to understand your current position and what you need to do to have the money to support your goals

Reflect
Learn from past experiences. A good way to start is to ask yourself what were the three best and worst things that happened over the past 12 months and reflect on how to make changes where necessary

Look ahead
The longer you plan in advance, the easier it will be to achieve your goals

Have an emergency buffer
Keep three to six months’ worth of living expenses for emergencies

To register for the ‘Better Money Management’ workshop in Geraldton, on Monday 29 February, from 9.30am – 3.30pm at Geraldton Universities Centre please visit http://10thousandgirl.com/, or call Tina McElligott, 10thousandgirl Partnership and Events Coordinator on 0401 740 440.

About 10thousandgirl

10thousandgirl is a not-for-profit financial wellbeing organisation striving to break down societal barriers for women, close the financial gender inequality gap and offer women easy access to expert financial information. Started by a group of women in a Sydney pub in 2009, who realised the importance of understanding finance basics and planning, so they could realise their dreams. Their vision gained momentum. In March 2011, a board of directors was established, and the initiative today provides financial education to thousands of women across Australia every year. 10thousandgirl has attracted national and global recognition in their bid to contribute to increasing women’s financial wellbeing and economic health. To learn more please visitthe 10thousandgirl website, and join the #10tg #BetterMoney social media conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.