Watching Your Wallet: Improving your habits during Financial Literacy Month

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Designed to empower consumers and build better money habits, Financial Literacy Month can help you improve the way you spend and save.

Start by aligning your financial goals with your values.

"If having a family, having a home, having stability are values that you have, you want to make sure your money aligns with it," says Certified Financial Therapist and CEO of The Academy of Financial Education, Samuel Molina.

Molina says consistently evaluating your finances is key.

"Are you surviving each month? Are you able to pay your bills or are you using credit cards each month? That's something you should be well aware of," he said.

If you're using a credit card, keep track of the balance and interest rates.

"If you have outstanding credit card balances, you want to give yourself a timeline to as to when you're going to pay that off," Molina said. "Is it six months from now or a year from now, and put a plan together."

Another way to better your relationship with money -- normalize talking about it. Even with your kids.

That can set them up with the tools for a financially secure future.

"When we avoid these conversations, it actually compounds the problem," Molina said. "Talk to your children about finances, what a budget looks like, what a credit report looks like."

There are financial literacy games for kids online as well.

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