The Center for Financial Health always appreciates the opportunity to hear from our clients. Getting their feedback allows us to know what's working and what's not, but above all, hearing positive things from  clients reminds us why we do this work and why it matters.

Katrina Maddox has been helping families obtain mortgages and become homeowners for more than 30 years. She has been counseling individuals and families and helping them keep their homes for the last four years. She is a major part of the Center's success. As one client writes:

"I am writing to acknowledge the polite professionalism of Katrina Maddox. Katrina assisted me with obtaining money from the Step Forward Program. She helped me. She told me that I should write a hardship letter to my mortgage company. I appreciate how Katrina processed my application to the Step Forward program. I was approved to receive the funds to bring my mortgage current. Again, I want Katrina to know that I appreciate all she did to assist me. Thank you."

If you know of a homeowner who has had a job loss or a decrease in income, please contact us at 517-708-2550. We may be able to help.

Tips for Managing Your Holiday Spending

The end of the year can bring many additional expenses.  If you are in the habit of gift giving, here are some tips to help you avoid a year-end budget set back so that you can start the new year on the right financial foot.  

Set a budget. This is the basis of all successful spending plans. Think about how many people you need to buy for and don't forget to include family, friends, people at work, teachers and anyone else you give to no matter how small the gift. Determine how much you are comfortable spending and then determine how much you will spend on each individual and stay within the limit you set.

Don't buy your gifts with credit. While a gift will always bring a smile to someone's face, knowing that you used credit to buy their gift isn't what they would want for you. Be creative with your gift giving if money is tight, and remember that the gift of your time and talents is just as good or better than what you would buy at the store. If you do use credit for your holiday shopping, make sure that you choose the card you use wisely.

Save throughout the year. Dropping a couple hundred or even a thousand dollars on gifts at one time is difficult for even the most stable budgets to absorb. Try to set aside a little money every month all year long so that there is money available that doesn't have to be cut from one month's budget.

Eliminate a spending category to offset gift giving. If you have a budget, then you probably have money set aside for some things that might not necessarily be essential. Try to reallocate your morning coffee indulgence or your lunch or restaurant budget to a gift giving category for a month. With this approach you won't find yourself trying to make money appear from thin air because it is already a part of your budget, and you can start going out again or heading to Biggby after the new year.