Household budgeting. Reducing debt. Buying a house.
They're among the topics to be covered at Empower, a free daylong session Saturday at the
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center to help everyday people become more financially savvy. The event also will offer individual sessions with experts.
The workshop is free, open to the public and requires no pre-registration.
"People can show up the day of the event," said Rebecca Brenna, the event's education coordinator. "People can show up for a specific workshop or a one-on-one appointment and leave whenever they choose. They do not have to stay the whole day. But we would encourage everyone to take advantage of the expertise and knowledge that we have combined under one roof."
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Sponsored by area colleges, the city of Duluth and various local nonprofits, many of the topics are especially relevant for college students, those headed for college and young adults. Those youth-focused sessions include choosing the right college, financial aid options, transferring credits, job interview skills and buying a house.
But older residents aren't left out, with sessions on investments, wills, health-care directives, power of attorney and estate planning.
All told, Empower offers 32 breakout sessions at the DECC's city side convention center. Sessions are 45 minutes long, running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. with free child care available.
"This is sure to be a great event, with lots of fantastic and important free information," said event organizer Sarah Priest of Community Action Duluth . "It's expert advice without a sales pitch. We're hoping to get lots of people there."
Participants also can sign up for one of the 100 one-on-one meetings with professionals that will be available, including credit counselors, estate attorneys, small-business specialists, health-care access advocates and certified financial planners.
"We feel that this is an important event," said Brenna, a College of St. Scholastica staffer. "Finances have a large impact on us as individuals but also as a community. One of the ways we build a strong and vibrant community is to build strong individuals, and that is where this event comes in. We are able to provide resources to people of all economic levels, from those who may be struggling with day-to-day living expenses to people who need advice on retirement, and everyone in between."
This is the second time the event has been held in Duluth. The first one was held in November at Lake Superior College and drew about 100 people.
"Since it was successful, we decided to try it again," Brenna said, noting that organizers hope to make it a twice-a-year event.
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Doors open at 9 a.m. The first 50 people who drive into the DECC parking lot and say they're going to Empower will get free parking.
