STAF159-1213: Introduction to Personal Finance-Basic Strategies for Spending and Budgeting
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INSTRUCTOR(S): Julie Urban, BA, AAS, LVT and
Barb Burri, MEd, MBA, CVT, LVT
COURSE OPEN: December 30-February 7, 2014
REAL TIME SESSIONS (RTS): Tuesdays, January 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2014; 9:00pm-10:00pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area:
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Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience
in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first
Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session
is up to 1 hour in length.
For more information, please visit the
CE Practice Area.
Level and Prerequisites:
This
Basic course will entail in depth interactive looks at your personal finance and how to understand where your paycheck goes and why. This course will not include financial counseling, bankruptcy, retirement or benefit plans, but will provide methods to take an eye-opening look at what you spend vs. your income and provide you with valuable tools to help you understand your personal financial situation and how to begin improving it.
NOTE: No personal or business financial information will be asked for or collected by VIN/VSPN. Participants should not post personal financial information in the message boards or in the course sessions.
VSPN CE Course: This course is RACE approved for veterinary technicians only.
RACE approval for this course: 22-9919
Course Description:
It's no secret that as veterinary professionals (whatever your title happens to be), our salaries are usually referred to as "modest." It is important for veterinary professionals to pay close attention to their personal finances in order to live comfortably and make the most of each of those modest dollars we earn. Constant worry and anxiety over the lack of money wears people down, negatively affects their concentration and job performance, is rough on relationships and probably contributes to mental and physical health issues. At the other end of the spectrum are people whose finances are in terrible condition, but either ignore or deny a problem exists and take no corrective action until the situation is beyond the ability to rectify. This course will allow each participant to take a solid, in-depth look at his/her own personal finances, identify problem areas, and learn steps to address and improve personal finance. Please review the level/prerequisites for this course before you enroll, this course will not be for the faint of heart!
This course consists of four (4) (60) minute Real Time Sessions, supplemental library materials,
interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple
choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session).
Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required
to earn a certificate of completion for the course.
Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to
- accurately record how much they are spending on a month to month basis.
- readily identify where spending can be reduced and review how to control spending triggers.
- define proper use of credit cards.
- describe a working plan to eliminate credit card debt.
- schedule a balanced basic monthly budget.
- demonstrate accurate balance and reconciliation of a personal checkbook register to the bank statement.
- recognize and describe how to start saving money.
Course Materials: Course materials will be available
in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Required Textbook(s):
There is no required textbook for this course.
About the Instructors:
Julie Urban is a credentialed veterinary technician, retired from clinical practice, but remains professionally involved. Her previous career as an economist in the banking, finance and securities industry provides decades of knowledge to address the subject of personal finance from both the veterinary staff aspect and financial district aspect. Julie currently works as an office assistant to a best-selling author and works for her husband's company and as a pet sitter. Barb Burri is an adjunct faculty member in the veterinary technology program at Great Bay Community College. In addition to this course, Barb has been a long time member of VSPN and teaches several other VSPN CE courses.
Course Outline:
Week 1 (Real Time Session January 7):
Wake Up Call
Content:
We will jump right in to start analyzing how we spend money, discuss bad spending habits and spending triggers. During this session we will introduce the Monthly Expenditures Worksheet, The One-Week Miscellaneous Spending Worksheet and the Credit Card Debt Summary Worksheet. The homework for the week will be to complete these three worksheets.
Week 2 (Real Time Session January 14): ):
Review Time
Content:
Having completed the three Worksheets we will undergo an in-depth review of strategies and suggestions each participant can incorporate into the Monthly Expenditures Worksheet with a goal of eliminating deficit spending. The homework for the week will use the information learned in class to revise the Monthly Expenditures Worksheet, in every category possible. Each participant's goal will be to figure out ways to reduce their monthly expenditures to a point where they are actually spending less than what they earn each month.
Week 3 (Real Time Session January 21):
Credit Cards
Content:
In-Depth discussion of credit cards. We will focus on the appropriate use of credit cards and review methods to eliminate credit card debt. Be prepared to take a hard and serious look at the fact that the participant may have to stop using credit cards all together until the debt is paid in full.
Week 4 (Real Time Session January 28):
Monthly Budget
Content:
Creation of the monthly budget - spending virtually before actually. Review of how to reconcile and balance your checkbook register to the bank statement; and why that's important. Lastly, we will begin our discussion of beginning to save for your emergency fund and for retirement.
CE CREDITS: 4
Tuition:$80 ($72 early bird special if enrolled by December 16, 2013).
* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program
may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close at
5pm ET, Tuesday, January 7, 2014
or when the maximum number of participants is reached.
*For more information on how online CE works, see the
Participant Resource Center.
TO ENROLL:
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- Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to
VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course
must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a
VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
- Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org
and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants;
personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
- Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration.
To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll
for a course on behalf of another individual.
- For further assistance call 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email (VIN CE)
CEonVIN@vin.com or (VSPN CE)
VSPNCE@vspn.org.
Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
*Note:
"This course is approved for 4 continuing education credits in jurisdictions
which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some
boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or
restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education."
Call VSPN/VIN CE at 1-800-700-4636 for further information.
(Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for
information regarding recognition by their board).
Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be
issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course.
If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN/VSPN office 1-800-700-INFO (4636)
to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you
call the VIN/VSPN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).
*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the
VSPN Course Catalog.
Nanette R. Walker Smith, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT
VSPN Content & CE Director
&
Charlotte Waack, CVT, RVT
VSPN CE Coordinator
VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154
800.700.4636 | CEonVIN@vin.com | 530.756.4881 | Fax: 530.756.6035
777 West Covell Blvd, Davis, CA 95616
Copyright 2000, Veterinary Information Network, Inc.
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