7 Ways To Achieve Financial Literacy During Global Pandemic
It's one thing to learn how to better manage your money, it's another to manage your money during a recession, and yet another to manage your money during a recession and a pandemic, where everything and everyone is on lock down and resources are limited.
Financial expert, Jennifer Streaks, shares some money tips that we all should be taking in order to stay afloat during these unprecedented times.
1.File Your Taxes
Shutterstock
Go ahead and get it out of the way! This will make it easier to get your stimulus check, if you qualify. This will especially come in handy for those who have been laid off due to COVID-19. Although there has been an extension to file taxes until July 15, you should still do your best to get it in early to avoid delays.
2.Get An Extension On Payment Deadlines
Call your creditors and ask for forbearance on your payments. The entire world is on pause right now, and most businesses are being lenient towards their customers when it comes to funds that are owed.
3.Focus On Essentials Only
Shutterstock
This is not the time to stock up on unnecessary items. Right now, pay attention to what you need the most; food and in some cases, medication. In case of a complete lockdown (including grocery stores), you want to be sure that you are stocked with a lot of canned goods and whatever medication is needed to hold over for an extended period of time.
4.Track Expenses
Take the time, sit down and see where your money is going. There are many people that are seeing how much they spend on Uber, dry cleaning, Starbucks etc., and realizing how much money is wasted. Take a look at any subscription services that you don't need that can be put on hold for now. These payments can be resumed when normal life is back on track.
5.Seek Financial Assistance
Shutterstock
If you have not already, file for unemployment. Yes, the task is daunting because many states are overwhelmed, but do it so those funds can start coming in. You also want to be mindful of the fact that many people are applying at this time, so the sooner you get in, the sooner you can get access to funds to sustain you. If you don't qualify for unemployment, there may be new government-funded financial assistance programs specifically for those who are impacted by COVID-19.
6.Use Your Emergency Fund
If you need to dip into savings, go ahead and do so. This is what savings are for! The best use of your savings right now is to try to get at least two weeks worth of groceries at a time, and whatever extra essential supplies are needed.
7.Create A Pandemic Budget
ShutterstockPlan out a budget specifically for this pandemic. Money management is extremely important right now, and whatever money you already have, needs to last.
Jennifer Streaks is a financial securities expert, journalist and author. She has been an on-air commentator for years (MSNBC, Fox Business) and is a columnist/reporter having written for The Huffington Post, Motley Fool and Black Enterprise, as well as been a contributor for CNBC. Featured on national news outlets, Jennifer published her highly lauded book Thrive!...Affordably available on Amazon.com.
Featured image by Shutterstock
- 5 Financial Tips for the Coronavirus Pandemic — How Do You C.U. ›
- Coronavirus Live Updates Archive from April 12-18 ›
- Financial Literacy 101: How We Can Make a Difference This Month ... ›
- Financial Literacy Classes - Helping Reading Residents | Visions ... ›
- Editorial: We need financial literacy more than ever | Columnists ... ›
- The problem with Financial Literacy Month | American Banker ›
- Pandemic Amplifies Message of Financial Literacy Month ... ›
- 3 Ways to make Financial Literacy Month count amid coronavirus ›
- The Importance of Financial Literacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
Courtesy
Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
Courtesy
Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
Courtesy
Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy