Manage Your Money: Four Experts Show You How

PITTSBURGH, July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Learn how to better manage money, build savings and control debt via new PNC.com content that features four financial bloggers who share their personal stories and costly missteps to help others.

Through the interactive "PNC Achievement Sessions" at http://www.pnc.com/achievementsessions, consumers can learn to recognize money-related strengths and weaknesses and build financial savvy.  The content expands PNC's financial education resources, which includes homebuyer clubs and online courses for lower-income consumers as well as college campus workshops, the "For Me, For You, For Later" multimedia program for preschoolers and school bank programs in grade schools.

Basic financial knowledge eludes many Americans, according to a 2012 survey released in May by the Investor Education Foundation. The national results revealed 40 percent say they sometimes pay only the minimum credit card payment, while 31 percent of younger Americans (ages 18-34) have unpaid medical bills. Nearly 42 percent say they have too much debt.

"Learning to manage your money doesn't have to be intimidating and everyone can improve. It's not too hard to change, if you have the right help and support," said Todd Barnhart, executive vice president, head of Branch Banking. "Our Achievement Sessions will provide advice on common issues from experts who will share lessons learned from their own financial mistakes."

Life Lessons from Four Experts

PNC enlisted four experts with real-life experiences to share their expertise and personal stories:

• Anna Newell Jones is a photographer who racked up substantial debt from credit cards and loans. In 2009, she began her Spending Fast^® and Spending Diet plan, and managed to pay off almost $24,000 in debt in 15 months.
• David Ning is the founder of MoneyNing, a personal finance site with more than 500,000 unique visitors per month.  He offers tips on how to creatively build an emergency fund.
• Galia Gichon is a personal finance expert with more than 18 years of professional experience. She discusses ways to maximize retirement savings.
• Luke Landes is the founder of Consumerism Commentary, a blog about personal finance, money management and investing. He tells you how to get the mortgage you want.

Each Achievement Session features lesson notes for easy download, plus these four components:

• Video: Instructors walk users through a personal finance lesson of less than 10 minutes, sharing ideas and tips.
• Quiz: Users can test their knowledge of a lesson and discover hidden blind spots.
• Challenge:  What's a good next step? Here is a suggestion to get you started.
• Blog and Q&A: Exploration of other personal finance topics, many suggested by users.

Currently there are six sessions, including "Creative Ways to Build Your Emergency Fund" and "Credit Score Myths & Facts." New sessions will be added regularly. PNC is asking users for suggestions on future topics and instructors.

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC).  PNC (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management.  Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

CONTACT:

Jason Beyersdorfer
(732) 220-3055
[email protected]

SOURCE PNC Bank