On September 18, 2017, the first of three Financial Capabilities Workshops run by NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley was held at St. James Baptist Church. The people who gathered listen to John Nimmo, a Foreclosure Counselor at NeighborWorks, and Myles Messier, a relationship banker at Citizens Bank, discuss the importance of credit in everyday life. Credit… Read more ⇒
Knowledge is Buying Power
On a daily basis, I am afforded the opportunity to see customers enter the HomeOwnership Center excited to begin their journey of purchasing a home. NWBRV’s financial coaches work tirelessly to ensure that all customers are empowered in their purchase from creating a budget to post-purchase follow up. Read below to learn how Cynthia Senquiz and… Read more ⇒
America Saves Week! Plan Right For Your Financial Future
Introduction to Retirement Accounts Retirement today is a lot different than it was thirty years ago. On average, interest yields from a typical retirement portfolio have been decreasing since the highs of the 1970s. There are a number of tax benefits when putting your money into retirement. To receive the full benefit of these tax breaks, it… Read more ⇒
Free Tax Prep for RIers Earning $54,000 or Less
Don’t pay for tax prep assistance! Rhode Island residents earning $54,000 or less annually can access free tax prep services from local Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. Beginning in January, VITA sites statewide began offering free tax prep assistance. Funded by United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI), the VITA program ensures that those who earn less… Read more ⇒
Shopping at your Local Farmer’s Market
I went to a local Winter Market recently and it was awesome. I bought spinach humus, baba ganoush, pre-made salads, blackberries, and, of course, a ton of vegetables. I also met a great local business owner with their own restaurant. The shopping trip prompting me to share why shopping your local farmer’s markets can be so great!… Read more ⇒
3 Steps to Financial Independence
Last Friday, I got my 4th phone call in 2 years asking me to be a bridesmaid. Every time I get one of these calls I can’t help but think ‘I’m still so young’. I struggle with the idea that women my age are getting married and are “permanently” taking someone into their lives. These… Read more ⇒
Budget to Beat Holiday Stress
Reduce your spending and stress this holiday season by creating a Holiday Budget that includes clear expectations for your expenses. Tip 1: Create a Budget and Keep Track Click here for a great template in Excel or here for an awesome free budget tool for Google Sheets. Make sure you include all holiday costs such as food,… Read more ⇒
Customer Success: Lori Sowell
Lori Sowell and her family rented one of NWBRV’s properties in Woonsocket for many years and had taken a homebuyer education class to learn more about purchasing a home. She knew that her credit score was in need of repair and she wasn’t ready to purchase just yet. Over the next few years, Lori worked… Read more ⇒
Commercial Space Available at Heritage Place
Looking for commercial space to run a small business or expand your office? Heritage Place is an exceptional location in a high traffic area of Woonsocket. It is a mixed-use development with 43 residential units, our main office and HomeOwnership Center. There are also restaurants, retail, and other services located within the two buildings. Read more about the… Read more ⇒
Three Methods for Tackling Debt
NWBRV’s HomeOwnership Center looks at three of the most popular methods to tackling debt and uses the following example to help demonstrate each: You have a $5,000 credit card debt at 18% interest (started in December of 2012), a student loan of $13,500 at 6% interest (started in May of 2010), and a car loan of $7,000… Read more ⇒
