SISIP ready to help financial planning

Corey Hargreaves, a financial counsellor with SISIP Financial Services, is ready to meet the military community and help them make the financial decisions.

SISIP is laying out the welcome mat throughout November to mark Financial Literacy Month.

The financial services company is hosting events all month long to make military members aware of the resources available to them.

“Financial literacy is having the knowledge and understanding to make sound, responsible financial decisions,” says Corey Hargreaves, a local Financial Counsellor with SISIP. “Along with financial literacy comes knowing what resources are available and how to use them.”

During November, SISIP is setting up at locations around the base to arm military members with the knowledge they need to take control of their finances. There will also be an open house at their office in the Naden CANEX building on Nov. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. They will be serving up cake at 11 a.m.

Visitors can enter to win an iPad or iPod Nano just for stopping by to say hello at any of these events, but Hargreaves hopes people who come by will seriously consider their financial situations and whether there’s anything they should change.

He acknowledges that developing a long-term financial plan can be difficult.

“Navigating the financial landscape is intimidating,” he says. “A lot of people don’t even know where to begin.”

A great place to start is to create a monthly budget, he says.

“The foundation of financial literacy is your budget – how much do you earn and where is it going? And obviously savings too. One of the sound financial principles is to have a savings plan. You’re never going to regret saving money,” says Hargreaves.

Some people think of the word budget as negative, but it’s just a framework for meeting goals, which can include big purchases, vacations or a comfortable retirement.

“It’s your money,” says Hargreaves. “You earned it. You need to be responsible with it. So it really comes down to what you want and what your goals are.”

Beyond the basics, SISIP representatives will be available to answer questions about life insurance, consumer debt and financial planning at all of their events this month.

Information kiosk times and locations:

Nov. 13 – 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.,  Naden Athletic Centre
Nov. 14 – 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Venture – Nixon Building (1367)
Nov. 18 – 9:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Fleet School
Nov. 19 – 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Naden Athletic Centre
Nov. 21 – 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Nelles Block
Nov. 26 – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., Base Orderly Room (N30)
Nov. 27 – 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Dockyard Café

Carmel Ecker, Staff Writer