Germantown couple hosts financial boot-camp workshops

Ed and Keisa Thompson want to “help people understand what it means to manage money,” so last weekend, they held a Financial Boot Camp for Germantown residents at the Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library on Chelten Avenue.

The series, for which there were sessions every Saturday in October, drew attendees ranging from newlyweds to older adults. Thoughout the month, they tackled lessons including Understanding Your Financial Situation, Pay Off Consumer Debt, Insure & Protect Your Family and Invest Wisely.

For homework, participants kept a log of how they were spending their money. Karl Bernhard, an accredited financial counselor and educator with the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union, led many of the workshops.

“Many people were shocked how loosely they were spending money on things,” Keisa Thompson said. “Karl was able to break down the information as it relates to the attendees while educating them about being financially savvy.”

Said Germantown resident Irving Horton, “It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders when completing the homework assignment to check our credit scores. I actually found out good news.”

Vicky Mehl, also of Germantown, noted that the workshops were “very useful and provided very basic information that is important to everyone. … People seemed to really appreciate the information and the comfort surrounding the space.”

The Thompsons plan to continue the workshops in January. For more information, call (267) 564-5233 or phillymoneyclass@gmail.com.