COMMUNITY HEALTHCORPS TRAINING RESOURCE: LIVING ON THE AMERICORPS STIPEND TRAINING

COMMUNITY HEALTHCORPS TRAINING RESOURCE: LIVING ON THE AMERICORPS STIPEND TRAINING

Living on the AmeriCorps Stipend Training The purpose of this training is to present Community HealthCorps Members with tools and best practices for living on the AmeriCorps stipend during his/her term of service. Members will be introduced to the concepts of creating a budget, saving money, utilizing available resources such as food stamps, and selecting cheaper alternatives for living expenses. TABLE OF CONTENTS TRAINING OVERVIEW... 3 FACILITATION GUIDE... 4 I. INTRODUCTION: Framing the Exercise 2 min... 4 II. WARM UP How the Little Things Add Up 7 min... 4 III. BUDGET EXCERSISE How To Create a Budget 20 min... 5 III. BRAINSTORM SESSION Finding Creative Alternatives 15 min... 6 III. DE-BRIEF 10 min... 6 APPENDIX... 8 I. WARM UP SAMPLE WORKSHEET: FRONT PAGE... 8 II. WARM UP SAMPLE WORKSHEET: BACK PAGE... 9 III. BUDGET WORKSHEET... 13 IV. ADDITIONAL TIPS HANDOUT... 14 V. TRAINING DEVELOPMENT CREDITS... 18 Page 2 of 18

TRAINING OVERVIEW Location: Date/Time: DURATION: GOAL / PURPOSE OF THE WORKSHOP: LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 60 minutes Members will: Gain a better understanding of how to create a suitable budget during their term(s) of service Brainstorm and share ideas for saving money and living on a modest stipend By the end of the session, Members will be able to: Develop a budget to properly manage their monetary resources during their service term(s) Recognize and seek out the cheaper alternatives are for food, transportation, housing, clothing and entertainment AGENDA 1. Introduction 2. Warm Up 3. Creating a budget 4. Small groups brainstorm 5. Debrief/ closing REQUIRED MATERIALS: Pen and paper Flipchart paper and markers Warm-up Visuals (facilitator will need to create these) Sample Visual Templates pgs.8-12 Budget Handouts pg.13 Additional Tips Handouts pgs. 14-17 SUGGESTED MATERIALS: Flip chart/ PowerPoint with training Agenda Flip chart/ PowerPoint with training Goals & Learning Objectives Flip chart/ PowerPoint with Discussion Questions for each section of the training (separate poster for each set of questions) ROOM SET-UP: The room should be set up to allow participants to easily move around and form small groups for discussion. Page 3 of 18

FACILITATION GUIDE I. INTRODUCTION: Framing the Exercise 2 min 1. Introduction Points a. Facilitator(s)presents & explains the Training Agenda: Warm Up Creating a budget Small groups brainstorm Debrief/ closing b. Facilitator(s) describes the Training Goals & Objectives: Goals (what you should accomplish during the training): o Gain a better understanding of how to create a suitable budget during their term(s) of service o Brainstorm and share ideas for saving money and living on a modest stipend Objectives (skills/knowledge you should take away from the training): o Develop a budget to properly manage their monetary resources during their service year o Recognize and seek out the cheaper alternatives are for food, transportation, housing, clothing and entertainment II. WARM UP How the Little Things Add Up 8 min Overview: The purpose of this warm-up activity is to demonstrate how spending money on even the smallest items can add up, and to encourage Members to spend more wisely. Materials: For this activity the facilitator will need to create visuals to emphasize how spending money on certain factors will add up to more in comparison to cheaper alternatives. The facilitator will need to select four or more products or services that are commonly used by most people and the cheaper alternatives for the chosen products or services (e.g.: Starbucks Coffee vs. store bought coffee/ movie theater tickets vs. DVD rentals, etc.) Refer to warm up sample worksheets (front & back- pgs. 8-12). 1. Directions/Activity (6 min) a. Have the group to divide into pairs. b. Each pair will select one visual depicting an image of the expensive factor. c. On the back of the object/ image there will be a price for the actual item (e.g.: 1 cup of Starbucks coffee) and the price for a cheaper alternative (e.g.: homemade coffee). d. In each pair one participant will be asked to calculate how much it will cost to buy the expensive item, and the other will calculate how much it will cost to buy the cheaper alternative everyday for one year. Page 4 of 18

e. Facilitator should advise participants that not all items are bought/ used every day during the year, however this calculation is to display an overall picture, rather than the exact cost of each factor presented. 2. Share back (2 min) a. Each pair will share back their findings with the group. b. Facilitator calls volunteers to answer the following discussion questions: 1) Were you surprised by the difference between the two items you and your partner calculated? Which example surprised you the most/ least? 2) Can you think of additional examples of less expensive alternatives that you already use in your life or are used by your friends/family? 3) Do you think you will need to change your lifestyle during your service as a Community HealthCorps Member based on the differences uncovered during this activity? III. BUDGET EXCERSISE How to Create a Budget 20 min Overview: In this activity participants create a simple mock budget, with the purpose of encouraging participants to use similar budgeting tools throughout their service term. Materials: The facilitator will need to print and distribute budget worksheets (pg. 13) to each participant. 1. Directions/ Activity ( 15 min) a. Facilitator introduces the importance of creating a budget as a Community HealthCorps Member. b. Facilitator should inform the group that they will now work on creating a mock budget utilizing worksheet provided by facilitator. c. Facilitator should inform the participants that this activity will help them gain a better understanding of how much money they will actually have and how much money they can place into each expense. d. Budget worksheets are passed out to participants and explained by facilitator. 2. Debrief- volunteer and call on (5 min) a. Facilitator calls upon volunteers to answer the following discussion questions: 1) Was it easy or difficult to create your budget? 2) Did anything surprise you while you working on your budget? 3) Do you think you will use a budget during this year? Page 5 of 18

III. BRAINSTORM SESSION Finding Creative Alternatives 15 min Overview: The purpose of this activity is for participants to brainstorm and share ideas on creative alternatives for cheaper solutions on FOOD, TRANSPORT, HOUSING, OTHER EXPENSES they will need throughout their service term. Materials: The facilitator will need to distribute flip chart paper and markers for each group to record ideas while brainstorming their assigned category. 1. Directions/ Activity (10 min) a. Facilitator asks participants to split up into four (or more- depending on size of the team) groups; each group should receive markers and a flip chart. b. Each group brainstorms on cheaper alternatives for one category (FOOD, TRANSPORTAION, HOUSING, OTHER EXPENSES- shopping, entertainment, etc.) Additional and/or alternative categories may be used for this activity based on the needs of the participants involved. 2. Share Back (5 min) a. Facilitator asks a representative from each group to share the ideas they came up with during their brainstorm. III. DE-BRIEF 10 min Overview: The purpose of this activity is to gauge the level of understanding and confidence of the participants for this topic after the completion of the training, to distribute additional resources/ tips and to address potential concerns/ uncertainties identified during the Shake it Out activity. Materials: The facilitator will need to print and distribute the additional tips handouts (pgs. 14-17). 1. Shake It Out (6 min) a. Facilitator asks participants to stand in a circle and ball their hands up in a fist and start shaking it b. Next the facilitator with say out loud 1, 2, 3 OUT c. When the facilitator says OUT each person holds out 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 fingers on the hand he or she was shaking to describe the level of confidence/ knowledge for living on an AmeriCorps Stipend after this workshop (1 being the worst, 5 being the best). d. Facilitator asks each person shares his/her number and to explain briefly why each person selected their certain number. If a participant s number was below a 3 facilitator should inquire what additional support/ resources this participant may need. Page 6 of 18

2. Closing Thoughts (Suggested Speaking Points for Facilitator) (3 min) a. Remember living well and being happy on an AmeriCorps stipend is VERY POSSIBLE as long you keep track of your lifestyle and make good choices on what/when to use your money. b. Keep in mind that this is only one year of your life, so in the long run it s not that long. c. The patient populations you will serve often live on a similar if not smaller income. Living on this stipend might also allow you to better understand the financial difficulties and obstacles your patients face on a daily basis. 3. Additional Hand Outs (1 min) a. Facilitator should pass out Living on the AmeriCorps Stipend Training Additional Tips Handout found on page 14-17 of this training resource. Page 7 of 18

APPENDIX I. WARM UP SAMPLE WORKSHEET: FRONT PAGE These images would are examples of items which the facilitator can select. Each image should be enlarged and placed on the front page of each visual (one image per visual). Image Source Image Source Image Source Image Source Page 8 of 18

II. WARM UP SAMPLE WORKSHEET: BACK PAGE There are four sets of directions found on the four pages below. Each set of direction matched up with an image above. Once the facilitator selects the images to be used, s/he should revise each set of directions to match the materials chosen and the local costs accordingly. A set of directions should go on the other side of the page displaying each image. A Little Bit Can Add Up to A LOT Directions: One partner should calculate how much money it would cost to take a three mile cab ride everyday for one year (approximate value). The second partner should calculate how much money it would cost to take public transportation for three miles for one year in Baltimore. TAXI CAB: 3.0 miles + 15% tip= $10.79 X 365 days PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Bus or Metro flat rate= $1.60 X 365 days Page 9 of 18

A Little Bit Can Add Up to A LOT Directions: One partner should calculate how much money it would cost to drink a Starbucks tall coffee everyday for one year. The second partner should calculate how much money it would cost to drink a cup of coffee made from a bag of coffee bought at Trader Joe s for one year. STARBUCKS COFFEE: 1 tall coffee + tax= $1.80 X 365 days TRADER JOE S COFFEE: 1 bag (approx. 200 cups) = $12.00/ 200= $0.06 X 365 days Page 10 of 18

A Little Bit Can Add Up to A LOT Directions: One partner should calculate how much money it would cost to go to the movies everyday for one year. The second partner should calculate how much money it would cost to rent a movie from Red Box everyday for one year. MOVIE THEATER: 1 adult movie ticket + tax= $10.50 X 365 days RED BOX MOVIE RENTAL: 1 DVD for one night rental= $1.00 X 365 days Page 11 of 18

A Little Bit Can Add Up to A LOT Directions: One partner should calculate how much money it would cost to order a large one topping pizza from Papa John s Pizza everyday for one year. The second partner should calculate how much money it would cost to buy a large one topping Dijiorno s Pizza for everyday for one year. PAPA JOHN S PIZZA: Large one topping pizza + tax= $14.08 X 365 days DIJIORNO S PIZZA: Large one topping pizza + tax= $7.50 X 365 days Page 12 of 18

III. BUDGET WORKSHEET Living on the AmeriCorps Stipend Training Name: Date: Total Income* AmeriCorps Stipend: $520.83 X 2= $1,041 (estimated monthly stipend, before taxes) ** Food Stamps: An AmeriCorps Member can qualify for up to $200*** Alternate Funds: Savings: Type of Expense Rent/ Housing Utilities Groceries/Food Expenses Transportation (includes public transportation, gas money, vehicle maintenance, etc) Entertainment MISC. (can include shopping, household needs, gifts, long distance travel expenses) Savings*** Estimated Money Needed Per Month Actual Money Spent Per Month Remaining Money *This income is an estimate; income for each Community HealthCorps Member will vary by Community HealthCorps Program Site, personal circumstances of Member, etc. **The Community HealthCorps Member stipend varies by Community HealthCorps program site, and may also vary at some points during the program year. ***The amount of money an AmeriCorps member can qualify for in food stamps depends upon the state the member serves in, the duration of the member s service, and possibly other factors. ****It is highly recommended that Members try to save (even if it is a minimal amount) money for emergencies during the service year Page 13 of 18

IV. ADDITIONAL TIPS HANDOUT Living on the AmeriCorps Stipend Training Name: Date: DINING & GROCERIES Look for rebates and refund offers, and use them! Buy in bulk whenever possible. Everyday household and food items can become expensive if bought individually. Try to buy toilet paper, paper towels, canned foods, cereals, etc. in bulk in off-brand names. Always look for the generic version of an item! Check out the frozen food section. Vegetables can be bought in bulk at a cheaper rate. It may not taste as good as fresh organic veggies, but this can be a good way to save money and still be able to eat reasonably healthy. Local farmers markets can also be an inexpensive way to get fresh fruits and vegetables Double your recipe when cooking so you can get 2 meals out of the price of one. Try to make one meatless meal a week. Eggs, cheese and soy are all good sources of protein. Give up a vice or cut it in half. (like smoking, drinking, soda or junk food) CUT COUPONS and check out local grocery store advertisements. You can also print off coupons at www.coolsavings.com, or www.coupons.com Water is cheaper than sodas, coffee, etc. Try switching to tea for your caffeine fix. Have a pot luck dinner once a month with friends. This way you get an entire meal (with leftovers) for the price of one dish. For those of us who are big tea drinkers, bring your own tea and a reusable mug you will have enough afternoon tea for a month for about $5. If you do go out for dinner/drinks, get the smaller size. Buy a small latte instead of a large you ll save $ and calories. Also the portion sizes at most restaurants are out of control you can get the appetizer size and still be very full. Check out restaurants with happy hour specials. You may be able to get a full meal for half of the regular price. Check out local restaurants for other great deals. Make your lunch every day. If you usually buy lunch at $5/day, you could spend over $1,000 in a year! Stop buying sodas at work. That $.90 a day adds up to $216/year. Buy off brand sodas and stock up. Better yet, start drinking water! Stop buying expensive coffee! Make it at home and take to work or ask your office to chip in on a coffee maker. You could save over $700 a year. Make weekly menus before you go to the grocery store and stick to them! Eat BEFORE you go grocery shopping. If you are hungry, you may overspend. Page 14 of 18

TRANSPORTATION & VEHICLE MAINTENANCE If you have to fly, fly cheap! Check out websites for lower fares at www.kayak.com, www.priceline.com, www.orbitz.com, www.travelocity.com, or try Jet Blue & Southwest! Compare auto insurance companies. You may be able to get a lower rate. Bike or walk as often as possible. Carpool or use public transportation Group your errands. You will save gas money! Gas prices go up 5-8 cents on Monday s so fill up before hand. Research where the cheapest gas station is in town and fill up! You can do this by going to www.gasbuddy.com If you want to get better gas mileage, make sure your tires are properly inflated, install clean air filters and change your oil regularly. Think you are saving gas by opening your windows instead of using the air conditioner? Think again. It is true that using the air conditioner uses more energy which equals more gas used. However, if you are driving on the highway, opened windows create more of a drag on your vehicle which uses even more energy! Remember: The faster you drive the more gas you use. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.21 per gallon for gas. Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. Car maintenance can keep your vehicle in good shape and can help you avoid unexpected car costs! (Check your manual for specifics) Your tires should last 50,000-60,000 miles. Rotating them every 7,500 miles can increase their life. Transmission fluid should be changed 30-50,000 miles. Oil should be changed every 3-5,000 miles (change oil filter too) while your air filter should be changed every 12-15,000 miles. Your car battery should last up to 5 years. A new one will cost $50-100. Your brake pads should last 50,000 miles. HOUSING & UTILITIES (Some of these are not only good for your wallet, but good for the environment too!) Research BEFORE you buy and COMPARE prices. It is tempting to buy a new shower curtain just because you want it, but could you get it at a cheaper price? You should compare prices Page 15 of 18

at A MINIMUM of two stores before making any purchase, unless you are making a major purchase. If this is the case, then you may want to compare prices at numerous places. Furniture usually goes on sale in September. Get rid of cable or premium TV channels. Reduce your phone bill to the bare essentials or use a pre-paid cell phone. Buy calling cards or email friends/family that live far away. You can also go to your local library and use their computers for free! Check out books, music and movies at your local library instead of renting and/or buying new items. If you need a phone and cable, check out bundle packages through various companies. Ask your family to call YOU. This will save on your long distance. Weather strips your doors and windows. If you have multiple rooms in your house or apartment, close the vents in the rooms not being used. Turn your thermostat down 1-3 degrees when you are at work or at night to save money. For every degree you turn down you thermostat, you could save up to 5% on heating costs! Clean your air conditioner and heating filters once a month. This too will save up to 5% in heating costs. Compact Fluorescent light bulbs last 10 times longer and use 75% less energy! If you can, set your water heater to the normal setting. This could save you 7-11% in heating costs. Open drapes and blinds for some natural heating! Move your furniture so you are not sitting next to exterior walls. They can be colder in the winter. Shorten your showers! Turn off your computer when not in use or put it to sleep. This can be done for MAC users as well. Install low flow shower heads. Put a 16 oz bottle in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used with each flush Clean your washing and drying machines filters regularly Don t leave tap water on while brushing your teeth or washing your face. Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Put trash and bugs in the trash can. Wash only full loads of laundry in cold water. There are new detergents that reportedly work well in cold water. By doing this, you can save 75% of your washers energy. Use a clothes line to dry clothing. Wear a sweater in the winter and shorts in the summer and adjust your thermostat. Don t leave lights on or electronics plugged in when not in use. CLOTHING Page 16 of 18

Go to Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx, Lowman s, Rugged Warehouse and other discount stores for clothing and other items Go to Consignment stores where you can swap out clothes Buy high quality clothing off-season. They will be more likely to last longer than cheaper brands. In fact, try to buy everything off-season! You don t have to pay full price for anything! Remember that Spring and Summer items go on sale in June and July, while Fall and Winter items go on sale in January. Check out thrift stores. You never know what you ll find! Avoid dry-cleaning only clothes Make hair appointments, nail appointments at beauty schools instead of pricey salons. Hold a clothing swap with friends. Check out online bargains at www.overstock.com or www.smartbargians.com ENTERTAINMENT Check out http://livingsocial.com, www.goldstar.com, www.groupon.com for great deals on discounted entertainment Drop the gym membership and go biking, jogging/ walking outside. Instead of going to a pricy restaurant / night out for a weekend outing arrange a potluck get together with your friends or Community HealthCorps team Instead of going on a pricy date to dinner/lunch and a movie, pack a picnic and go to the park Try Netflix or other online video rental places, instead of getting movie channels/ cable Try RedBox for movies, you can watch new releases for less than 2 dollars If you love going to the movies, go to matinees and don t forget your student id if you have one. Hold a magazine and book swap with friends before recycling them! STOP SMOKING. This is not only a health benefit but a cost saver. If you smoke 5 packs a week at $3.00/pack that totals $780 a year! A pack a day smoker spends $1,092/year! Most museums offer one day a week/month with free admission go on those days only. (the majority of DC museums are FREE) Use Froogle the low-rate finder on Google. It will tell you the best price of anything you can possibly want on the internet. Also, if you re planning on buying something on the internet, do a Google search for coupons first there are a ton of them floating around. Check out independent newspapers for free or discounted concerts, plays, and festivals. Page 17 of 18

V. TRAINING DEVELOPMENT CREDITS This training was revised and adapted from: Your Money: How to manage on AmeriCorps low wages, save money and get out of debt! Indiana AmeriCorps Director s Winter Retreat 2006 Sarah Younker-Koeppel, Indiana Reading Corps Director Indiana Campus Compact Page 18 of 18