By Chelsea Vance | The Selma Times-Journal

The Dallas County Family Resource Center will be hosting classes twice a month to help people to understand how to budget their money better in 2016.

Social Work Consultant Jan Justice has seen how much the classes help people improve their money management and is excited about continuing to offer them in the new year.

“I can tell from the participation that people are enjoying and learning when they come,” Justice said. “They ask excellent questions. We all learn from each other. It’s a fun class.”

She is the primary teacher for all of the classes. The resource center provides all copies of the curriculum for each person who attends the class.

The FDIC Money Smart Curriculum is what is used to teach the classes.

Topics include identity theft, payday lending, saving, financial recovery, loans, fraud, credit history and mortgages. Classes are usually 90 minutes and take place every other Wednesday.

Justice said the center started the classes two years ago after it noticed that clients with low to moderate income were making mistakes in budgeting their money.

“They were running out of money and not having enough to pay their utilities and their rent. We started it because of the clients, but everybody can benefit from better financial management,” Justice said.

Two classes will be held this month. The first will be Jan. 13. Another will be held Jan. 27.

The classes will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Dallas County Family Resource Center.

Attendees will learn how to responsibly use a checking account and how to prepare a personal spending plan this month.

Those who are interested in attending must reserve a seat by calling (334) 874-7785.