Week-long briefings teach people to build better savings for future Published Feb. 22, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78 ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, Ga. -- Money is tight for some people these days, and the Airman and Family Readiness Center is teaching those folks how they can save financially for the future. Military Saves is a financial readiness initiative endorsed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and implemented by the Air Force to improve the financial health of Airmen to enhance mission readiness. From Sunday to March 1, the A&FRC will offer briefings on how to save more money, how to invest, and how to pay down debt while building up savings. As a bonus, the center will offer brief-ings on how to handle finances March 4. Bill Heaberg, a community readiness consultant at the A&FRC, said the week-long financial education briefings are aimed to change attitudes about finances. "It's a social marketing campaign designed to change cultural attitudes and behavioral standards around saving money," he said. "It's part of a national campaign called, 'America Saves,' sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America." Mr. Heaberg said the campaign encourages people to avoid debt and build wealth through saving. Ideally, people should have at least three months of living expense money in their personal savings account, Mr. Heaberg said. The family readiness consultant said while three months is the minimum, it's better to have six months or more of living expense money in an account since it takes about that long to find a job after separation from the military or retirement. Mr. Heaberg said he hopes the briefings will help people take a new outlook on saving. "The whole idea behind this is to try to get people to save," he said. "If they're already saving, save a little more. If they can't save, then (they need to) pay off their debt. If you have money in a savings account that draws 2 percent interest, but you have money on a credit card that charges 18 percent interest, that's a net loss of 16 percent." Mr. Heaberg said people come out better in the long run if they pay off their debt. Christine Parker, chief of the Airman and Family Readiness Flight, said the campaign is a good opportunity for people to learn more about the mechanics of savings. "For the most part, Robins Air Force Base people enjoy healthy financial relationships with our community partners, so predatory lending and such are not a serious issue in Houston County," she said. "However, I am not confident that our individuals have a savings plan. I am also not confident that every DOD employee and Air Force member is taking full advantage of the Thrift Savings Plan." Mrs. Parker said she hopes the campaign will help those who are not financially planning for the future.