The University savings campaign, “University of Illinois Saves”, part of the “America Saves” national campaign, runs from February 1st through March 4th this year. Previously, the campaign has included a savings competition between the three universities, but, this year, we are changing it up! 

In an effort to support a culture of saving and positive financial behaviors, the Student Money Management Center (SMMC), a unit in USFSCO, and University of Illinois Extension are coordinating events throughout the month of February that promote savings behaviors. 

Complete at least three of the following challenges during the campaign to earn the Savings Badge and make your savings goal a reality.

1. Set a savings goal at universityillinoissaves.org
2. Watch Steps Toward Investing& take the quiz
3. Complete Spend Less Save More(module 2) in Love Your Money (access code 95b31a0e)
4. Register for and participate in the next Get Savvy webinar, Cover Your Assets, on March 3rd 

Additionally, you can sign up for Financial Planning for Young Adults, a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) offered by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and the University of Illinois on Coursera, to get a jump start on turning the goal you set into a reality. This free, online financial planning course is now open for registration. The course provides an introduction to basic financial planning concepts. It is open to the general public through Coursera, an education platform that partners with universities and organizations worldwide to offer courses free of charge. For more information about the course and to register, visit https://www.coursera.org/course/personalfinance.

Events sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension and SMMC will be held at each university - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Illinois at Springfield - throughout the month of February, including #imsavingfor Photo Booths, Paint the Pig parties and an online Scavenger Hunt for Savings. See these events on the SMMC calendar.

Save for your dreams, Plan for your reality.

Thank you,

University of Illinois Student Money Management Center (SMMC), University of Illinois Extension, and Consumer Federation of America (America Saves)