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Financial Wellness Month: Build Stronger Money Habits with Community Development Long Island

  • William Benitez
  • 4 days ago
  • 4 min read


January is Financial Wellness Month, a chance to focus on everyday money habits that create stability, confidence, and long-term progress. Financial wellness is not about perfection. It is about building routines that move you forward, one decision at a time.

Across Long Island, individuals and families are setting goals, strengthening budgets, and building stronger financial futures. At Community Development Long Island (CDLI), our programs create space for learning, planning, and momentum. Below are three programs designed to support real goals through practical skills and long-term growth.



1) Financial Fitness, Health & Wealth: Practical Money Skills You Can Use Right Away

CDLI’s Financial Fitness, Health & Wealth is a structured course series focused on real-life financial decisions, including banking, budgeting, credit, debt, and savings. Participants build strategies they can apply immediately to strengthen financial routines and move toward personal goals.

Habits you can build in this program include:

  • Creating a workable household budget

  • Investing in a savings plan for short-term and long-term goals

  • Understanding and improving credit scores and credit reports

  • Reducing debt and building stronger financial choices over time

  • Recognizing predatory lending and protecting your financial future



2) Getting Your House in Order: Financial Education Designed for Black Families

CDLI and Sum Clarity’s Getting Your House in Order is a 5-week culturally specific financial education series created with African Americans’ shared history, culture, beliefs, and experiences around money in mind. It offers practical tools, community connection, and space for honest conversations about money and generational goals.

This program centers possibility. Participants build confidence, strengthen decision-making, and leave with skills they can carry into daily life and long-term planning.

Habits you can build in this program include:

  • Talking about money openly and confidently

  • Strengthening money management routines

  • Building saving and investing habits tied to long-term goals

  • Understanding and using credit more effectively

  • Protecting yourself and your assets



3) Family Self-Sufficiency: A Pathway for Section 8 Families Working Toward Stability

CDLI’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program is a free voluntary program for individuals and families with a CDLI Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). FSS is designed for people who are ready to set goals and take meaningful steps toward greater economic stability and future opportunities.

Participants create a personalized plan and build momentum through career and financial education options that align with their goals.

Habits you can build in this program include:

  • Setting goals and following a personal service plan

  • Building job readiness through training and career counseling

  • Strengthening budgeting and financial education skills

  • Moving toward homeownership with guidance and planning

  • Staying motivated through consistent check-ins and resources



Small Financial Wellness Habits to Start This January ✅

Even small steps can create real momentum. Here are habits CDLI programs reinforce:

✅ Choose one 90-day money goal 🎯

✅ Track spending for one week and notice patterns

✅ Create a first draft budget that reflects real life

✅ Review your credit report and choose one action step 💡

✅ Automate a small weekly savings transfer 💰

✅ Have one honest money conversation with someone you trust 💬



Common Questions People Ask When They Want to Get Their Finances Under Control

I feel like I am always behind on bills. Where do I start?

Start with clarity. Track spending for a short period of time and build a realistic budget that matches your real income and expenses. CDLI’s Financial Fitness, Health & Wealth teaches budgeting, savings strategies, and ways to reduce debt with consistency.

I want to save money, but I do not have much left over. Can I still build savings?

Yes. Savings is a habit, not a number. Even small amounts can build momentum over time. CDLI’s Financial Fitness, Health & Wealth helps participants create a savings plan that fits real life.

My credit is holding me back. Where can I go to improve it?

Credit can be improved with the right steps and consistent action. CDLI’s Financial Fitness, Health & Wealth includes topics like building good credit, understanding credit reports, and steps to repair credit.

I am looking for a money class that is designed for Black families and our real experiences with money. Is there something like that on Long Island?

Yes. CDLI and Sum Clarity offer Getting Your House in Order, a 5-week financial education series designed to support African Americans with money management, saving and investing, credit, and protecting yourself and your assets.

I have Section 8 and I want to become more stable. What programs can help?

CDLI’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a free voluntary program for eligible Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) households. Participants set goals, build a plan, and connect to career development and financial education opportunities that match their future vision.



Ready to take the next step? 💡

Financial wellness is built over time. With consistent habits, clear goals, and a plan that fits your life, progress becomes possible. CDLI programs provide tools and education that strengthen financial stability and support meaningful goals for Long Island residents.

Explore CDLI’s programs ✅

 
 
 

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