This AM, I hosted a workshop on ‘Budgeting’ with my Mentor, Alicia Cronkhite. We have a window from 8-9 AM on Saturdays and Sundays at the Horse shoe area, which is in the middle of the Unit. This is the area where we can lay out sheets and handouts when doing the workshop.
This is done in English/Spanish. Our workshops are gaining popularity, the “nay sayers” are becoming “curious cats”, who will linger in that area a little longer than before and sign in, ask a question, and sign in. We applaud that, for showing interest means that person has been thinking about it and we have reached them in some way.
This morning, we talked about the difference between ‘needs” and “wants”, budget spending along the lines of the income available. We gave tips on how to avoid impulse buying, working on unhealthy habits such as gambling, drugs, loans and so on. We had handouts giving real examples on how much a bag of chips or a candy bar costs when bought at Commissary versus buying it from someone (store) who will add a surplus charge to it and the bag of chips will cost you twice the price. That surplus charge could have been in the Pre-release savings account.
Females are known for impulse buying, bad saving behaviour, so we actually educate our peers to be more mindful, because now is the time to save money to help you get on your feet when leaving prison. We discussed making a plan, making a list of what is needed when walking out of the prison gates in terms of housing, utilities, transportation, general cost of living such as food, clothing, etc etc. Life has become more expensive since COVID, so people need to take that into consideration.
We had a lot of peers for whom the examples we put down, came to life before their eyes and we experienced a lot of “Aha” moments this very morning. We had a few ladies commenting on the fact that they have been incarcerated 6-7 years and not saved a penny (!). And now, panic sets in, for they will have less and less half way house time to get on their feet.
This calls for a follow-up workshop, where we can go deeper into setting up real budgets for the first 6 months after release and investments in bonds, digital currency and so on.
Sherida Nabi
