April is financial literacy month in the U.S. and there's no better time to hold a financial literacy event than then. Financial literacy month was established by the U.S. government to increase awareness and education about money and how to manage it.
 
With the current mortgage and financial crises, it's self-evident that financial literacy is a matter of personal and national security. We can no longer afford to mortgage our futures and our nation to foreign lenders. Now is the time to put our financial house in order, and this process starts with individual finances.
 
Financial literacy month zeroes in on activities such as financial literacy events and financial education events that give individuals the skills they need to improve their management of their finances. The ability to understand finance and implement good money habits is more important than ever as we cope with the current lending freeze and high unemployment. Good financial literacy programs can help accomplish this. Check out this video of a celebrity packed financial education event that is touring the country during financial literacy month.

During financial literacy month, a wide variety of educational and advocacy groups will host a variety of financial education events to help improve financial literacy standards among the public. There will also be various campaigns, financial education events, school promotions and ad campaigns all aimed at promoting one goal, fighting the societal problems associated with financial illiteracy.

Financial literacy has become a vital issue to our country. America is currently in dire straits because of the bad financial habits of our government and our citizens. We need to return to the values of financial responsibility that were practiced by our forefathers. These values -- thrift, accountability, work ethic -- are what made our country wealthy in the first place and if we don't return to them we will only continue to decline and go deeper in debt.

Financial education events are the first step in addressing this problem. These events can help students learn about how money really work, and how to better take care of their credit, budget and save and build wealth. These skills are increasingly important as the economy remains very volatile and the stability that individuals and families once enjoyed is now a thing of the past.

1.) Promotional events -- A lot of financial institutions and advocacy groups will hold financial education events in the month of April. These events have a dual purpose -- improving financial literacy and generating enough public interest to secure further funding for financial education research and outreach.

For younger people, the Money XLive event is a financial education event specifically geared to providing teens with the skills they need to be money smart. Along with the necessary financial lessons, kids attending a Money XLive event will get to see actors, athletes and other celebrities participating.

Money XLive is typically hosted at full concert style venues.   Most other events that you will find are held at colleges and universities. To find out more about financial education events, contact your local community college or university and find out what they have scheduled for April.

2.) Volunteerism -- Many campaigns are drafting volunteers from all over to help get the message of financial responsibility to today's youth. A variety of national financial literacy movements, such as StandUp for Financial Literacy, are tailor-made to teach real world money skills to as many people as possible. Standup for Financial Literacy is one of the pre-eminent public-private partnerships aimed at promoting financial education events and general financial literacy.

Part of the mission is to encourage the youth to sponsor their own financial education events in April. Kids are more likely to listen to their peers, so getting them onboard is important. Companies and organizations such as the National Youth Financial Educators Council help the youth put on these events which can go a long way to promoting better money skills.

If you want to host a financial education event, you need to get in touch with a local financial institution, university or advocacy group. They'll be able to provide you with the tools and logistical support you need to host a successful financial literacy event.

Any good financial education event will cover a few basics:

1.) Basic finance -- How to read a bank statement or credit card statement and how to balance a checkbook. This should include information about late fees and checking fees.

2.) Credit -- How credit scores are computed and how credit card interest rates work. You should also cover the true cost of borrowing money to buy things. Interest rate statements for credit cards can be confusing and misleading, so students need to learn how to read between the lines to find out the truth before opening a credit line.

3.) Saving -- How to save and the impact of interest rates and taxes on saving. Students need to learn about CDs, bonds and interest rates for savings accounts. By learning the benefits of saving, students will be more likely to save.

4.) Basic budgeting -- Learning how to live on less than what you make and the importance of setting money aside for a rainy day. It's important to learn how to set a monthly spending budget and stick to it, while also having enough money for emergency situations such as car repair, medical bills or other unexpected expenses.

Let's face it, the current economic climate is has left some people feeling like they are having a nightmare. Now more than ever before, being money smart is vital to success. Perhaps the best thing you can do for your children or students is to get them to a financial literacy event, even if it's just one that you throw yourself.

An inspiring, exciting financial literacy event can make a big difference in young adults' lives by making them more conscious of responsible financial behavior and the potential benefits of being a smart spender and saver.

Get out there today, and help the youth of your community pick up the skills that so many of us need. You may even learn a thing or two yourself.