Does Your Bank Support New Ways to Achieve Financial Stability?

During these challenging economic times, everyone is being more careful with their money. So get out your pencils and calculators. Bank of America is giving consumers a stress free way to get a handle on financial matters: free financial guidebooks featuring content from the editors of Money Magazine.

An element of the bank's partnership with Time Warner, the three Money Magazine guidebooks are part of the Money & Main Street editorial platform -- one more way Bank of America is reaching out to people to help them overcome financial challenges, meet financial goals and navigate the economic environment. release of guidebooks coincides with the launch of the new financial literacy website, a comprehensive online resource offering critical money management content, tools and information, launched on July 20.

A consumer friendly resource, the Money Magazine guidebooks tackle questions like how to build a bigger cash cushion, streamline finances and even how to avoid money arguments at home. They also feature informative graphics and statistics, easy to understand worksheets, action plans and tips on topics ranging from budgeting, real estate saving for college and credit.

Each guidebook covers a unique topic -- Real Estate, Budgeting & savings and Managing Credit & Debt. They will be inserted in issues of four Time Warner magazines: Real Simple, Money, Fortune or Time. The Real Estate guidebook will be available in July, the Budgeting & Savings guidebook will be available in August, and the Managing Credit and Debt guidebook will be available in October.

Customers will also be able to get copies of the guidebooks in banking centers in mid-August or download copies from the new financial literacy website.

"We want to be known as the bank that helps you find solutions and gets you through these tough times," said Traci Holcmbe, a Hartford, Conn, Bank of America banking center manager.

We have said it before and I am going to say it again. The lack of leadership in government did not cause this economic turmoil. Our lack of financial knowledge did. Learn as much as you can can and be ready the next time this happens. This has all happened before and it will happen again.