{"id":43,"date":"2017-09-13T19:32:58","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T19:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-home-health-aide\/chapter\/family-spending-and-budgeting\/"},"modified":"2017-10-02T19:32:03","modified_gmt":"2017-10-02T19:32:03","slug":"family-spending-and-budgeting","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-home-health-aide\/chapter\/family-spending-and-budgeting\/","title":{"raw":"Family Spending and Budgeting","rendered":"Family Spending and Budgeting"},"content":{"raw":"
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Introduction<\/h1>\r\nAssisting a patient and their family to effectively manage their money may be an important task for a Home Health Aide\/Personal Care Aide. It is also important for the HHA\/PCA who assists patients with shopping to be sure to effectively utilize a patient\u2019s money by observing cost-saving techniques. This module focuses on how to assist a patient and their family with managing their money. We will discuss how to record expenditures<\/a> and how to shop effectively in order to reduce costs for the family. Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides should remember to always follow the Care Plan to decide whether or not they should provide assistance with money management and shopping and they should keep accurate records when they do so.\r\n

Unit A: The Role\u00a0Of the Home Health Aide\/Personal Care Aide in Family Spending and Budgeting<\/h1>\r\n

The Home Health Aide\/Personal Care Aide's Role in Family Spending and Budgeting<\/h2>\r\nHome Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides may be asked, as directed in the Care Plan, to assist their patient and their family with developing and sticking to a budget<\/a>. They may also be asked to assist the patient with paying bills and running errands, such as grocery shopping or banking for their patient. It is important to remember that assisting someone with their money is a task in which accurate record keeping is paramount (very important). Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides must always carefully and immediately document how much of the patient\u2019s money they spent and what they spent it on.\r\n\r\nHome Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides should only provide assistance with managing and handling a patient's money and budget as directed by the Care Plan. Their employer will tell them the policies and procedures for the agency they work regarding whether or not they will help with handling a patient's money and what the rules are for doing so. If Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides are not<\/u> allowed to handle money, they must NEVER<\/b> <\/b>agree to do so, as they could get into a lot of trouble and potentially lose their job. If a patient or family member ever asks a HHA\/PCA to handle their money and they are not allowed to do so or do not feel comfortable doing so, they should discuss this with a supervisor and seek their guidance.\r\n\r\nEven if part of their job is to handle a patient's money, Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides should NEVER<\/b> use the patient\u2019s money for their own needs, even if they are planning to pay them back (Leahy, Fuzy & Grafe, 2013). This is considered to be stealing<\/b>. They could lose their job, get their agency into a lot of trouble, and face legal and criminal action, such as getting arrested. Document all use of the patient's money as directed by the Care Plan and the agency's policies and procedures. Use checks instead of cash whenever possible. This is the easiest way to accurately keep track of how money was spent. It is much more difficult to keep track of cash. The patient must sign the checks, which demonstrates that they intended the money to be used for the purpose they assigned.\r\n

Self-Check Activity m9-1<\/a><\/b><\/h1>\r\n
\"interactive-placeholder-image\"<\/a><\/div>\r\n
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<\/a>Self-Check Activity M9-1<\/h3>\r\nTrue<\/b> <\/b>or<\/b> <\/b>False<\/b>\r\n\r\n1. It is okay to buy yourself something at the store with your patient's money. True or False? ___________\r\n\r\n2. It is okay to borrow money from your patient, as long as you promise to pay it back. True or False? ___________\r\n\r\n3. Using a patient's money in any way other than that directed in the Care Plan or for which they have specifically instructed you to do so is considered stealing and could result in losing your job or going to jail. True or False? ___________\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"168823\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"168823\"]1. False 2. False 3. True\r\n\r\nFEEDBACK: 1. It is never okay to use a patient\u2019s money for any purpose other than that directed within the Care Plan and by the patient. 2. It is never okay to borrow money from a patient or their family, even if you intend to pay it back. 3. Using a patient\u2019s money in any way than that directed in the Care Plan could be considered stealing and is punishable by loss of job, fines, and\/or jail time. The agency for which the HHA\/PCA works can also face serious penalty.[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Income<\/h3>\r\nMany people, including patients and their families may live on a fixed income<\/a>. A fixed<\/b> <\/b>income<\/b> means that a person lives on a set income and must plan their expenses in order to fit into the amount of money that they have coming in. People may have income from a variety of sources. Income<\/b> is the amount of money that enters a household. Some people get a paycheck once a week or biweekly<\/a>. Biweekly<\/b> paychecks are usually paychecks that come in twice per month, or every other week. Others receive a pension from a retirement plan. Some people may receive financial assistance from state or government sources.\r\n\r\nIf Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides will be helping their patient plan a budget<\/a>, they must first know the amount of money that is coming in to the household in order to help make a plan. The patient may be sensitive about the amount of money they make. Never be judgmental about the amount of money or the source of a patient's income<\/a>. Allow a patient to manage their budget independently if they prefer, but offer assistance when needed. Some patients may require complete assistance with planning for their budget. The Care Plan will direct the HHA\/PCA as to how much assistance they will provide their patient and their family with managing expenses.\r\n
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<\/a>Self-Check Activity M9-2<\/h3>\r\nTrue or False<\/strong>\r\n\r\n1. Income is the amount of money coming in to a household, regardless of source. True or False?<\/strong> _________\r\n\r\n2. A fixed income means a person can spend as much as they want regardless of how much money they make. True or False?<\/strong> _________\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"521744\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"521744\"]1. True 2. False\r\n\r\nFEEDBACK: 1. The amount of money entering a household is known as income. Income can be from a variety of sources such as pension plans, employment, and financial assistance from a government. 2. When people are on fixed incomes, meaning they have a set amount of money coming in to the household, they must be watchful of how much they spend. They should not spend more than the amount of money earned from income.[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Debt and Stress<\/h3>\r\nMoney can be a real source of stress for many people. If we are unable to buy things we need or want, it can cause great frustration, anger, or depression. When people spend more than the amount of money they have, they can incur debt<\/a>. Debt<\/b> is any money that is owed. Some people incur debt by spending more money than their income <\/a>(money they earn). They may borrow money from family, friends, or lending agencies, such as banks. They may also use credit cards to purchase items they cannot afford. If a person does not pay their credit card bills on time or in the full amount due, over a relatively short period of time, a higher amount of money than what the person borrowed becomes due. This is because credit card and lending agencies charge what is called interest<\/a>. Interest<\/b> is the amount of money a person pays on top of what they borrowed. When we borrow money from lending agencies or credit card companies, we are charged interest<\/a>. This is the cost of allowing us to borrow money that we do not currently have.\r\n\r\nIf a patient has a high amount of debt <\/a>and is having difficulty paying their bills or loans, and would like assistance with this aspect of their life, Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides could speak with their supervisor about what options their patient has. Many communities may have credit counseling services available to help patients and families manage their debts and plan for living expenses appropriately. If Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides think their patient could benefit from this type of service, they should discuss their concerns with their supervisor. The home care team may be able to provide budgeting assistance and referrals to community agencies to help families with this type of need. The best way to reduce stress about money is to budget<\/a> and plan for expenses.\r\n\r\nTo help your patient and family determine their debt <\/a>to income <\/a>ratio, a Debt to Income Ratio Calculator Worksheet can be downloaded and copied from American Consumer Credit Counseling at: http<\/u><\/a>:\/\/<\/u><\/a>www<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>consumercredit<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>com<\/u><\/a>\/<\/u><\/a>media<\/u><\/a>\/11405\/<\/u><\/a>debt<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>to<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>income<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>ratio<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>pdf<\/u><\/a>\r\n
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<\/a>Self-Check Activity M9-3<\/h3>\r\n1. Which of the following best describes debt?\r\n\r\na). The amount of money coming in to the household.\r\n\r\nb). The expenses that a family has.\r\n\r\nc). The amount of money in a person's savings account.\r\n\r\nd). The amount of money a person owes after borrowing.\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"351940\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"351940\"]1. D\r\n\r\nFEEDBACK: Debt is the amount of money that a person owes after borrowing. Income is the amount of money coming in to a household.[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Daily Expense Tracker<\/h3>\r\nOne way to determine where money is going in the household and to properly set up a budget<\/a> is to use a daily<\/b><\/a> <\/b>expense<\/b> <\/b>tracker<\/b> which helps to keep track of daily expenses for a period of time. This can give a patient and their HHA\/PCA useful information where money needs to be allocated<\/a><\/b> (distributed or assigned to a particular category) and where spending cuts can be made. When doing this, it is important to keep track of every<\/i> <\/i>item<\/i> that is purchased, even if it seems small or insignificant. Oftentimes, people may not even realize the amount of money they spend on unnecessary items. These can be helpful places to cut back on expenses without too much hardship.\r\n\r\nYou can make a daily expense tracker<\/a> in a software program such as Excel or using a word document. You can even keep track on a piece of paper with headings indicating the date, type of expense, and amount spent. Alternatively, a Daily Expense Tracker Worksheet can be downloaded from American Consumer Credit Counseling at: http<\/u><\/a>:\/\/<\/u><\/a>www<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>consumercredit<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>com<\/u><\/a>\/<\/u><\/a>media<\/u><\/a>\/11395\/<\/u><\/a>daily<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>expense<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>tracker<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>pdf<\/u><\/a>\r\n\r\nA Daily Expense Tracker<\/a> Worksheet Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides might look like the following example.\r\n

Daily<\/b> <\/b>Expense<\/b> <\/b>Tracker<\/b> <\/b>Worksheet<\/b> <\/b><\/h4>\r\n<\/colgroup>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Date<\/td>\r\nType of Expense (What and where was the money spent on)<\/td>\r\nAmount Spent<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nLet\u2019s look at a sample daily expense tracker that has been filled out:\r\n

Daily<\/b> <\/b>Expense<\/b> <\/b>Tracker<\/b> <\/b>Worksheet<\/b> <\/b><\/h4>\r\n<\/colgroup>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Date<\/td>\r\nType of Expense (What and where was the money spent on)<\/td>\r\nAmount Spent<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
01\/15\/15<\/td>\r\nGas for car-gas station<\/td>\r\n$20.00<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
01\/16\/15<\/td>\r\nGroceries-supermarket<\/td>\r\n$27.21<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
01\/16\/15<\/td>\r\nLunch-Fast food restaurant<\/td>\r\n$5.99<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
01\/16\/15<\/td>\r\nGum & soda-gas station<\/td>\r\n$4.51<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
01\/17\/15<\/td>\r\nCleaning products-grocery store<\/td>\r\n$15.61<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nAs you can see from the previous example, expenses were tracked for 3 days. Money was spent on gas, groceries, lunch, gum & soda, and cleaning products. Using a daily expense tracker<\/a> such as this may be a helpful way for a person to recognize that they are spending some money on unnecessary items such as eating out or purchasing gum or soda. If they find their expenses exceed their income<\/a>, eliminating unnecessary items is one way to help income meet their expenses.\r\n
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<\/a>Self-Check Activity M9-4<\/h3>\r\n1. Which of the items from the sample daily expense tracker worksheet are probably unnecessary? Select<\/b> <\/b>all<\/b> <\/b>that<\/b> <\/b>apply<\/b>.<\/b>\r\n\r\na). Gas for car\r\n\r\nb). Groceries\r\n\r\nc). Fast food\r\n\r\nd). Gum and soda\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"230775\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"230775\"]1. C and D\r\n\r\nFEEDBACK: While some of these items are necessary, such as gas for the car, or groceries, other items such as gum and a lunch from a fast food restaurant are not necessary. These types of items can add up in the long run and are often items we forget about spending money on when we try to figure out where our money has gone![\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Planning a Budget<\/h3>\r\nA budget<\/b><\/a> involves planning for expenses within the limits of the amount of income <\/a>(money coming in). People often find it helpful to set up categories of expenses when planning their budget. The first step is to determine all the household expenses. The second step is to determine all sources of income. Then, once all the data has been collected, a person will be able to determine if the monthly income meets, exceeds<\/a>, or is less than the monthly household expenses. We will take a look at how to determine expenses and income next. A Household Budgeting Worksheet can be downloaded and copied for personal use from American Consumer Credit Counseling at: http<\/u><\/a>:\/\/<\/u><\/a>www<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>consumercredit<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>com<\/u><\/a>\/<\/u><\/a>media<\/u><\/a>\/11393\/<\/u><\/a>household<\/u><\/a>_<\/u><\/a>budgeting<\/u><\/a>_<\/u><\/a>worksheet<\/u><\/a>_2013.<\/u><\/a>pdf<\/u><\/a>\r\n

Determining Expenses<\/h3>\r\nThe next step in effectively managing money is to determine what the actual expenses of the household are. Actual<\/b> <\/b>expenses<\/b><\/a> <\/b>are expenses the patient and family have. These include rent or mortgage payments, car payments, car or health insurance payments, groceries, gas and electric bills, water bills, tuition for school, prescription medication costs, gas for the car, and clothing. Depending on the patient and their family\u2019s unique needs, types of expenses will vary. Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides should discuss with their patient the expenses they have in order to best help them develop a budget<\/a>.\r\n\r\nRemember; never be judgmental in how a patient spends their money. People choose to spend their money in very different ways. Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides may not agree with the way their patient spends their money, just like the patient may not agree with how a HHA\/PCA spends their own money. Remember<\/i>, <\/i>it<\/i> <\/i>is<\/i> <\/i>the<\/i> <\/i>patient<\/i>\u2019<\/i>s<\/i> <\/i>money<\/i>, <\/i>just<\/i> <\/i>like<\/i> <\/i>a<\/i> <\/i>paycheck<\/i> <\/i>is<\/i> <\/i>the<\/i> <\/i>HHA<\/i>\/<\/i>PCA<\/i>\u2019<\/i>s<\/i> <\/i>money<\/i>.<\/i> The job of the Home Health Aide\/Personal Care Aide is to assist the patient and family with being able to plan effectively so as to reduce their stress about money, and to live independently and according to their income restrictions and preferences.\r\n\r\nHome Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides can determine expenditures<\/a><\/b> (expenses) by writing down the cost of all the family's living expenses. They could do this in a spreadsheet, a word document, or on a piece of paper with categories. Once they have figured out all the categories of expenses and how much each costs the family on a monthly basis, they should then add up the total expenses.\r\n\r\nA sample expenditure sheet may look like this:\r\n

Expenditure Worksheet<\/h4>\r\n<\/colgroup>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Expenditure<\/b><\/td>\r\nCost<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Rent or mortgage<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Automobile payment<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Automobile insurance<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Health and dental insurance<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Homeowner's\/renter's insurance<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Life\/disability insurance<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Child support\/alimony<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Food<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Electricity<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Gas<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Water<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Garbage<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Education (tuition, supplies)<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Prescription medications<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Cleaning supplies<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Clothing<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Household items<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Personal care (hair, nails)<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Health club membership<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Club memberships and dues<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Entertainment<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Subscriptions<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Expenses<\/b><\/td>\r\nTotal<\/b>:<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Determining Income<\/h3>\r\nOnce Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides have figured out the expenses, they need to determine the amount of income<\/a> the household has. Determining income is done by writing down all the sources<\/i> <\/i>of<\/i> <\/i>income<\/i> and the amount<\/i> <\/i>of<\/i> <\/i>income<\/i> from each<\/u> <\/u>source<\/u>. An example of what this might look like is this:\r\n

Monthly Income Worksheet<\/h4>\r\n<\/colgroup>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Income<\/b> <\/b>Source<\/b><\/td>\r\nAmount<\/b> <\/b>of<\/b> <\/b>Income<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Salary\/wages (self)<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Salary\/wages (spouse, significant other)<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Social security<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Unemployment<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Child support\/alimony<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Financial aid\/scholarships<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Pension plan\/retirement<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Food stamps<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Public\/government assistance<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Income<\/b><\/td>\r\nTotal<\/b>:<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nNow that they have figured out expenses and amount of income <\/a>for the month, they need to figure out the balance left after expenses. To do this, subtract the Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Expenses<\/b> from Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Income<\/b>. <\/b>This is the amount leftover. They may find that the Total Monthly Expenses exceeds<\/b> <\/a>(is more than) the Total Monthly Income. In this case, they will need to assist the family to determine where expenses can be eliminated<\/u> <\/u>(removed). In other cases, the Total Monthly Expenses is less than the Total Monthly Income. In this case, the family has extra money beyond their expenses.\r\n\r\nLet\u2019s look at some examples of how to do this.\r\n\r\nExample<\/i>:<\/i>\r\n\r\n <\/b>Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Income<\/b>: $5,300<\/b>\r\n\r\n(-) <\/b>Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Expenses<\/b>: $4, 750<\/b>\r\n\r\n__________________________________________<\/b>\r\n\r\nAmount<\/b> <\/b>leftover<\/b>: $550<\/b>\r\n\r\nIn the previous case, there is $550 leftover after accounting for all the monthly expenses. This means the family has more<\/u> <\/u>income<\/u> <\/u>than<\/u> <\/u>expenses<\/u>. Families can decide to put this money into savings in order to build up retirement savings, pay for future college expenses, save for a more expensive item, or to save for an unexpected cost.\r\n\r\nExample<\/i>:<\/i>\r\n\r\n <\/b>Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Income<\/b>: $6,250<\/b>\r\n\r\n(-) <\/b>Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Expenses<\/b>: $7,500<\/b>\r\n\r\n__________________________________________<\/b>\r\n\r\nAmount<\/b> <\/b>leftover<\/b>: -$1250<\/b>\r\n\r\nIn the previous case, the family is spending $1250 more<\/i> than what their income <\/a>is. Their expenses exceed their monthly income. They will need to make adjustments to their spending in order to live within their means.\r\n
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<\/a>Self-Check Activity M9-5<\/h3>\r\nIn the following example, does the family have enough income to meet their expenses?\r\n\r\nTotal<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Income<\/b>: $3,500<\/b>\r\n\r\n(-) <\/b>Total<\/b> <\/b>Monthly<\/b> <\/b>Expenses<\/b>: $3,750<\/b>\r\n\r\n__________________________________________<\/b>\r\n\r\nAmount<\/b> <\/b>leftover<\/b>: -$250<\/b>\r\n\r\na). Yes\r\n\r\nb). No\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"197153\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"197153\"]1. B=NO\r\n\r\nFEEDBACK: The amount leftover after subtracting monthly expenses from monthly income is negative, or less than what is needed. Adjustments to spending will need to be made in order to live within this person\u2019s means.[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Unit B: Ways to Make the Most Effective Use of the Family's Finances<\/h1>\r\nIn addition to helping the family plan and work within a budget<\/a>, Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides can also help the family cut or reduce their costs. Costs can be reduced in many ways. We often do not even realize all the little things we can do to cut our costs. Saving a little bit here and there and cutting back even just a little add up in the long run to big savings! Here are some ways Home Health Aides\/Personal Care Aides can help their patient and their family cut costs and things they can think about doing to help the family save money!\r\n\r\nThe following tips will help the Home Health Aide\/Personal Care Aide assist the families with whom they work to save on groceries, household costs, and energy costs. You can view these and other tips to save on groceries and household expenses by visiting American Consumer Credit Counseling at: http<\/u><\/a>:\/\/<\/u><\/a>www<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>consumercredit<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a>com<\/u><\/a>\/<\/u><\/a>media<\/u><\/a>\/90298\/<\/u><\/a>Save<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>by<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>Cutting<\/u><\/a>-<\/u><\/a>Back<\/u><\/a>-2013.<\/u><\/a>pdf<\/u><\/a>\r\n

How to Save on Grocery Costs<\/h2>\r\n