News writer
National Financial Literacy Month is recognized each year in April. This year, the Indiana Lottery is celebrating it by reminding players to keep track of their lottery spending, understand the odds of different games, and play responsibly.
In 2003, the United States Senate passed a resolution officially designating the month of April as Financial Literacy Month. In 2017, then-President Obama emphasized the importance of being financially capable and declared the month of April as National Financial Capability Month.
Hoosier Lottery Positive Play
The Indiana Lottery endeavors to promote lottery gaming literacy and raise player awareness of financial literacy to make play positive and as much fun as possible for all Hoosiers aged 18 and over. They remain committed to the ongoing development of tools that can help players practice responsible gaming. These include a library of short, animated videos that explore financial responsibility while playing the lottery. For example, their latest video explains how to understand Draw Game odds. The Hoosier Lottery also has an Educational Tools page with links to other helpful information, such as Indiana 211 and Indiana MoneyWise. You'll find a variety of resources, from help with tax preparation to fraud prevention.
Enter to win a Positive Play prize pack
There's no purchase necessary to enter for an opportunity to win a $200 Positive Play prize pack. The pack includes a backpack, beanie, scarf, socks, and $25 in Hoosier Lottery instant-win tickets. To enter, create a myLOTTERY membership or log into your current account.
What is financial capability?
Financial capability means putting your skills and knowledge to work to manage your finances effectively, protect your money, and reach your financial goals. Here are some useful tips to remember:
- Perform regular credit checks: By checking your credit report each year, you can make sure that the information is correct and up-to-date. It can also help protect you from identity theft.
- Watch out for scams: Every year, identity thieves and scammers steal billions of dollars from unsuspecting Americans. Learn how to recognize popular scams and protect your identity and your money. If you think you have been the victim of a scam, take action immediately.
- Build your budget: Creating a budget helps you manage your money more easily because it helps you see your income and expenses clearly. It can also help you prioritize and save money along the way.
- Ask for assistance: If you are struggling with your financial situation, ask for help as soon as possible. Talk to someone at your bank, credit union, or credit card company. You may find asking for help difficult, but it's better to work out a payment schedule before you fall too far behind in your bills, mortgage, rent, or credit card repayments.
