A Philomath resident who experienced firsthand the financial stress of a mill closure is now helping others in her community navigate money challenges through a series of free financial literacy classes at the local library.
Natalie Gardner, who runs Gardner Financial Coaching, made a career pivot to financial coaching after the mill where she worked in Philomath shut down just two weeks before her son was due. The experience opened her eyes to the widespread financial struggles facing working families in the area.
“I saw the financial devastation and stress on my friends and coworkers,” Gardner said. “Although I was so thankful that my husband and I were fortunate enough to have put in the hard work to be able to survive on one income, I was heartbroken for many of the families that were stuck scrambling.”
The mill closure experience, combined with meeting stay-at-home mothers who felt financially trapped, motivated Gardner to pursue financial coaching. She discovered many parents wanted to stay home with their children but believed it was financially impossible in today’s economy.
“I believe that if you want to stay home with your kids, money shouldn’t be the reason you cannot,” Gardner said. “Since most people are struggling with finances in one way or another, they’re unaware of what life is like without being worried about money.”
To address financial stress, Gardner has organized four free classes at Philomath Community Library throughout the summer:
“Hometown Savings 101” will kick off the series on June 28 at 10 a.m., focusing on stretching paychecks and finding local savings opportunities.
“The Future Fund” follows on July 12 at 10 a.m., covering basic investing and saving strategies to help participants reach their long-term financial goals.
“One Income, Big Impact” is scheduled for July 15 at 6 p.m., specifically addressing how families can afford to have a stay-at-home parent and manage single-income budgets.
The series concludes with “Oops, Where’d My Money Go? Budgeting Basics” on July 30 at 6 p.m., teaching participants how to create effective budgets and implement money-saving strategies.
Gardner wanted to keep the classes free to help ease the financial burden on those in the community.
“Life is stressful enough without money worries,” she said.
