Highlight on Personal Finance. Sharon Fowler, Executive Director of The LendingTree Foundation, a non-profit group that aims to empower individuals and families in their personal financial lives, talks about the Foundation’s Financial Fitness Academy and financial literacy programs that will begin in August:

The economy has been tough on many of us, and the need for financial literacy is particularly important as we all evaluate our short- and long-term goals. That’s why we are really excited about The LendingTree Foundation starting an educational program this month in Charlotte, North Carolina called the Financial Fitness Academy.

The financial literacy program brings together two very special groups of people. Volunteers from the LendingTree Charlotte headquarters have been trained in personal finance tips and strategies. They will be working one-on-one with members of the community who want to reduce their debt, increase their savings, and take control of their financial lives.

Our volunteers include employees …

U.S. Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina dropped by LendingTree’s Charlotte offices on Friday and talked with us about the role of  financial literacy in helping people become more empowered in their personal finance decisions.

Hagan said she believes that a deeper understanding of finances can help people throughout their lives, and should assist them in making smarter financial decisions with both long- and short-term purchases.

“Credit is great for long term investments but it’s not good for buying your groceries or paying your bills.” she said. “We need to understand the difference.”

Hagan toured the LendingTree office and met with our CEO Douglas Lebda and other top executives to talk about financial literacy and the newly-formed LendingTree Foundation, a non-profit group that helps  individuals take control of their personal financial lives. She visited our Customer Care Center, where licensed loan officers help borrowers find the right loan product – even if …

The federal government wants us all to get smarter about how we spend and save our money. So, a new Office of Financial Literacy – part of the newly-signed financial reform bill – will develop programs meant to educate the American public on savings and loans.

The office is expected to create standards for financial advice programs and to help people find ways to avoid financial scams. Financial literacy is being promoted separately by other groups, too. The LendingTree Foundation, for example, is a recently-created non-profit organization that provides counseling to families in financial turmoil.

In Washington, D.C., Michael Barr, Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions, told us in a phone press conference yesterday that the government’s financial literacy outreach is meant to help “individuals take the necessary steps to make themselves better educated about what it means to save and borrow, and to conduct the basic transactions in life.”

The attention on …