HOUSTON -- Eight months ago, Dekeisha Fitzgerald and Teresita Veleros were separated from their husbands, each raising three children and struggling to get ahead financially.

Veleros said, "I found myself in a difficult situation that I could not get myself out of."

They signed up for the Skills for Living 20-20 Power Workshops, which help low- to moderate-income families increase their income and net worth by at least 20 percent.

Skills for Living Vice President Ken Decker told KPRC Local 2, "Our preferred audience are the families who are hardworking, goal-oriented, want to get ahead. They just don't have all of the skills."

The workshops cover everything from getting out from under debt, networking and interviewing skills to navigating insurance, home and car buying.

Fitzgerald said, "The greatest lesson I learned was about saving -- how you can just take a few dollars a day out of each paycheck and save it and let that money make money."

For every extra dollar earned by a student who goes through the program, they manage to save or reduce their debt by about 81 cents.

Decker explained, "The last graduating class had an increase in income of $1,000 a month. Now, could you use an extra $1,000 a month? You bet, we all could."

For Veleros and Fitzgerald, their biggest success comes from within.

Veleros said, "It's empowering. It has empowered me to be my own advocate, to be an advocate for my children."

Fitzgerald added, "My son actually said to me the other day, 'Mom, are we rich now?' So I said, 'We're not rich, but we're making better choices with what we have.'"

The next series of workshops begin in January and are free for qualified families if registered by Dec. 15.

The Skills for Living 20-20 Power Workshops are held at 11 locations and there are evening and Saturday classes available.

More Information:

www.skills4living.org