Tuesday, September 22, 2020

The pandemic may have put Money Smart Week 2020 on hold in April, but it did not eliminate community members’ concerns about money. If anything, it may have made financial worries even greater.

That’s why the Fond du Lac Public Library will celebrate Money Smart Week Monday, Oct. 5 to Thursday, Oct. 8 with a series of free, virtual learning sessions offered via Zoom.

The library will help patrons save money during that time, too, through the annual Food for Fines program. Patrons who bring in a nonperishable food item will receive $1 off any fees owed to the library. Food items collected then will be donated to a local food pantry for distribution.

During Money Smart Week, virtual programs help participants learn how to prepare for retirement, where to turn if they want to watch TV without breaking their budget, how to climb out of debt and more.

All sessions will be hosted by Fond du Lac Public Library via Zoom so that participants not only can learn from high-quality presenters but interact with them as well. To register for any of these free sessions, visit fdlpl.org and click on “Calendar.”

Great money-savvy programs scheduled for Money Smart Week include:

  • When I’m 65: Monday, October 5 at 1 pm — Learn the basics of retirement, Medicare, Social Security and insurance. 

  • Stream this!: Monday, October 5 at 6 pm — Watch TV without breaking the budget. Learn how to compare the many viewing options: cable, satellite, over-the-air antennas, Netflix, Amazon and others.

  • Why Credit Matters: Tuesday, October 6 at 10 am — Everyone wants good credit, but why is good credit so important?  Learn what gets reported to credit bureaus and how to improve your score.

  • Passing it on, or Passing the Buck?: Wednesday, October 7 at 1 pm — Protect yourself and your family by learning the basics of estate planning documents, including wills, trusts and powers of attorney.

  • Climbing Out of Debt: Thursday, October 8 at 10 am — Learn strategies to overcome and pay off debt.

  • Time Matters: A Women’s Retirement Outlook: Thursday, October 8 at 6 pm — Getting ready to retire or a new retiree? Discuss retirement income, Social Security, withdrawal rates, preparing for the unexpected, inflation, health care and long-term care costs.

Money Smart Week is an initiative of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, in partnership with the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy. Every year, Fond du Lac celebrates Money Smart Week with seminars, activities and programs for all ages to help consumers better manage their personal finances.

The 2020 Fond du Lac Money Smart Week Committee consists of representatives from Horicon Bank, UW Extension-FDL County, FABOH, FDL Public Library, Fox Valley Savings Bank, National Exchange Bank & Trust, FDL Credit Union, Consumer Credit Counseling Services and Thrivent Financial.

Complete information and registration is available at www.fdlpl.org and click on "Calendar".