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Women's Workshop Makes Dollars Go Further
By
Katie
Pratt
 LAWRENCEBURG,
Ky. (Nov. 21, 2007) – Using basic financial principles, Debra
Parrish, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension agent for
family and consumer sciences in Anderson County, taught a group
of women how to stretch their money, while trying to eliminate
debt and save for the future during a recent Dollars and Sense
for Women financial workshop.
“The class emphasizes the importance of setting money aside for
emergencies, having a budget plan and keeping records,” Parrish
said.
The workshop is a collaboration between extension and the
Bluegrass Alliance for Women. It began after a 2001 study by the
Governor’s Task Force on the Economic Status of Kentucky’s Women
found women of all ages across the state need education on
financial issues. Its findings showed the state was the third
worst in the nation for women based on economic autonomy,
employment and earnings, political participation, health and
well-being and women’s reproductive rights. It also reported
that by improving women’s economic status, the state could make
unprecedented progress in all aspects of Kentucky life.
Nancy Dicken, chair for the financial workshops committee with
the Bluegrass Alliance for Women, said the alliance has reached
262 women in 15 Bluegrass counties since the workshops began.
Materials used in the workshops are based on the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation’s Money Smart Program.
During the workshop, several money management topics were
discussed including how to determine monetary worth, discover
spending habits and keep organized records. Parish also
taught the women about the importance of prioritizing and goal
setting for large financial endeavors.
In a survey taken at the end of the class in Anderson County,
nearly all of the participants agreed they would be able to
apply the skills they learned toward improving their financial
situations.
While the workshop is a good starting point to financial
independence, it will not cure all problems.
“This workshop is designed to help women get a handle on their
finances, but these classes are just a start,” Dicken said. “The
Bluegrass Alliance for Women also offers advanced financial
workshops on managing investments.”
The next Dollars and Sense for Women workshops will be Feb. 12
and March 11 in Versailles.
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Contact: Debra Parrish, 502-839-7271
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of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
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to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
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