Registration Deadline Is Feb. 1

AMES, Iowa -- Get married or divorced. Have a child. Lose a job. Deal with the death of a spouse. Live longer than men, but earn less on average. These common situations provide the backdrop for many women’s complex relationship with money. Iowa State University Extension’s Money Talk program helps women understand these dynamics and take charge of their financial future. The next class begins Feb. 8 and is available both online and as a home-study course.

Money Talk covers financial basics, insurance, investing, retirement planning and planning for life events, said Cynthia Needles Fletcher, an ISU Extension family resource management specialist. The course costs $75 and includes a 190-page workbook. Women can register through the ISU Extension Online Store (www.extension.iastate.edu/store, enter money talk in the search box) or call Human Development and Family Studies Extension, (515) 294-6568. The registration deadline is Feb. 1.

Money Talk helps Iowa women increase their knowledge so they can make wise financial decisions, Fletcher said. “You’ll learn financial terminology and money management skills to become a more informed consumer. You also will have the opportunity to complete exercises and interact with the instructor and other women in the course.”

Monica Lamm took the course because she wanted answers to the financial planning questions she had after the arrival of her first child.

“This may sound overly simple, but before the course, I knew we needed a plan in place to save for college, retirement, big ticket expenses. The problem was that I did not know how to go about setting specific goals and constructing an action plan to help us work toward each need,” Lamm said.

Money Talk helped Lamm put that plan in place; she recommends that other women take the course.

“The information is provided in a very practical way. Most of the exercises that you complete pertain to your own financial goals. It would be difficult not to have a good plan in place by the end of this course,” Lamm said.

Dianne Cooper took the Money Talk course because she wanted to make better financial choices. “I thought the parts most beneficial were working out a budget, planning for the future, having some sort of plan, and understanding debt to asset ratio,” she said.

“I was a little lost in the section about the various nest eggs  — IRAs, bonds, money markets, etc. I had to go back and reread sections, but I think I now have a better understanding. I liked the fact that you could do the modules at your own pace and are not rushed,” Cooper said.

“I would highly recommend this for any woman to take.  I sure wish I had taken this a long time ago,” Cooper added.

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