Money Smart Week

April is Financial Literacy Month


Money Smart Week® 2019 @ the Fairfield Public Library

Money Smart Week is a national education campaign designed to provide financial literacy programs for all stages of life. Started by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002, public and private organizations offer thousands of free classes and educational activities as part of this initiative.

The Fairfield Public Library is offering a variety of programs to celebrate Money Smart Week 2019 (March 31 – April 6). This is the fifth year the Library has joined the Money Smart Week celebration, a national initiative to further financial literacy.

Program Offerings

“Work, Earn & Spend”, Monday, April 1, 4:00 pm, Main Library
Doesn’t money grow on trees? We will dive into the truth while working on our money literacy. With props and hands-on activities, role play working, earning and spending with us! Caregivers, please note: Food will be used during this program. For children in grades K-2. Parent or caregiver must remain in the Children’s Library for the duration of the program.

“Money Management for Teens”, Monday, April 1, 6:30 pm, Main Library
Many teens spend their high school career preparing for college classes, but will they be ready for life as college students? Will you know how to live within your means and make thoughtful spending choices? Join us during Money Smart Week when a financial planner will teach us about the five principles of money management — Earning, Saving, Spending, Investing and Giving. This program is for teens in grades 6 and up and their parents.

“Estate Planning Panel”, Monday, April 1, 7:00 pm, Main Library
Join us for a discussion on wills, estates and legacy giving. A panel will address: why you need to have an estate plan, who should be your executor, how to determine the estate’s value, who should help you plan your estate, and an explanation of probate. Making a plan can lead to peace of mind that your wishes will be honored during your lifetime and after and prevent disputes or confusion among your heirs.

“The Slime Store”, Tuesday, April 2, 4:00 pm, Main Library
Join us for our Money Smart Week program to learn about managing money as you shop at The Slime Store! Learn money-related concepts while you spend FPL Bucks on the ingredients for making a basic slime. Manage your money wisely as you spend it on fun slime mix-ins. For children in grades 3-5. Parent or caregiver must remain in the Children’s Library for the duration of the program.

“Investment Basics”, Tuesday, April 2, 7:00 pm, Main Library
Have you been interested in investing but put it off because the concepts and terminology seem overwhelming? Do you have investments but feel as though you don’t really understand them? Join us when financial advisor Jason Hyde explains some of the fundamental concepts of investing in an easy to comprehend presentation. Each topic will be discussed in a strategic order so that they fit together and build on each other to give you a better overall understanding of investments. The goal is to help you feel more informed and comfortable so you can take control of your financial future.

“Pop-Up Cupcake Shop”, Wednesday, April 3, 6:30 pm, Fairfield Woods Branch Library
Have a sweet delight and learn about spending money at the same time. Join us at our Cupcake Shop, where you can get all your tasty toppings… at a price! Will you spend your FPL-Bucks on triple fudge frosting or rainbow sprinkles? For children in grades 2- 5.

“Bitcoin: The Story of a Digital Currency”, Wednesday, April 3, 7:00 pm, Main Library
In 2009, a new digital currency called Bitcoin was created based on ideas published by an unknown person using the name Satoshi Nakomoto. From this innocuous and mysterious birth, Bitcoins have flourished. As with all currencies, there have been booms and busts in its value, stories of great riches made by Bitcoin miners and investors, concerns about ethics and legality of this new currency and so much more.

“Retire Reset: A New Approach to Making Your Retirement Savings Last”, Thursday, April 4, 7:00 pm, Main Library
Retirement income specialist Nahum Daniels talks about an alternative to stocks and bonds investing. He suggests converting a nest egg into a personal pension by anchoring investments to innovative annuities designed to protect assets from market losses while linking them to those same markets to capture a share of their upside potential. Copies of his book, “Retire Reset!”, will be available for purchase and signing.

“Women and Money Roundtable”, Tuesday, April 16, 11:00 am, Main Library
Everything You Wanted to Know About Money: We’ll share the 7 most common mistakes people make with their money, and show you the secrets to find the right path.

Financial Education Resources

  • Please visit this website for a wealth of information: This is your gateway to over 100 websites for adults and children regarding any type of financial topic.
  • SmartAboutMoney.org (SAM) offers free online courses to help build basic financial capability skills. SAM also contains a collection of articles on a wide range of money management topics.
  • For those interested in children’s financial education, the Money as You Grow website
    has age-appropriate financial lessons and activities for each age group.
  • Additional resources are available from the Connecticut Department of Banking, Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, The Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care and the Connecticut Money School and ftc.gov.

    Magazines, Newsletters and Newspapers at the Library

  • Money
  • Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
  • Kiplinger’s Retirement Report
  • Wall Street’s Best Investments (formerly Dick Davis Digest)
  • Newspapers: Barron’s, Financial Times, Investor’s Business Daily, and The Wall Street Journal