Tavares – Lake County Extension is encouraging residents to take part in “Florida Saves Week,” from Feb. 20, 2012 through Feb. 27, 2012. “Florida Saves Week” is part of the national “America Saves” campaign in which non-profit organizations, government entities and corporate groups encourage individuals and families to save and build personal wealth.

In recognition of “Florida Saves Week,” the Lake County Extension will provide opportunities for citizens to learn ways to build their wealth.

There will be two free, live web conferences for residents to be a part of. The first is entitled “Set a Goal, Make a Plan, Save Automatically.” It will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Participants will learn the three critical steps to turning their financial dream into a reality. Those interested in this conference can register at http://bit.ly/Savemoney.

The second conference, entitled “Building Your Mutual Fund Basket,” will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. This session will teach participants how to use mutual funds as a cost effective way to reach their investment goals. Those interested in this conference can log on to http://bit.ly/rEadxz  to register.

There will also be in-person sessions, offered on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 and Mar. 6, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m. on both days, at the Lake County Agriculture Center, located at 1951 Woodlea Road in Tavares. This two-part series, entitled “Retirement Planning at Any Age,” will help attendees determine how much they will need for retirement, how to develop a plan to reach their retirement goal, identifying various types of investments and more.

Attendance for “Retirement Planning at Any Age” is free but pre-registration is required. To register, call (352) 343-4101, ext. 2719 or email rcbass@ufl.edu. 

For more information on “Florida Saves Week” or money management programs, call Julie England, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent at (352) 343-4101 or email julieeng@ufl.edu. The foundation for the Gator Nation – An Equal Opportunity Institute.