Contact Us for Your Educational Needs

The Marion County Cooperative Extension Service is here to provide you with educational information you need for your home, your farm, your family, and your future.

We are located at 313 West 7th Street in Yellville. Our business hours are weekdays: 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. If you need to contact us at other times, please use the email addresses listed on Page 1.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative

action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another

format, please contact the Marion County Extension office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

Sincerely,

Renee Myers

County Extension Agent-Staff Chair

APRIL is Financial Literacy Month

Volume IV Issue I

Marion County Consumer News

April 11, 2017

Save Your Refund $$$

With $35,000 in prizes and 101 chances to win, SaveYourRefund gives Americans big incentives to save part of their tax refund. Now in its fourth year, this promotion is offered by America Saves and Commonwealth. Though financial insecurity may plague a majority of the population, financial crises are a harsher reality

for low-and-moderate income Americans. A recent survey found that 62% of surveyed households had experi-enced at least one financial crisis in the last year. Fifty-one percent of those households lacked any emergency savings to help them cope. The majority of the American population does not have enough sav-

ings to survive at even the poverty level for two months if faced with a fi-nancial crisis such as loss of income or unexpected medical bills. See more at: https://saveyourrefund.com

MyMoney Five 2

10 Tips to Avoid Being Scammed

2

Key Tax Tips 3

Start Saving Today 4

USDA Expands Meat and Poultry Hotline Hours

5

Coming Events 5

Contact Us for Your Educational Needs

6

Inside this issue:

Marion County

Cooperative Extension

Service

Renee Myers

County Extension Agent-

Staff Chair

Brian See

County Extension Agent-

Agriculture

Lauren Milum

Administrative Specialist

313 West 7th Street

PO Box 386

Yellville, AR 72687

Phone: 870-449-6349

Fax: 870-449-4049

www.uaex.edu/marion

Arkansas Governor, Asa

Hutchinson has declared

APRIL as “Financial

Literacy Month” in

Arkansas.

National Financial Literacy Month is a month-long campaign to raise public awareness about the importance of financial

literacy and the need for financial education.

Skill in managing money is not something a person acquires automatically when he/she becomes an adult.

Attitudes and habits in-volving money are learned at an early age. Very young children begin to learn about money by observing how their parents react to and handle money.

If you are a parent, are you modeling good

financial practices or do you need to spruce

up your spending and saving habits?

The Financial Literacy Month campaign encour-

ages individuals through-out Marion County to take the time to think about and talk about their own money matters, and to take full advantage of resources designed to improve their financial literacy and well-being.

Financial Literacy Resources are available through the Marion County Cooperative Extension Ser-vice. Call (870) 449-6349 or come by the office at 313 W 7th Street in Yellville.

There are also more re-sources online at:

https://www.uaex.edu/health-living/personal-finance/

Marion County Consumer News Page 2

Making the most of your money starts with five building blocks for managing and growing your money -The MyMoney Five. Keep these five principles in mind as you make day-to-day decisions and plan your financial goals. The Five Principles are:

EARN – Make the most of what you

earn by understanding your pay and

benefits.

SAVE & INVEST - It’s never too

early to start saving for future goals

such as a house or retirement, even

by saving small amounts.

PROTECT – Taking precautions

about your financial situation,

accumulate emergency savings, and

have the right insurance.

SPEND – Be sure you are getting a

good value, especially with big

purchases, by shopping around and

comparing prices and products.

BORROW – Borrowing money can enable some essential purchases and builds credit, but interest costs can be expensive. And, if you borrow too much, you will have a large debt to be repaid. Each of these five principles are dis-cussed in much more detail at the following web address: https://www.mymoney.gov/mymoneyfive/Pages/mymoneyfive.aspx

This website is organized around the MyMoney Five principles so you can quickly identify resources and tools to help you in these areas. To learn more about the principles, click on the leaves in the MyMoney Five graphic and navigate to information on each term. Use the search area on the general navigation bar to go directly to a whole collection of federal resources on financial decision-making.

5. Avoid providing personal information over the telephone or Internet. Scam ar tists hide at the other end of the phone line or computer screen. So, don't give bank account information, Social Security numbers or personal data in response to an unsolicited phone call or e-mail.

6. Safeguard your incoming and outgoing mail. Remove incoming mail from your mailbox as soon as possible. If you're going away on vacation, have your mail held at the post office or picked up by a neighbor.

7. Stop bandits from recycling your trash into cash. Dumpster divers pick through garbage looking for documents they can use to commit fraud. Before tossing out these items, destroy them.

8. Limit the confidential information in your wallet in case it gets lost or stolen.

1. Protect your personal information including Social Security number, credit card numbers, debit card numbers, PINs (personal identification numbers), and passwords. A thief can use these details to order checks or credit cards, apply for loans or otherwise commit fraud using your name.

2. Deal only with legitimate, reputable businesses. Try to do business with companies you already know or that have been recommended.

3. Get key details in writing and thoroughly check them out before agreeing to anything. If a marketer refuses to supply written information or employs high-pressure sales tactics to get you to act fast, take that as your cue to say "goodbye.”

4. Beware of "deals" requiring money up-front. Be skeptical of any offer that's "free" or otherwise hard to believe.

Cancel cards you don’t use. Never keep passwords or PINs on or near your checkbook, credit card, ATM card or debit card.

9. Review your credit card bills and bank statements as soon as they arrive. If you notice something suspicious contact your financial institution immediately.

10. Monitor your credit report for warning signs of fraud. Check your credit report at least once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax (800-685-1111, www.equifax.com); Experian (888-397-3742, www.experian.com) and TransUnion (800-888-4213, www.transunion.com).

If you suspect a scam, contact the Arkansas Attorney General’s office by calling toll free 800-482-8982 (statewide) or online at www.ag.state.ar.us.

10 Tips To Avoid Being Scammed

MyMoney Five

Volume IV Issue I Page 5

Want to

know how

long you can

safely keep

meat in the

refrigerator?

Or how long

to boil an

egg? How about whether it's better to

use wooden or plastic cutting boards?

Just Ask Karen, your guide to expert

knowledge on handling and storing

food safely and preventing food

poisoning.

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection

Service (FSIS) is increasing the

delivery of safe food handling and

preparation information by expanding

the hours of its Meat and Poultry

Hotline (1-888-674-6854) and Ask

Karen chat services.

Consumers can contact the Meat and

Poultry Hotline to speak to a live

food expert Monday through Friday

from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time/

7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Time.

Ask Karen is a 24-hour online service

that provides answers to thousands of

frequently asked questions and also

allows consumers to email or

live-chat with a food safety specialist

during operating hours.

FSIS is focusing on the reduction of

foodborne illness, and one way to

contribute to that reduction is to

increase public awareness of safe

food handling information.

For 32 years the Meat and Poultry

Hotline has answered questions about

food manufacturer recalls, food

poisoning, food safety during power

outages, and the inspection of meat,

poultry and egg products.

From novice cooks roasting their first

turkey to experienced food handlers

asking about foodborne bacteria, the

Meat and Poultry Hotline has

answered more than 3 million calls

since its inception.

“Our hotline staff are experts in their

field and have backgrounds in

nutrition, food technology and public

health,” said Almanza. “Experts are

available to talk with people in

English and Spanish, so we are able

to help address the food safety needs

of diverse communities.”

USDA Expands Meat and Poultry Hotline Hours

4-H Conservation Day:

June 22

Marion County Fair:

September 5-9

If you are interested in any of these

up coming activities and need more

information, please contact the

Marion County Extension Office.

Coming Events

Mark your calendars for these coming

events:

Master Gardeners Spring Plant and

Bake Sale:

April 28

Marion County Community Services

Spring Fling:

April 28 & 29

Marion County 4-H O-Rama:

May 6

Homesteading Conference in Harrison:

June 3

The Marion County Extension office will be closed for these holidays: Memorial Day—May 29 Independence Day—July 4 Labor Day—September 4

KEY TAX TIPS Stay on the alert for the latest scams and fraud, including tax ID theft, phishing emails, and dishonest tax professionals!

Things to consider when filing your tax return include credits and deductions, filing options, sources of income, and more.

Getting married, buying a house, or other life events can affect your taxes. Learn the keys to doing your taxes.

?

( ) ( )Gather your tax forms and paperwork:• W-2s and 1099 income, 1095-A for health insurance• Interest statements, receipts, mileage

Check for deductions and credits:• Charitable contributions, education & child care expenses• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

Add up your sources of income:• Salary, interest, investments, & retirement accounts

If you owe money, you may be able to divide the payments over time with an IRS installment agreement.

? Get help from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.

Choose how to file your taxes:• Online (IRS Free File, paid software, or e-file provider)• Mailed paper return• Tax professional

Do you owe money or get a refund?

Get more tax information at https://www.usa.gov/features/five-tips-for-a-smooth-tax-season

Brought to you by

Start Saving Today!

Do you fantasize about your dream vacation? Long to buy your own home? Plan to enjoy a comfortable

retirement? Whatever your goal, you’ll need to save money. Unfortunately, many consumers spend more

than they earn. We know it’s important to save, but we just can’t seem to find the extra money. Want to

stop living paycheck to paycheck? Learn to start saving today.

Spend less than you earn. People can be “spenders” or “savers” no matter their income. What makes the

difference? The key is spending less than you earn. Take control of your spending habits. Make a plan to

set aside some of your income.

Examine your spending. Sit down with your monthly bills and figure out your income and expenses.

Write down everything you spend money on for a couple of weeks or a month. Be as detailed as possible.

Include even small purchases. Try to find places to cut expenses and save money. Look for ways to

change your spending habits.

Start small. Most financial experts recommend saving at least 5 percent, and preferably 10 percent, of

your income. But don’t give up if you can’t put aside 5 percent or more. Establishing a habit and saving

consistently will eventually add up – even if it’s just $10 per pay period. A savings account is a good

place to start your emergency savings. Your money will be safe and you’ll earn interest. You’ll be less

tempted to spend your savings if it’s not in your checking account or in cash.

Build an emergency fund. If you’re just starting, aim for saving enough money to cover at least one

month of expenses. If you’ve been saving awhile, increase your emergency fund to a larger amount.

Emergency savings funds should have enough money to cover anywhere from 3 to 6 months of expenses.

This will prevent borrowing when unexpected expenses arise or in case of a period of income loss.

Pay yourself first. Make saving part of your spending habits, just like rent, mortgage or utility bills. When

you pay your other bills, deposit a set amount into your savings account. Use direct deposit or make the

deposit as soon as possible after pay day. Don’t give yourself a chance to spend it on new shoes or golf

clubs.

Set a goal for the money you save. A goal is a destination, something you want or need, which you

acquire by taking certain steps. Goals provide direction for your plan of action. One of the most valuable

things you can learn to do is to identify your goals clearly. Your goal might be to purchase a car. You

may want to save enough for a down payment on a house within two years.

Goals should be in writing and should be meaningful to you. It’s helpful to define your goals in a

SMART way. Think of it like this: Specific – You’re more likely to save if you name a specific goal. “I

want to buy a dependable truck with good gas mileage.” Measurable – Designate a certain amount so

you’ll know when you’ve reached your goal. “I need $2,000 to make a down payment on the truck.”

Attainable – Examine your monthly expenses and determine how much you can afford to save. Set an

amount to save each week, month or per pay period. “I will save $50 each pay period.” Realistic – Set

your goal for something that is truly within your ability to pay. “I will purchase a used, low-mileage

truck.” Time-Bound – Determine a specific date for your goal. “I will save $2,000 by January of next

year for the down payment on a truck.” Goals may be short-term – save for a special night out this month

with your family; intermediate-term – save for a new television for Christmas; or long-term – save for a

comfortable retirement. For more information on saving, contact the Marion County Extension Service.

Start saving!

Marion County Consumer News Page 2

Making the most of your money starts with five building blocks for managing and growing your money -The MyMoney Five. Keep these five principles in mind as you make day-to-day decisions and plan your financial goals. The Five Principles are:

EARN – Make the most of what you

earn by understanding your pay and

benefits.

SAVE & INVEST - It’s never too

early to start saving for future goals

such as a house or retirement, even

by saving small amounts.

PROTECT – Taking precautions

about your financial situation,

accumulate emergency savings, and

have the right insurance.

SPEND – Be sure you are getting a

good value, especially with big

purchases, by shopping around and

comparing prices and products.

BORROW – Borrowing money can enable some essential purchases and builds credit, but interest costs can be expensive. And, if you borrow too much, you will have a large debt to be repaid. Each of these five principles are dis-cussed in much more detail at the following web address: https://www.mymoney.gov/mymoneyfive/Pages/mymoneyfive.aspx

This website is organized around the MyMoney Five principles so you can quickly identify resources and tools to help you in these areas. To learn more about the principles, click on the leaves in the MyMoney Five graphic and navigate to information on each term. Use the search area on the general navigation bar to go directly to a whole collection of federal resources on financial decision-making.

5. Avoid providing personal information over the telephone or Internet. Scam ar tists hide at the other end of the phone line or computer screen. So, don't give bank account information, Social Security numbers or personal data in response to an unsolicited phone call or e-mail.

6. Safeguard your incoming and outgoing mail. Remove incoming mail from your mailbox as soon as possible. If you're going away on vacation, have your mail held at the post office or picked up by a neighbor.

7. Stop bandits from recycling your trash into cash. Dumpster divers pick through garbage looking for documents they can use to commit fraud. Before tossing out these items, destroy them.

8. Limit the confidential information in your wallet in case it gets lost or stolen.

1. Protect your personal information including Social Security number, credit card numbers, debit card numbers, PINs (personal identification numbers), and passwords. A thief can use these details to order checks or credit cards, apply for loans or otherwise commit fraud using your name.

2. Deal only with legitimate, reputable businesses. Try to do business with companies you already know or that have been recommended.

3. Get key details in writing and thoroughly check them out before agreeing to anything. If a marketer refuses to supply written information or employs high-pressure sales tactics to get you to act fast, take that as your cue to say "goodbye.”

4. Beware of "deals" requiring money up-front. Be skeptical of any offer that's "free" or otherwise hard to believe.

Cancel cards you don’t use. Never keep passwords or PINs on or near your checkbook, credit card, ATM card or debit card.

9. Review your credit card bills and bank statements as soon as they arrive. If you notice something suspicious contact your financial institution immediately.

10. Monitor your credit report for warning signs of fraud. Check your credit report at least once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax (800-685-1111, www.equifax.com); Experian (888-397-3742, www.experian.com) and TransUnion (800-888-4213, www.transunion.com).

If you suspect a scam, contact the Arkansas Attorney General’s office by calling toll free 800-482-8982 (statewide) or online at www.ag.state.ar.us.

10 Tips To Avoid Being Scammed

MyMoney Five

Volume IV Issue I Page 5

Want to

know how

long you can

safely keep

meat in the

refrigerator?

Or how long

to boil an

egg? How about whether it's better to

use wooden or plastic cutting boards?

Just Ask Karen, your guide to expert

knowledge on handling and storing

food safely and preventing food

poisoning.

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection

Service (FSIS) is increasing the

delivery of safe food handling and

preparation information by expanding

the hours of its Meat and Poultry

Hotline (1-888-674-6854) and Ask

Karen chat services.

Consumers can contact the Meat and

Poultry Hotline to speak to a live

food expert Monday through Friday

from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time/

7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Time.

Ask Karen is a 24-hour online service

that provides answers to thousands of

frequently asked questions and also

allows consumers to email or

live-chat with a food safety specialist

during operating hours.

FSIS is focusing on the reduction of

foodborne illness, and one way to

contribute to that reduction is to

increase public awareness of safe

food handling information.

For 32 years the Meat and Poultry

Hotline has answered questions about

food manufacturer recalls, food

poisoning, food safety during power

outages, and the inspection of meat,

poultry and egg products.

From novice cooks roasting their first

turkey to experienced food handlers

asking about foodborne bacteria, the

Meat and Poultry Hotline has

answered more than 3 million calls

since its inception.

“Our hotline staff are experts in their

field and have backgrounds in

nutrition, food technology and public

health,” said Almanza. “Experts are

available to talk with people in

English and Spanish, so we are able

to help address the food safety needs

of diverse communities.”

USDA Expands Meat and Poultry Hotline Hours

4-H Conservation Day:

June 22

Marion County Fair:

September 5-9

If you are interested in any of these

up coming activities and need more

information, please contact the

Marion County Extension Office.

Coming Events

Mark your calendars for these coming

events:

Master Gardeners Spring Plant and

Bake Sale:

April 28

Marion County Community Services

Spring Fling:

April 28 & 29

Marion County 4-H O-Rama:

May 6

Homesteading Conference in Harrison:

June 3

The Marion County Extension office will be closed for these holidays: Memorial Day—May 29 Independence Day—July 4 Labor Day—September 4

Contact Us for Your Educational Needs

The Marion County Cooperative Extension Service is here to provide you with educational information you need for your home, your farm, your family, and your future.

We are located at 313 West 7th Street in Yellville. Our business hours are weekdays: 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. If you need to contact us at other times, please use the email addresses listed on Page 1.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative

action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another

format, please contact the Marion County Extension office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

Sincerely,

Renee Myers

County Extension Agent-Staff Chair

APRIL is Financial Literacy Month

Volume IV Issue I

Marion County Consumer News

April 11, 2017

Save Your Refund $$$

With $35,000 in prizes and 101 chances to win, SaveYourRefund gives Americans big incentives to save part of their tax refund. Now in its fourth year, this promotion is offered by America Saves and Commonwealth. Though financial insecurity may plague a majority of the population, financial crises are a harsher reality

for low-and-moderate income Americans. A recent survey found that 62% of surveyed households had experi-enced at least one financial crisis in the last year. Fifty-one percent of those households lacked any emergency savings to help them cope. The majority of the American population does not have enough sav-

ings to survive at even the poverty level for two months if faced with a fi-nancial crisis such as loss of income or unexpected medical bills. See more at: https://saveyourrefund.com

MyMoney Five 2

10 Tips to Avoid Being Scammed

2

Key Tax Tips 3

Start Saving Today 4

USDA Expands Meat and Poultry Hotline Hours

5

Coming Events 5

Contact Us for Your Educational Needs

6

Inside this issue:

Marion County

Cooperative Extension

Service

Renee Myers

County Extension Agent-

Staff Chair

Brian See

County Extension Agent-

Agriculture

Lauren Milum

Administrative Specialist

313 West 7th Street

PO Box 386

Yellville, AR 72687

Phone: 870-449-6349

Fax: 870-449-4049

www.uaex.edu/marion

Arkansas Governor, Asa

Hutchinson has declared

APRIL as “Financial

Literacy Month” in

Arkansas.

National Financial Literacy Month is a month-long campaign to raise public awareness about the importance of financial

literacy and the need for financial education.

Skill in managing money is not something a person acquires automatically when he/she becomes an adult.

Attitudes and habits in-volving money are learned at an early age. Very young children begin to learn about money by observing how their parents react to and handle money.

If you are a parent, are you modeling good

financial practices or do you need to spruce

up your spending and saving habits?

The Financial Literacy Month campaign encour-

ages individuals through-out Marion County to take the time to think about and talk about their own money matters, and to take full advantage of resources designed to improve their financial literacy and well-being.

Financial Literacy Resources are available through the Marion County Cooperative Extension Ser-vice. Call (870) 449-6349 or come by the office at 313 W 7th Street in Yellville.

There are also more re-sources online at:

https://www.uaex.edu/health-living/personal-finance/