Penn-Kidder Library Center is offering Money Smart Week Events for all ages throughout the month of April, along with savings and budgeting tips to help consumers in our area.

Money Smart Week 2015 at Penn-Kidder Library Center is sponsored by Thrivent Financial and Mauch Chunk Trust. Programming is offered to all demographics and income levels and covers all areas of personal finance. Everyone attending a financial seminar at the library will receive a budget workbook, a lanyard with a flash drive to save computer information, and a candy bar.April Money Smart Week was created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002 as a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. This is achieved through the collaboration and coordinated effort of hundreds of organizations across the country. Penn-Kidder Library Center is proud to be a part of this effort every year.• Saturday, noon to 2 p.m.: Sam Trangone with "Shopping for Electricity." Trangone will demystify the process of choosing an electricity provider and show how to make the changes required.• April 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Joseph Kosierowski, Attorney At Law, will speak on "Estate Planning."• April 18, 1-1:45 p.m.: Marlene Coville, of Mauch Chunk Trust, will speak to teens and "tweens" on "Balancing a Checkbook."• April 21, noon luncheon talk: Christi Kuhn, a Thrivent Financial Representative for 13 years, will speak on the "Affordable Care Act." Preregistration by April 20 is required for this free seminar.• April 23, there will be a five-course wine-tasting dinner at Louie's Prime at 6 p.m. to benefit the library. Tickets are available at the library, Louie's Prime, Nick's Lake House, and Shenanigans.• April 25, 11 a.m.-noon: in-house author Nora D'Ecclesis will conduct a seminar for adults that will include writing a budget plan, retirement budgeting, "mind, body, spirit, abundance" and compound interest. Good spending habits develop early in adult life, and with planning and discipline those good habits create financial abundance. We will explore the debt mentality of buying now and paying later and construct a simple budget plan.• April 25, noon: D'Ecclesis will shift the lecture to a "tween age" group seminar that will include an educational experience for middle school students on the subject of learning how to save and manage money. It will include some fun exercises such as writing a short budget and saving for planned purchases. We will also review the concept of want versus need in their purchases.April is also National Poetry Month, and D'Ecclesis will be releasing her Haiku Poetry Book at the Penn-Kidder Library just before her talks on April 25.• April 27 The Brown Bag Book Club will be held the last Monday of every month from noon-1 p.m. starting this month. The first selection is Mary Alice Monroe's novel, "The Book Club." The library will have a limited number of copies to borrow from the collection, so come in early to sign up. Read the novel during April and come discuss it on the April 27. Bring your own lunch; coffee, tea and water are provided.