Program focuses on beautifying the yard and garden

Most of us enjoy spending more time outdoors in our yards and gardens.

Do you love your yard and gardens? Or, do you wish they were more personally enjoyable?

I invite you to attend the program, “Creative Yard Art” that  I have arranged with Judy Hetterman, Owen County Extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, to teach at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 19 at the Carroll County Extension office.  You will gain many ideas to beautify your yard – from walks and walls to other landscaping including water effects, trees, flowers and shrubs. You will learn many other ways to add interest to your yard be it a gazebo, artwork, sculpture or numerous other decorative ideas.

I invite everyone – husbands, wives or anyone to attend.

For Extension Homemakers, this is your April lesson. Please call the office at (502) 732-7030 to register so I have enough materials ready.

Save for summer fun

As the temperature warms-up outside, many of us are looking forward to the arrival of summer. With that excitement, however, comes the temptation to overspend.

Between rising gas prices, vacations and extra expenses for summer outings such as golf, the community pool or summer camps, it is easy to overspend.

Now is the time of year to start planning ahead for summer expenses. Take a few minutes and list additional expenses that you might have this summer, in addition to your regular monthly household expenses.

Setup a savings account, similar to a Christmas club account, for summer expenses. Add a little to the savings account at the beginning of each week so that you can pay cash for some things this summer. Look for ways to curb your current spending and save money in other areas of your life.

If you save a couple dollars every week by taking your lunch to work, renting DVDs or checking books out from the library instead of buying them, you can add this money to your summer savings.

America Saves offers the following tips to help you find money to save:

• Save 50 cents a day in loose change: $15 monthly savings; $180 yearly savings

• Bring lunch to work (saving estimated $3/day): $60 monthly savings, $720 yearly savings

• Eat out 2 fewer times a month: $30 monthly savings, $360 yearly savings

• Borrow instead of buying one book a month, $15 monthly savings, $180 yearly savings

• Pay credit card bills on time, avoid late fee: $25 monthly savings, $300 yearly savings

• Comparison shop for gas (save an estimated 25 cents/gallon): $4 monthly savings, $48 yearly savings

At work, substitute one coffee for one cappuccino: $40 monthly savings, $480 yearly savings

Jennifer Hunter, Extension specialist for family financial management, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, provided the basis for this information. It was sourced from  America Saves, www.americasaves.org  and “America Saves Finding Money to Save,” www.americasaves.org/for-savers/18.

Food project

4-H Foods project for youth. We will follow the 4-H Foods Project Guide.

Both boys and girls are invited. Meetings will be on Wednesdays,

Dates of interest

April 12 and 26: Knitting group, 6-8:00 p.m., Carroll County Extension Office.

April 17-18: “It’s Sew Fine” Sewing Expo,   General Butler State Resort Park (Call Carroll County Extension office to register).

April 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17 and 24: 4-H Sewing, 4-6 p.m., Carroll County Extension Office.

April 23: Planning meeting for second Extension fair, 5 p.m., Carroll County Extension Office.

April 24: Northern Kentucky Extension Homemakers Council,  1:30 p.m., Owenton County Extension Office, Owenton

April 25: Carroll County Extension Homemakers Council, 1:30 p.m., Carroll County Extension Office

April 25, May 9, 16, 23 and 30: 4-H Foods  3:30-5:30 p.m., Carroll County Extension Office

Grace Angotti is Carroll Co. Extension agent for family and consumer sciences. Call her at (502) 732-7030 or send e-mail to gangotti@uky.edu.