Women: Take control of your financial life

WARWICK — Women who want to take control of their financial lives, listen up. The Warwick Savings Foundation and Golub Foundation (Price Chopper) has provided funding for a non-traditional education program, exploring financial literacy. Literacy Orange will conduct classes featuring experienced professionals with expertise in financial planning, insurance, real estate investments and more. This semester they plan to present the salary negotiation module from the YWCA's Women's Economic Empowerment Program.

The classes will meet on the third Wednesday of each month at the Warwick Valley Community Center, from 6 to 9 p.m.:

Feb. 20
March 20
April 17
May 15

June 19
In addition, a six-hour defensive driving course will be held on Saturday, April 20, from 9 to 3:30 p.m. Participants must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid driver's license.

In Orange County, women earn 68 cents for every dollar a man earns. While there are many reasons for this disparity, women can help raise their income by negotiating their salaries. One significant reason men earn more than women is that they ask for more money. The YWCA Orange County is partnering with Literacy Orange to bring the WAGE Project to women who are focused on financial literacy. A higher income is one of the surest routes to economic stability.

The program is open to 20 participants. There is a $30 fee for the defensive driving materials. Scholarships are available. Go to www.literacyorangeny.org to sign up for the classes and to apply for scholarship. The deadline for scholarship applications is Feb. 8, 2013.

The Warwick Valley Community Center is located at 11 Hamilton Ave., Warwick.