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PathWays PA is Offering Free Tax Preparation!

PathWays PA's IRS certified volunteers can prepare taxes for you at no cost!

The VITA program is available to individuals and families earning less than $52,000 per year.

PathWays PA and our partners offer service locations in the Greater Philadelphia region, including Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Camden, NJ.

To schedule an appointment and view all our tax locations, please visit our website or call (610) 543-5022 or 1(800) 209-2914.

Appointments are necessary at most locations, but PathWays PA offers drop-off sites at Suburban Station and Market East Station. Visit our website for more details.

Free Sundays in March

Good News: Explore the arts for free on Sundays in March

By Mikala Jamison
Published: 02/24/2014 | 0 Comments Posted

 

 

Think of March as your chance to get really cultured this year, without sacrificing big bucks.
PECO (hey, they usually take your money, so this is a nice change) is sponsoring free arts attractions on Sundays in March, beginning March 2. The events include:

March 2: "Free First Sundays" at the Barnes Foundation, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This includes admission into the Barnes galleries, and special events like a discussion of Kevin Powers' The Yellow Birds at 1:15 as part of the "One Book, One Philadelphia" program. At 2 p.m. that day, the String Theory Performance Arts School will perform. At 3:45, The Renegade Company, a local theater group, will reinterpret The Yellow Birds book.

March 9: From noon to 4 p.m. at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, visitors can enjoy stories from Carla Wiley as part of Art Sanctuary's Storytelling Circle, and also create souvenir mosaic medallions. Families can also tour the Magic Gardens for free from 1 to 3 p.m.
On Sundays through April 6, along with Beyond the Paint: Philadelphia's Mural Arts, admission to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) Museum, 118 N. Broad St., is free.

Also on March 9: At the PAFA Museum, from noon to 3 p.m., visitors can meet artists Eric Okdeh and make an art project. At 2 p.m., PAFA will screen "Concrete, Steel & Paint," a film about mural-making.

March 16: From noon to 3 p.m., artist Josh MacPhee will join visitors at the PAFA Museum to screen print broad sides by hand. At 2 p.m., PhillyRising will discuss neighborhood problems in Philadelphia and how we might solve them.

March 30: At 2 p.m. at PAFA, meet Philadelphia mural artists at 2 p.m. They'll present before-and-afters and demonstrate their process.

Ideas On Automating Your savings

7 Easy Ways to Automate Your Savings

by Meg Favreau on 27 February 2014

This post is Wise Bread's contribution to America Saves Week. You can discover more great ways to save on the America Saves Week website.

Anybody who has ditched plans to eat a salad to scarf down a plate of nachos instead (like I did, um, yesterday) can tell you that even though we humans usually know what's best for us, it's sometimes difficult to actually do the right thing.

This is especially true when it comes to saving money — for emergencies, for retirement, or for almost anything else. But there is some good news. Studies show that once we do set money aside, we're likely to leave it there. So how do we get ourselves to save in the first place? By automating! Here are seven easy ways to do just that

1. Sign Up for Your Company's Retirement Plan

If your company offers a 401(k) or 403(b), this is one of the best options for automatic savings. Not only do these retirement plans automatically put money you earn into a retirement account before you have the opportunity to spend it, but most employers offer a contribution match. That means that for every dollar you contribute (up to a certain amount), your employer will deposit an equal amount into your account. That's essentially free money, and it's one of the biggest benefits you can get at a job. Take advantage of it.

2. Split Your Direct Deposit

If you have direct deposit, most employers will allow you to split your check between multiple accounts — so, instead of depositing all of your money into your checking account, you can set some to automatically go into savings.

3. Set Up a Regular Deposit to Savings

Even if you don't have direct deposit, many banks will allow you to set up regular automatic deductions. For example, I have a checking account with a traditional bank, and I have a savings account with an online bank. I can set my savings account to automatically deduct from my checking account on every payday. The effect is the same as splitting a direct deposit — the money is in my savings account before I even know it's gone.

4. Pledge to Save Certain Cash

You're probably most familiar with this concept in the form of a piggy bank — at the end of the day, many people automatically put the change in their pockets into a jar, often to save for a specific goal, like a vacation. But there's no rule saying that you have to stick to coins. Instead, pledge to set aside every $5 bill that comes your way— or even every $10. This is a great way to reach medium-term savings goals, like buying new furniture.

5. Use a Cash-Back Credit Card

You should only follow this suggestion if you're able to pay your credit card off in full every month and you won't let credit card rewards and 0% balance transfer offers become an excuse for spending more than you normally would. If you fit this criteria, start making your purchases on a cash-back credit card. Then, at the end of every month, deposit that cash back directly into your savings.

6. Automate Your Bills

Most utilities, businesses, and even lenders now allow you to set up automatic payments. There are two ways that this helps automate savings. First of all, automatic payments ensure that you pay your bills on time, saving you from late fees and possible dings to your credit. Secondly, sometimes you can get a discount for paying automatically —for example, some cell phone providers will knock $5 off of your monthly bill if you sign up for the automated system. If you do begin paying automatically, just make sure to check your billing statements regularly to ensure there aren't any mistakes and you're not being charged for services you aren't using.

7. Sign Up for Your Financial Institution's Round Up Program

What if you could make yourself save a little bit every time you make a purchase? Several banks and credit unions offer "round up" programs that do just that. Every time you use a credit or debit card registered with the program, your financial institution will automatically deposit the remainder of your change into a savings account. To get started, ask your bank or credit union if they offer this benefit.

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Lose Weight by Building Muscle

What's the secret to weight loss? Strength training! Follow these tips to build muscle and burn more calories.

By Denise Austin, creator of DeniseAustin.com

 

I often meet people who are looking for a secret, magic weight-loss trick. They want to know how they can burn the most fat in the least amount of time. What do I tell them? I always give the same response: that there isn't a magical weight-loss answer. Burning fat efficiently boils down to one thing — building more muscle!

A major key to revving up your metabolism is muscle mass, which is why adding strength training to your regular fitness routine is essential. The reason? Muscles demand more energy from your body than fat does; the more muscle you add to your body, the more calories you burn throughout the day. In fact, studies show that for every pound of muscle you add, you automatically burn an extra 35 to 50 calories per day — and that's while going about your normal activities. Even at rest, muscle burns almost twice as many calories as fat.

The strength-building exercises that create muscle are also great for sculpting and toning your body! Women are often hesitant about lifting weights because they're afraid they'll look too bulked up or masculine. It's time to change that thinking!

To make sure you are lifting weights the right way — whether in your gym’s weight room or at home — keep these six helpful tips in mind:

• Stand with your feet separated, with one foot slightly in front of the other, to help you balance. Throughout strength training, keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
• Bring the dumbbell or free weight as close to your body as possible before you lift. This will give you more control over your movements, which will help you target and tone specific muscles.
• Bend at your knees to pick up the weight, and use your leg muscles, not your back, to hoist it. Go slowly and carefully. There's no point in rushing — you don’t want to get sore before the workout has even started!
• As you lift and lower the weight, keep your movements slow and steady. And don't jerk the weight to lift it; using momentum to lift a heavy weight can cause injuries.
• Stand tall. Don't let the weight cause you to slump over or hunch your shoulders. Keep your spine straight, your chin lifted, and your shoulders relaxed as you do each move.
• If a weight is too heavy, switch to a lighter weight and work your way up! The opposite is also true; don’t spend months lifting the same super-light weights. You want to challenge your body gradually and at a steady pace.

If you keep these tips in mind, strength training will tighten and tone your body, and eventually redistribute your weight in a healthy way. Your arms and legs will feel firmer, your body will feel stronger, and you'll be burning more calories daily — even when you're sleeping. Wait — that sounds like a magic weight-loss trick to me!

Job Recruitment

Elder Abuse Conference

Job at Penn State Extension

 

Job at Penn State Extension

This is a 20-hour job for someone who wants to help us provide nutrition education in our Delaware County food cupboards. The person will have to go to each food cupboard monthly – so some evenings/ maybe a

Saturday – and provide a food demonstration using a chosen recipe. The person needs to be self- motivated and organized, like to work with people and feel comfortable in food cupboards (and make food cupboard people feel comfortable) and like to cook. They will need a car to get around. They would work out of our office in Springfield. Any questions, they can call me at 610-690-7662. The job description flyer is attached. Salary is around $11.00/hour. Mileage would be paid for.