Written by Chris O’Shea How much to budget for some common surprise expenses. According to a recent report, 56 percent of American adults have dealt with a “surprise expense” within the last year. The average cost of that expense was a whopping $5,500. What does that mean? It means a healthy emergency fund is necessary. Here’s a...Read More

Written by Jean Chatzky Want to dig yourself out of high-interest debt? Here’s how: Do you have a wallet full of credit cards and carry balances from month to month? Figuring out how to pay those growing debts off can sometimes feel impossible. Ask yourself the following questions: Should I only make the minimum payments?Do...Read More

Written by Jean Chatzky Should you have a high deductible or a lower deductible? Do one thing: Get a copy of your insurance policies for your home, auto, and healthcare coverage and see what your deductibles are. Then, check in with your agents to find out how lowering those could potentially change your monthly payments. It...Read More

Written by Jean Chatzky Steps to Cut Retail Credit Card Costs! Retail credit cards can be tempting. Whatever the reason for getting a retail credit card, now you’re in deep, and simultaneously, the interest rates on these cards have soared. So, how do you regain your footing? Here are a few suggestions.  Prioritize Repayment. When we...Read More

Written by Jean Chatzky Is There a ‘Right’ Amount of Emergency Funds to Have Saved?  Do one thing: If you don’t have a separate emergency fund set up outside of your main checking account, open one and set up an electronic funds transfer to move a specific amount – say $20 to start – from...Read More

Your financial health is important! You want to be able to have the flexibility to do what you want, when you want, without worries. And we can help you get there by creating a realistic budget. Join our own CEO, Theresa Trimble, for a Budgeting & Personal Finance Webinar on Tuesday, January 23rd from 12:00 – 1:00...Read More

Everything is expensive, and you want to get a good deal when buying something. When you’re shopping for a big-ticket item, it pays to do your homework and ask for a deal. These five items are good things to negotiate the price to buy. They can say no, but the answer will automatically be no if you...Read More

Article Written by Chris O’Shea Some common money missteps to avoid with your financials. It can be easy to make mistakes with money. It’s easy to make mistakes with anything. However, with money, there are certain pitfalls that are easier to avoid than others. Here are some common money mistakes that can be avoided with...Read More

Personal finance is such a fascinating topic—it is way more than dollars and cents. We’re proud to help our members and any groups of individuals plan, work towards, and achieve their financial goals. Are any of these financial questions relevant to your or your group? How can you build financial independence during every stage of life?Are...Read More

Written by Jean Chatzky Social media influencers make an old-school budgeting plan popular again Have you heard about the new “cash stuffing” trend on TikTok? There is a slew of short videos on the social media site that demonstrate how to take the cash from your paycheck and then divide it up into categories by...Read More