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Posted on January 15, 2019 by Jake Ward
If you’re reading this, it’s either because you’re getting married, or a loved one is and you’re helping to pay for the wedding. Either way, congratulations! There are few life events happier than a wedding. At some point, though, you may find that the stress of wedding expenses clouds some of the joyousness of the occasion. It doesn’t have to be that way! Here are a few tips to help you manage that wedding budget and reduce your stress level.
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Savings
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Real World: Dollars and Sense
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Personal Finance
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Posted on January 02, 2019 by Jake Ward
Experts will tell you that you should have 3-6 months of living expenses saved up in case of an emergency. That’s great advice and definitely something to aspire to. But for many people, that goal is just too far-reaching, and can be so overwhelming that they’re discouraged from saving at all. If that’s you, then we encourage you to start with a smaller savings goal. For example, did you know that the typical loan from a payday lender is $300-$400? But if you have to borrow from a payday lender, the fees you pay to borrow the money can equal an annual percentage rate of 300-400%. That can be extremely difficult to overcome, especially for people living paycheck to paycheck. So if you are currently one of approximately 25% of Americans with little to no savings, now is a great time to change that! We encourage you to set a savings goal, even a small one that will keep you away from payday lenders. Once you develop a habit of savings, it will get much easier. Trust me.
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Savings
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Real World: Dollars and Sense
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Personal Finance
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Posted on November 14, 2018 by Jake Ward
The holiday season is in full swing! Everyone is carrying out their favorite traditions – family time, decorating, and volunteering to name a few. But the holiday season also means that you’re typically dishing out more money for gifts, travel, and other expenses. This season can become costly, and therefore stressful, really quick. Check out our best practices for holiday spending so that your bank account doesn’t take a big hit.
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Posted on October 01, 2018 by Jake Ward
October 18th is International Credit Union Day! This day was established in 1948 to reflect on the credit union movement’s history, promote its achievements, and to share member experiences.
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Posted on August 10, 2018 by Jake Ward
As a college student, you’ll find yourself busy with academics, a social life, campus groups, internships, and possibly athletics. Finances may not be a very glamorous topic, but it’s important to figure it into your time so you’re not constantly worrying about money, and to develop healthy money habits. Check out our tips for thriving on a college budget.
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Posted on August 03, 2018 by Jake Ward
Parents can spend hundreds of dollars each year preparing one child for school with clothes and other supplies they need. Back-to-school shopping can be overwhelming, especially if you have more than one child. These costs can be cut in half with a back-to-school savings strategy and proactive wardrobe recycling. Follow our tips to create your plan:
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Posted on June 06, 2018 by Jake Ward
Who doesn’t love the smell of a new car? It’s a little intoxicating! And if you’re like me, it can cause you to make some rash decisions when buying a car. Before you head out to the car lot, it pays to be prepared. We’re hosting an Auto Buying 101 workshop at our Bettendorf location on July 19th at 5:30 pm to help you out. The event is open to members and non-members, and we’re providing dinner.
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Posted on May 07, 2018 by Jake Ward
If you use a cellphone or have an email account, you’ve almost certainly been exposed to an attempt at mass marketing fraud. Common examples include being interrupted by an annoying robocall just as you start eating lunch, or waking up to a suspicious message in your email inbox that somehow slipped through the spam filter. Sometimes, the attempted fraud is kind of funny—the wording is so strange or the premise is so ridiculous (“An exiled prince needs my help transferring a million dollars? Really?”) that we’re left wondering how anyone could possibly fall for such an obvious money grab.
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