It’s nearly fall, and that means students will be heading out to college as returning students or for the very first time. The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) have reminded us that it’s important to understand your personal finance …
It’s about that time of year when everyone starts getting their tax returns. Many eyes light up like an 8-year-old on Christmas morning with dreams of a tropical vacation, the newest greatest TV out there, or a summer wardrobe shopping spree. Or for some the idea of saving and paying off all debt is what dreams are made of. But which one should you choose?…
Budgeting is hard enough. Now try to budget a wedding with 175 guests and an open bar, HA…that’s funny. But the truth is that it is realistic and do-able. You just need to know where you’re starting from and establish what you can afford. Before you even book anything, sit down and talk with your fiancée about the financial preparation for the wedding.
As Spring and Summer months approach it’s not uncommon for gas prices to start marching upward. But this year, due to Middle East unrest and reduced oil drilling in the Gulf, that march has turned into a mad dash. According to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report1, gas prices have climbed from about $3.07 a gallon for Regular on January 1, to presently $3.553 for Regular. That is a $.48 jump with the majority of the spike happening over the last 3 weeks…
Building or rebuilding your credit score can be difficult, especially when you’re not well-informed. That’s why I’m going to tell you the most effective way to build or rebuild your credit score, which is undoubtedly understanding and improving your payment history.
Your credit score can make or break you, but you don’t want to let it break you. I’m here to show you how your credit score is put together and how you can improve your credit. Today I’m going to show you your FICO credit score, and how the amount you owe plays into determining your credit score. This is just one of the ways that Credit Bureaus are going to actually compute your credit score.
When I’m on vacation the last thing I want to worry about is my finances. You might find it interesting to know that most Banks and credit card issuers monitor your debit and credit card activity – not to see where you are spending your money – but to see if any of your transactions are out of the ordinary. So if you live in Washington, DC and there’s a transaction from a store in San Francisco, you might get a call.
Obviously you don’t want to be stuck in a situation where you’re in between jobs or maybe you need two new tires for your car or an unexpected medical bill pops up… but hey, stuff happens. That’s why it’s important to have an emergency fund, or what I like to call a “Rainy Day Fund.”
You’re standing in front of the cashier and you swipe your debit card. When it prompts you to select ‘Debit’ or ‘Credit’ which do you normally choose? View our video blog and learn the differences between pressing credit and debit when you swipe your debit card.
Fraud happens every day. Hopefully not to you, but it’s happening all around. Fraudsters are constantly developing new scams. Scary, I know. But that’s what this blog is all about… how to prevent fraud. This is good information to know if you want to ensure your financial and private information is secure. Even if you know the dos and don’ts, it never hurts to have a refresher…
