Financial Education

Even though it may seem far off into the future, it is never too early to start saving for retirement. If you have an idea of what you want your retirement to look like, it makes it much easier to plan for it and set goals in order to reach that vision. Here are some tips on how you can look ahead toward retirement savings.   Set Your Goals After all your years of hard work, you’re looking forward to some rest and relaxation—but how will you finance it after Read More

Debt can seem intimidating at first, especially when you’re looking at all the different balances across various accounts and credit cards. Paying off your debt will allow you to increase your income and have a little extra room in your budget for other things. By following a few simple strategies, you can pay off your debt faster than you think.   Follow the tips we’ve provide below to pay off your debt faster.   Review the Amount of Debt You Owe Find Read More

Whether you’re planning your dream vacation or buying a new car, a big purchase needs a big budget, and you need to make sure you’re prepared for it! To help you achieve your goals, we’ve compiled a list of 6 ways to prepare for big purchases. Good luck!   Research Your Options  Research affordable options for the big purchase you have in mind. You can do this by keeping an eye out for discounts, holiday sales, comparing prices Read More

The elusive credit score... you know it’s important, but what actually is it and how does it affect you? We’re here to explain how you can build a good credit score from scratch!  Become an Authorized User  Before you open your own credit card, becoming an authorized user on a family member’s card is a great place to start! As an authorized user, your name is attached to their credit card and their payment history is added to your credit Read More

Congratulations on your engagement and wedding! Whether you are recently engaged or have already tied the knot, talking about finances is extremely important in order to set you both up for success. Exchange Bank of Northeast Missouri wants to offer a married couple’s guide to finances, so you can live happily ever after.  How will bills be split?  There are many day-to-day and monthly expenses that arise. You’ll want to talk about how these will be shared so both Read More

Have you recently fallen off the budget wagon? Have no fear, Exchange Bank of Northeast Missouri is here to help! Creating a budget is one thing but sticking to it is often hard. If you’re someone who struggles with sticking to a budget, read these tips to get back on track.  Total Your Monthly Bills  If it’s been a while since you last followed a monthly budget, it’s a good idea to double check your monthly bills. Take a look at your monthly Read More

Being prepared for a financial crisis or hiccup can take time. Building up your emergency fund isn’t something you can do overnight, but working at it day by day or month by month is an easy way to become prepared without seeing a huge decrease in your funds. But how much is enough? We’re here to let you know!  How much should I save for an emergency fund?  How much you can save will depend on where you are at in life. You will have debts, monthly expenses, insurance, Read More

Nerdwallet states, “A financial plan is a comprehensive picture of your current finances, your financial goals and any strategies you've set to achieve those goals. Good financial planning should include details about your cash flow, savings, debt, investments, insurance and any other elements of your financial life.” But where do you start? We’re here to help give you the basics of financial planning so you can begin bettering your financial future.  What Read More

Its Spring! With the new season comes a new energy and attitude which we want to take full advantage of! Over the last year and this winter, it’s been easy to get into a financial rut or overspend on subscriptions which is why it's time to purge your finances. Keep reading to see our top tips to help you spring clean your finances!  Sweep Away Subscriptions  You’ve heard this before, but it becomes easy for subscriptions to build up over time. Maybe you’ve Read More

Creating a basic monthly budget is simple, but breaking it down into categories and deciding what you should and shouldn’t spend money on can get tricky. That’s where the idea of wants vs needs comes into play, and it’s one of the most important steps in budgeting. Struggling to figure out what the difference is? We’ll explain!  The Overall Difference Between Wants VS Needs  Financial needs include purchases that are required or absolutely Read More