Financial Education

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

Are you thinking about taking the big step of becoming a homeowner? Purchasing your first house is a significant and exciting change, but it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget about certain costs. If you want to make sure you have all of your financial bases covered before owning a house, keep reading! Lawn Upkeep The cost of maintaining a lawn is one people often underestimate. Whether you hire someone to keep your lawn looking fresh or decide to do it yourself, it will Read More

Parenting isn’t easy, and we are here to help you in whatever ways we can. Keep reading to learn about these 5 simple and important things to teach your kids about money! 1. The Importance of Saving The easiest way to encourage your kids to save money is by getting them a piggy bank. Some kids are fascinated by the piggy banks that automatically count your change, and other kids would enjoy a lovely glass pig to keep their money in. Go to the store and let them pick out a piggy bank they Read More

If you’re thinking about revamping the way you handle your finances, the first step is to plan. If you lay the details out and write things down, you’ll be much more likely to follow through and be financially wise. We’ve gathered some of the basic and practical tips when it comes to financial planning! Start an Emergency Fund You don’t realize how fast your money can disappear until an emergency happens and you have no choice but to spend your hard-earned money. Planning Read More

With your babies growing up, it’s never too soon to start teaching them the art of being fiscally responsible - but where do you start? According to the Council for Economic Education, only 17 U.S. states require high school students to take a personal finance class to graduate. Exchange Bank of Northeast Missouri offers some great ideas on how you can begin teaching your child about financial literacy before they leave the nest. How does credit work? A lot of kids don’t know what Read More

Warm, sunny weather calls for a glass of ice cold lemonade. Now that the kids are out of school and looking for activities to entertain them, it is the perfect chance to teach them a little about finances. Here are a few quick tips to help teach your children how to be fiscally responsible. Have them buy the materials. When deciding to have a lemonade stand, it is important that your children know the value of money. By having them calculate the cost of the lemonade, sugar, cups, sign, sunscreen Read More

As a parent, you want to do your best to give your children a great childhood and prepare them to be successful, contributing members of society. One of the ways that many parents are doing this is by encouraging youth sports. They realize that there are great lessons learned from athletics, like how to be a part of a team and physical health. It’s also a good way to get kids away from the screens! By the same token, you may not realize that sports, particularly pay to play, have additional Read More

What they didn’t teach you in school was how to pay for school. Many know what it’s like to look excitably into your direct deposit account or open that envelope on payday to only be dissatisfied by the large withdrawal that was taken towards your student loan debt.   Confronting what seems like the impregnable wall of debt can be overwhelming. And many can feel unprepared - even duped at the debt to income ratio their college degree has given them. However, it doesn’t Read More

Starting a Financial Fitness routine may be one of the best things you can do for your health. You may not realize it, but financial stress can take a toll on your physical and emotional well-being. If you are one of those who have or are experiencing financial stress, you are not alone. In fact, the leading stressor of Americans is related to finances. Stress, if left unchecked, can lead to changes in your body and mood such as:  heart disease, obesity, headaches and depression. Whether you Read More

Today, practicing the simple credit concept of “living within your means” can be extremely difficult due to medical and housing costs growing more rapidly than income in many American households. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t manage your credit and debt responsibly.  Here are a few tips to help you get your credit on track, even when times are tough.   1. Understand what credit is.  According to Finance Solutions Credit 101, credit is your “promise Read More