Personal Finances

The holidays are upon us and that means more money will be spent! However, be careful not to go too far outside of your budget. Exchange Bank of Northeast Missouri has compiled our favorite holiday savings hacks to help you keep more money in your pocket this season. Avoid Extras When buying food for the holidays or gifts for others, it can be really easy to treat yourself, too. Stop buying extra items, like that latte or new pair of shoes, and begin being a super saver. Make a list of what Read More

As your family grows, so will your budget - but where do you even begin when trying to make one? With all the demands of taking care of your family, it may be hard to find time to make a budget...and stick to it. However, you’ll be ecstatic once you start seeing your hard work pay off. Take a look at how you can begin creating your family budget with these starting points. Put Everything On The Table You’ll want to list your income and expenses - don’t leave anything out (even Read More

It’s the holidays! As they come closer, you’ll want to be preparing your budget for the food and presents you’re buying. But, be careful not to overspend! Here are our top sanity-saving holiday hacks to follow. Be Frugal Online Use cashback apps like Ibotta and Ebates when you shop online for the holidays to save money and earn bonuses. There are also ways to earn free gift cards online when you take surveys, such as using a program like Swagbucks. Simplify Your Giving Don’t Read More

With just a little work, you can map out your financial goals for the upcoming year. With money, it can seem overwhelming or tricky to know where to begin. Luckily, Exchange Bank of Northeast Missouri is here to help! We’ve come up with some of our favorite ways you can create your money goal for 2020. Figure Out Your Finances The first step you should take is to calculate how much income you have each month after expenses. You may feel that you have a good estimate, but once you start Read More

It finally happened - you had to spend your emergency fund. The good news is you had a fund, but the bad news is you spent it. Where do you go from here and how do you rebuild what you had? We wanted to offer some insight on ways you can begin to rebuild your emergency fund for the next rainy day. Say ‘Bye’ To The Unnecessary  That gym membership and extra show subscription will have to be canceled for now. You can get by without, as saving for the next emergency is more important Read More

If you’re in your twenties and thinking about retirement, you are light-years away from your peers who wait until it’s too late. You’ll be so glad you started to take serious steps towards your golden years with these straightforward strategies. 1. Negotiate More Your first job isn’t typically known to be a real money maker. You’ve been told to “pay your dues” and take the work for little pay. However, it is especially important for college graduates Read More

While college remains one of the best ways you can invest in yourself and your future, it doesn’t change the fact that the costs of attending college only continues to grow. Focusing on your education should be your top priority while you’re in school. However, developing strong saving habits can not only cut costs while you’re attending college, but those habits can also help you be more responsible with your money once you’ve graduated. Set a Budget While this may Read More

Buying your first home is so exciting. It can also be a little nerve wracking the first time around if you don’t have any guidance. Here’s what you should know about the home buying process, so you aren’t shocked by the expenses that come along. The Appraisal An appraisal is when you have a home expert come and determine the value of a home. They have no stake in the outcome of their conclusion, so you can expect an honest answer. You will want to be sure to have an appraisal Read More

From sunny beaches to tall mountains, everyone has their own version of a dream vacation. How do you save enough cash to go? It’s important to see the world and take in all it has to offer, which is why Exchange Bank of Northeast Missouri has come up with these tried and trusted ways to save for your dream vacation. Timing Is Key Instead of taking off 5 whole days of work, is there a week where you can travel to include a weekend and a holiday? This automatically gives you a three day Read More

Is your current car on the fritz or have you been eyeing that shiny new Jeep you see parked at a dealership on your way to work? If you’ve been hesitant to buy a new vehicle because you’re worried about it costing too much, here are some ways you can get the car you’ve had your eye on while still saving money. Get Pre-Approved Before starting your search, you should get pre-approved for a loan. It’s important to know what limit you qualify for and match that up with Read More