How to Overcome the Biggest Obstacle to Homeownership Raising enough cash for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for homebuyers. According to some estimates, it can take up to 15 years for people to save towards the purchase of a home, especially with conventional mortgages, which require anywhere between 5 to 20 percent down. If you’re trying to buy a $400,000… Read More
Halloween 2020: Frightening Fun That Won’t Scare Your Budget Halloween may appear all but canceled under COVID, but don’t let that scare you. There’s still plenty of frightening fun (and savings) to be had. Prepare to mask up and read on for a list of Halloween activities that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Scare the Neighbors Halloween decorations are my favorite part… Read More
Financial Self-Care Checklist for Challenging Times Challenging times can inspire us to strengthen community ties and support recovery efforts, together. They can also inspire people to evaluate their lives and take better care of themselves — 80 percent of Americans say they intend to incorporate self-care into their daily routines more regularly after COVID-19. Given the pandemic’s economic impact, it’s not… Read More
7 Simple Ways to Save Big on Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and lovebirds everywhere will be opening their hearts – and their wallets – for their special someone. In fact, it’s estimated that this year people will spend a record $27.4 billion in the U.S. on cupid’s special day. And while that’s definitely an astounding figure, there’s no need… Read More
4 Tricks and Treats to Celebrate Halloween Without Spooking Your Budget Halloween’s greatest trick? Getting Americans to spend more than $9 billion annually on the candy-coated holiday. But here’s the treat: with a little ingenuity and a whole lot of creativity, you can celebrate this season without ghosting your family’s budget. Boo it Yourself Americans spend $3.2 billion on Halloween costumes annually; followed by $2.7 billion… Read More
Cold And Flu Hacks To Get You Back On Your Feet ASAP While many believe there are only four seasons, there is a very real fifth season that runs from mid-Fall to Spring. No, I’m not talking about Football, which is arguably the best season. I’m talking about the cold and flu season. You can bathe yourself in hand sanitizer, Clorox all surfaces, and live inside a bubble,… Read More
7 Savings Tips for the Recent Grad Graduating from college and launching a life of your own is an exciting, and slightly scary, time. It might be the first time you’ve been financially independent, earning a living and making decisions about how to spend your money. Now that you have an increased income, the temptation may be to spend your money on… Read More
How to Have That Perfect Summer BBQ On A Budget The weather is warming up, the kids are getting out of class, and the pools are opening. It’s starting to look a lot like summer. That can only mean one thing: it’s officially grilling season. Unfortunately, as the barbeques grow in size and quantity, so too can the price tag. To help throw an amazing… Read More
What’s the Biggest Trend of 2018? Hint: It’s Not What You’re Wearing Something is growing in popularity amongst the nation’s largest generation (Millennials) and it isn’t sparkly boots, bold patterns or color blocking. It’s something far more widespread and even a little more obscure. What it is exactly? It’s SAVING. According to a recent study, an estimated 50 percent of them have $15,000+ socked away. What’s more,… Read More
Five Things That Happened To Us — And Our Bank Account — After Giving Up Meat and Dairy One FirstBank employee gets honest about what she and her husband experienced after cutting out meat and animal byproducts from their diet. Okay, before you start to envision a couple wearing hemp shoes and tie-dye shirts that say animals are friends not food, yelling “meat is murder!” outside some burger joint, stop, because that’s… Read More