Blog & News

News and tips to keep you informed and put you on a path to financial health.

Tax Benefits for College Students

Money Management Spending/Saving

Did you know you can take advantage of special tax breaks just for college students and their parents? These benefits come in the form of tax credits and deductions when you file your income tax return. What’s the difference? A credit reduces the amount of income tax you have to pay. A deduction reduces the amount of your income that is taxed, which also typically lessens your tax bill. In other words, you could get a bigger tax refund! Filing Your Taxes…
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Does a new car top your holiday wish list?

Life Goals Spending/Saving

If you’re looking to drive into the new year on a new set of wheels, the timing is right to save some money on this big purchase! According to Kelley Blue Book, you can benefit from both year-end sales events and, if you wait until the end of the month, automakers and dealers looking to meet monthly sales targets. But according to Automotive News, more Americans are likely to turn toward a used car for their next purchase. Both escalating…
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Best Ways to Manage Your Holiday Expenses

Money Management Spending/Saving

With the holiday season right around the corner, consumers are often unprepared for the additional expenses for those special presents and occasions and exit the holiday season with debt—a gift that unfortunately keeps on giving. 

Back-to-School shopping is almost as big as Black Friday—learn how to save this year!

Money Management Spending/Saving

Ohioans may not be planning to spend as much as the national average on back-to-school shopping this year, but that doesn’t mean the supply run will be cheap. The back-to-school season has become the second biggest shopping season of the year in the U.S., according to a Deloitte Back-to-School survey. American households were expected to spend about $27.6 billion on clothes and supplies for the new school year in 2018. In the Ohio Credit Union League’s 2019 consumer survey, 36…
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Sticking to Financial Resolutions

Life Goals Money Management Spending/Saving

Ohioans, like most Americans, entered 2019 hoping to better their finances, but many have likely already fallen off track. In an Ohio Credit Union League 2019 consumer survey, 69 percent said their New Year’s resolution was to get on a budget. That statistic isn’t surprising; many Americans looked critically at their financial situations as they headed into 2019. Statista, a platform providing statistical data on a variety of topics, polled 2,000 people about their New Year’s resolutions in early January….
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Why it’s never too early to start saving for a down payment

Life Goals Money Management Spending/Saving

The best advice my mom ever gave me was, “Pay yourself first.” Pay yourself first What does that mean? Every payday, put some funds straight into savings – before you throw that cash at other expenses or purchases. Now, it doesn’t mean you should ignore your bills. Obviously, you need to pay your rent and make your car payment and all the rest. But if you set yourself an aggressive monthly saving goal, paying yourself first can help you avoid…
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4 Holiday Budget Tips

Money Management Spending/Saving

The holidays are a magical time of year, but they can also be the most stressful. Family, food, shopping, crowds, and chaos abounds. Here are five tips to help manage the holiday stress by not breaking the bank. Limit Spending: Determine the number of gifts you are planning to buy, along with the total dollar you amount you plan to spend. This would include gifts for family, neighbors, co-workers, pets, friends, etc. Put a set dollar limit for each item….
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6 ways to prepare for retirement

Life Goals Money Management Spending/Saving

Planning for retirement can be daunting, leaving even the most-prepared individuals feeling anxious. In an Ohio Credit Union League 2018 consumer survey, 92 percent of respondents said they had at least one major financial concern about retirement. A majority of the survey’s respondents, about 74.6 percent, don’t plan to retire from full-time employment in the next five years, if ever. Ohioans’ financial fears surrounding retirement vary. Most, 27.5 percent, fear they won’t have time to save what they need. Another…
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Life Hacks for Saving

Life Goals Money Management Spending/Saving

Saving money, especially when you’re young, can be challenging. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t manage your money like a BOSS! With today’s technology, literally at your fingertips, there is no reason why savings and spending should go unmanaged. Right now, Millennials are stepping into or are a few years into the beginning of their careers. Managing bills, a new job, new expenses, and oh, yeah, that college loan can be daunting, but not unruly. Track Your Spending Mobile…
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Why you should eat at home instead of dining out

Money Management Spending/Saving

For some Americans, going out to eat is a treat, planned and budgeted for. For others, it’s just another Tuesday. And Wednesday. And Thursday. If you’re part of that second group, you might want to reconsider… for a couple reasons. Tough on your wallet The average American family spends $225 a month eating away from home – lunches, dinners, snacks, coffees. Much of this spending occurs simply because it’s convenient. However, what you save in convenience, you lose in cold, hard cash….
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