Money Matters Blog

As joyful and exciting as the holiday season is, getting memorable gifts for your loved ones can bring about some financial stress. It’s always good to remind yourself that the price doesn’t always determine the quality of the gift you give. Rather than spending a fortune on big gifts that your loved ones might not even use, try one of these special gifts which are affordable and meaningful at the same time. 

If you are a homeowner, refinancing is always a good topic to discuss and consider. While refinancing can reap many benefits, knowing when to pull the trigger is the key to success. Keep reading to find out the refinancing basics along with right (and wrong) times to do so.

A simple explanation of refinancing is getting a new mortgage to replace the original. There are many reasons why a homeowner would consider refinancing, some of which include:

Whether you’re getting married in the next few weeks or in the coming years, this exciting time of your life comes with serious things to think about and discuss. How you manage money will change once you get married, so planning it out beforehand is a must. Here are some tips for you and your partner before you say “I Do”. 

Honesty is key in a relationship, which means it’s time to be honest about what...
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Welcome to your 30s! This time of life is exciting, eventful and often comes with many financial decisions. These decisions have a big impact on your future as well as the future of your family. We hope you can learn from others’ mistakes and make smart money choices for a bright and less stressful future. 

No matter what age you are, retirement often seems too far off to even imagine. In reality, it will...
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Whether you’re currently a college student or have graduated and are ready to tackle your debt, there’s no better time than now to start paying off your loans. It’s not an easy job, but the feeling of being debt-free is unlike any other. Keep reading to learn the five steps to take towards getting rid of your student loans. 

No matter how small the amount of added...
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Entering parenthood can be one of the most exciting – and scary – times in life. The financial aspect of raising children is just one small piece to the parenting puzzle, but it’s an important piece. We’re here to help you make smart money choices you might not have thought to make. 

Budgeting for two is completely different than budgeting for a family of three. The list of supplies needed for...
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Whether you’ve had children who have already headed off to college or this is your first child to take that step, these financial tips are a great refresher for everyone. College students are notorious for living off of very little money, but there are ways to change that. Going into college with a financial plan will help your child avoid worrying about money while in school and can lower the amount of debt he or she might have in the future.  

You’ve heard big banks advertise their services all over the world, but many consumers don’t realize all of the benefits that come with banking local. When it comes to customer service, banking fees and community impact, banking local is the smart choice, and we’ll tell you why. 

Because local banks have less customers than your average megabank, employees have the chance to form deeper relationships with the people they serve. They...
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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!

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...
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Parenting isn’t easy, and we are here to help you in whatever ways we can. Keep reading to learn 5 simple and important things to teach your kids about money!

The easiest way to encourage your kids to save money is by getting them a piggy bank. Most kids find that adding money to their piggy bank is rewarding. Encourage them to add money to their piggy bank as they earn it, and then bring to the bank when it’s full to deposit. Did you know that...
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