Everyday Money

As you get older, hopes and dreams for the future begin to expand – buying a car or house, starting a family, and eventually retiring. These dreams are exciting and are something to look forward to, but they also require saving money. A financial plan helps decide what your goals are and how to effectively save for them. This includes a budget, tracking expenses, and bills, and planning for your financial life stages. Stage One – Build a Financial Foundation This

Good financial habits may take years to develop but being responsible in your spending is worth the effort. Protect your financial future by saving early, living within your means, and following some of these tips we’ve compiled for you. Live Within Or Beneath Your Means This is the foundation of all good financial habits. When you spend less than you take in, you are going to retain more money and build up your savings faster. This will help with budgeting

The holiday season is right around the corner, a time for festivities, cheer, and reunions with family and friends. But as we deck the halls or spin the dreidel, many of us will have something else on our mind: money. In fact, more than three in four Americans overspend during the holiday season, with the average household adding nearly $1,000 in debt. While it may seem like a fact of life, going into gift-purchase debt is not inevitable. In this blog, we’ll offer

Read on for our budget friendly winter date night ideas to try during this chilly season with a friend or significant other.

What do you do if your purse or wallet is lost or stolen? This is a question that usually is not asked until it happens. Keep reading to learn the steps you should take. According to bigskinny.net, no official surveys have been done to determine how many wallets get stolen each year, but it’s believed that: Your wallet or purse has been lost or stolen, what do you do?? DON’T PANIC!! Keep your cool and follow these steps from LifeLock:

Little things that cost a lot. Everybody has those things we spend little amounts on regularly, maybe it’s lunch, coffee, manicures, golf, pizza, music, or movies. It’s hard to imagine how it all might add up. And the reality is that each dollar spent today isn’t available for something else tomorrow. These little purchases may have a way of robbing us of the things we really want. Most people haven’t stopped to consider whether that daily coffee is truly precious

Groceries. Some people love going grocery shopping, others absolutely despise it. For most, it’s just a necessary part of our weekly routine. But how much we actually spend on groceries varies dramatically from one household to the next. According to a USDA report released in July of 2018, Americans spent between 12.4% and 33% of their household income on groceries per month. For a household that brings in $2,000 per month, that’s up to $660 just on groceries! Interestingly, GO Banking

Whether your travels take you across the globe or across state lines, Bank Five Nine and the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) want to remind consumers to plan carefully to keep their money safe and summer vacations on track!  Most financial experts advise limiting the use of cash and paying with a debit or credit card for major purchases. That’s because credit and debit cards come with additional protections, such as zero-liability for fraud-related charges, which can offer greater peace

Each month you settle down to pay bills. You pay your mortgage. You pay the electric company. You pay the trash collector and others. But do you pay yourself? One of the most basic tenets of sound investing involves the simple habit of “paying yourself first,” in other words, making the first payment of each month into your savings account. Americans’ saving patterns vary widely. And too often, short-term economic trends can interrupt long-term savings programs. For example, the U.S.

Budget friendly activities to do in Wisconsin After the long and cold Midwest winters, there is no doubt that the summertime is something we all look forward to in Wisconsin. The weather is finally warm and there are a lot of fun budget friendly things to do! Keep reading to hear some of our favorites! Farmers MarketThese are fun places to walk around, try samples, and maybe make a local purchase.  A good idea is to give yourself a budget