Blog

Level-up your financial literacy by taking advantage of our free blog! Enjoy topics ranging from money lifestyle tips to fun local activities for the whole family. 

Select a category below:

A woman holding a variety of payment cards

Credit or Debit: Which Payment Option is Best for You?

By: American Heritage08.25.20
We all know the drill. You head to the checkout line and are presented with two options from the cashier: ”Will that be on credit or debit?” If you’re like most, there’s a good chance you may not know the difference between the two. While the two may seem identical when it comes to making a purchase, there is a very real difference and it’s a good idea to know which is best to use for various scenarios.
boy sitting at table looking at laptop for school

Preparing for (Virtual) Back to School this Fall

By: Holly Benedetto08.20.20 Education Coronavirus Pandemic
School transitioning to online-only or a hybrid environment last semester may have caught you and your students off guard. Going from a dedicated classroom environment to staying home, distractions and all, can affect a student’s morale, grades, and mental health. Add in parents and siblings who may also be working or learning at home, the school year and summer vacation blending together, and the absence of a teacher’s watchful eye, and you have a recipe for a poor learning experience.

Lower Your Cell Phone Bill With These 8 Tips

By: American Heritage08.13.20 Savings & Budgeting
Right now, staying connected is more important than ever. But for many people with pricey cell phone plans, it’s also more expensive than ever. On average, Americans are paying more than $1,300 a year for their cell phone service, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While carriers all claim to offer the best cell phone deals, finding ways to lower your cell phone bill can be challenging. To help, here are eight proven tips to help you save on your cell phone.

Save More on Commission When Selling Your Home

By: Holly Benedetto08.06.20 Home & Mortgage
Like purchasing a home, selling your home will include various fees. Most sales are completed with the assistance of a real estate agent or broker. These agents make their money by earning commission on each sale and only get paid once a home has sold. This commission is paid by the seller during closing.

Fast-Track Your Career by Learning the Right Skills

By: American Heritage07.30.20 Education
Maybe you want your job to be more fulfilling. Maybe you want to make more money. Either way, taking steps to advance in your career – or start a new career – can be one of the best ways to improve your quality of life and financial security. But moving forward professionally requires having the right skills. Valuable professional skills can range from technical skills that require specialized training to less tangible (but equally important) assets like leadership and empathy. If you’re looking to acquire more of the skills you need to succeed, here’s where to begin.

5 Tips to Help Your Pets Adjust When You Go Back to Work

By: Holly Benedetto07.16.20 Culture
If quarantine brought a new furball into the family or led you to spend more quality time with the pets you have, you know that returning to your former routine means a bittersweet goodbye. Your pet, who was blissfully unaware of world events over the past few months, grew accustomed to you being around more often. To leave them suddenly without easing back into normalcy can cause stress and behavioral issues. Keep reading for five tips on helping your pet overcome this change.

5 Ways to Help a Friend Going Through Financial Hardship

By: American Heritage07.09.20 Savings & Budgeting
A good friend is always there to help, in good times and bad. But if a close friend of yours is struggling with financial problems such as a job loss, overwhelming debt, or major expenses like medical bills, it can be hard to know how to help. In honor of the International Day of Friendship, which is July 30, we’ll show you how to help a friend who’s struggling financially without having to spend your own money.

How-To: Charitable Giving

By: American Heritage06.22.20 Culture Holiday
It's never a bad time to get involved with a charitable cause. However, it’s also a good idea to think before you donate. While giving to global charities and community charities is a wonderful thing, it’s also a good idea to make sure that you’re giving in a way that provides maximum value for your giving dollar and allows you to take advantage of the tax value of donations.

Things to Do in Summer 2020

By: Holly Benedetto06.18.20 Culture Coronavirus Pandemic
So, this summer isn’t going exactly the way you could have expected. Maybe your plans have changed, trips and events have been canceled, and now the point of the season seems lost. Still, there are ways to spend the warmer months making memories and having fun, even if things feel a little unconventional! Here are 5 ideas for how to stay busy this summer.

A Financial Checklist for Newlyweds

By: American Heritage06.12.20 Savings & Budgeting
Getting ready to tie the knot? The opportunity to take on life as a team is exciting, but having your lives so closely intertwined also means big changes for your lifestyle. Especially when it comes to managing your finances. Unfortunately, money can be a tricky topic for couples. In fact, it’s the number one thing married couples fight about.

6 Ways to Make the Most of Your Retirement

By: American Heritage06.04.20 Investing & Retirement
You want to enjoy your retirement. You’ve earned it! So, the last thing you want to do is worry about your finances. If you’re recently retired or soon will be, you want to make sure your money will last, especially during these uncertain times. Here are six keys to saving money and simplifying your finances in retirement.

Looking for Ways to Help During COVID-19?

By: American Heritage05.28.20 Culture Coronavirus Pandemic
It’s easy to feel frustrated and disconnected by the new challenges and safety guidelines surrounding COVID-19. For many of us, that makes us want to find ways to help and support our community. While there may be temporary limitations to our ability to get out of the house and do all the things we used to do, there are still plenty of ways that we can help our neighbors and community. Here are eight ideas to get you started.
A woman uses her laptop and smartphone to create her budget

Digitize Your Budget with These Online Tools

By: Holly Benedetto05.21.20 Savings & Budgeting
Notebooks, graph paper, and saved receipts have played their part, but now digital budgeting tools have taken center stage. With the ability to track and sort your purchases in real time or pay bills automatically on your behalf, these handy tools are a necessity for getting your budget back on track. Overwhelmed by your options or don’t know what’s out there? We’ve compiled a list of some popular recommendations – including a few tools of our own!

4 Ways to Keep Your Savings Protected & Growing

By: American Heritage05.14.20 Savings & Budgeting
You’ve worked hard to build up your savings. So you want to make sure they’re protected – and steadily growing – during today’s economic uncertainty. But right now, it may seem harder to grow your savings, especially when you want to avoid the risks that come with a volatile stock market. Keeping your funds protected in a federally insured financial institution is a smart way to avoid market risk.

Should You Refinance Your Home? Consider These 4 Factors.

By: American Heritage05.07.20 Home & Mortgage
Right now, you’re probably looking for ways to boost your financial security, such as by lowering your bills or building up your savings. You’re not alone. Many homeowners are doing exactly that by refinancing their home to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates. To see if refinancing is right for you, it’s important to understand why people choose to refinance and what makes someone a good candidate for a refinance mortgage.

How to Use Contactless Cards and Mobile Wallets

By: Holly Benedetto04.27.20 Product Spotlight
There are always tools to streamline our everyday lives, since time is precious and better spent elsewhere than in the checkout line. If you’re looking for a new way to add a popular and safer technology to your life, try paying for transactions using contactless payments. Contactless payments can be performed using a contactless credit or debit card, or with a smartphone or smartwatch with the mobile wallet enabled. As the name suggests, these transactions reduce or eliminate the need to be in contact with the terminal when making a purchase. Enjoy faster, cleanlier, and more convenient shopping experiences with contactless technology!

Managing Your Money in Difficult Times

By: American Heritage04.16.20
Even in the face of an economic recession, there are some practical steps you can take now to help boost your financial security and feel better prepared for whatever tomorrow brings.
A family of four sits on the couch holding a piggy bank

Spending More Time at Home? Use it to Teach Your Kids About Money

By: American Heritage04.09.20
April is National Financial Literacy Month and National Credit Union Youth Month, so it’s a great time to increase your child’s financial literacy. And doing so doesn’t have to be boring: There are lots of ways to make learning about spending, saving, and borrowing fun and interesting for kids of all ages.
Member using the PAT machine

Making PAT Part of Your New Routine

By: Holly Benedetto04.02.20 Product Spotlight
We know that times are different and you may not be seeing your favorite tellers in the lobby as often. Our routines have been shifted as we're presented with alternative ways to handle our finances. There are options for how you would like to perform your transaction, and whether you visit in person, online, or in the drive-thru, there are a variety of ways to accomplish your goal. Plus, even your options have options! Our PAT (Personal Automated Teller) machines are available in branches and in the drive-thru and provide a quick alternative to waiting in line.

 

 

Want to stay up-to-date with more financial articles like this one? Join our email list and receive the latest blog articles in your inbox.