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Small actions can have a big impact. And, they can also have a ripple effect. If you’d like to make a positive difference in your community – and beyond – here are some easy ways to get started.

February 14 is Valentine’s Day – the perfect opportunity to celebrate romance and spend quality time with your special someone. But the traditional trappings of the holiday – red roses, fancy restaurants, giant heart-shaped boxes of chocolate – can really add up. In fact, the average American spent over $160 on Valentine’s Day last year. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas that are easier on your wallet, read on!

From September 22nd through December 21st, it is officially fall! Make up for lost time this autumn by partaking in the season’s best outdoor activities, festivals, and events. Many events have reopened with new features after taking the last year to adapt to new safety requirements or controlled crowds. Be sure to visit the website of anything that catches your eye to purchase tickets in advance or secure your timeslot.

Sometimes we find ourselves no longer in need of the things we keep around the house. Gently used or good condition items can find life in a new home — a much more environmentally friendly solution than ending up in the trash. Before you reach for the online marketplace, consider the value of giving the item away for free. This simple action can create a large positive impact on interpersonal relationships and your surrounding community.

Dads, grandfathers, uncles, mentors, and all father-figures deserve a day to be honored. For the man who has everything, treat him to an experience, particularly now that concerts, shows, museums, and more are opening their doors once again. In case your Father’s Day plans last year were put on hold from the pandemic, make your bookings now for a safer comeback summer.

After a challenging year, society has learned the value in appreciating our loved ones for all that they do for us. While we slowly emerge from the effects of the shutdown, many wish to keep their activities safe and low budget. Luckily, there is no wrong way to celebrate Mother’s Day, and there are as many unique ways to celebrate as there are mother figures to be celebrated.

According to The The Knot, the average engagement ring costs $5,500. For an object designed to be worn on the hand, that’s an expensive item to go unprotected. Accidents happen. Your ring could get lost, stolen, or damaged during daily life or travel. Keep reading to learn how to secure this sentimental purchase’s safety with an insurance policy designed to protect fine jewelry.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy extends far beyond his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Throughout his time as a civil rights leader, both his words and actions spoke to the importance of joining together as a community to overcome injustice and create a fairer, kinder society for everyone. In that spirit, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has become a national day of service, and the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service is one of its largest annual events.

Whether you’re planning for an average weeknight dinner or a Thanksgiving feast, it can be hard to get your grocery bills to align with your monthly budget. The good news is that there are many great strategies for saving money on groceries that work for Thanksgiving and all year long. Here are some of our favorite tips.

Just in time for October, the CDC has put forth a list of ways to join in the autumn activities while keeping your friends and family safe. We’ve taken the highlights and expanded upon them to inspire this year’s fun.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Subscriptions surround us. Our daily lives have shifted from making a one-time purchase to continually paying for content that promises to be the most convenient, most up-to-date, and, at one point, the most comprehensive. As the competition has grown, many of these larger companies have splintered off into individual apps with individual costs. Consider how many of these services may call you a subscriber.

Earlier this month, patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) welcomed the newest member of the hospital staff: not a new doctor or nurse, but rather a two foot tall robot. The robot, called NAO, was donated by American Heritage's Kids-N-Hope Foundation.

Do you ever wonder how your spending habits compare with those of other Americans? Wonder no more. Here are a few of the everyday purchases that account for a large portion of what we spend our money on – along with some tips on how to save money in these key areas and set aside more for the future.

If you’ve been declined for a loan, don’t worry – you’re not alone. The average American household has an estimated $6,741 in carried credit card balances, so it’s no surprise that many of us need help with large expenses. Unfortunately, some loans get declined. If you’ve recently applied for a loan and didn’t get the answer you were hoping for, your best tool is education.

During a recent branch visit, you may have been asked to try the PAT (Personal Automated Teller) machine. Whether you decided to try it or not, you may have lingering questions about the machines and wonder why we’ve added them into our branches. We sat down with the experts here at American Heritage on all things PAT, Meg Kenny (PAT Supervisor) and Alicia Jordan (Assistant Branch Manager), to get answers directly from the team behind the machines.

Philadelphia is known for its sweet, salty, and savory foods. From tomato pies to butterscotch krimpets and "wooder" ice, Philly certainly has a way of satisfying the food cravings you didn't even know you had. It's possible to go an entire day eating a famous Philadelphia food at every meal, sampling historic well-known restaurants and small vendors alike. While you've certainly enjoyed one of the following treats (if not, get to Philadelphia ASAP!), have you ever wondered about the history behind them?