Category: Wallet Wins - Page 11

5 Budget-Friendly Ways to Romance Your Valentine

The chocolates. The hearts. The flowers! Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, right? It can also be one of the most expensive, especially if you’re wining and dining your sweetheart. We’ve got a secret for you: Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be pricey. There are plenty of fun, romantic, cute things you can do to romance your honey on that date without wondering if your card will be declined at the end of the night. Cook Dinner Together. It’s popular to dine out at an expensive restaurant on Valentine’s Day. However, having more diners means that restaurants get crowded and that their employees are pushed to their limits. Plus, the price of the…

February 1, 2021Wallet Wins No Comments

4 Ways to Stop Impulse Buying

Right now, you can easily buy anything with a quick swipe, tap, or click at any online or brick-and-mortar store. All these stores constantly push impulse buying on you by design, and that makes it hard to say no. But you can take control of impulse buying once you stick to a few of these rules. 1. Don’t Go Cold Turkey. Cutting yourself off cold turkey from impulse buying is not always the right move. This makes many people feel like they’re being punished, and they may want to rebel against their self-imposed restrictions. Be realistic and admit that everyone deserves a fun treat occasionally, even you. Allow yourself a couple of impulse purchases. To stay in control, give yourself a weekly or monthly allowance, but don’t spend more than that. This helps you balance your need to enjoy the fruits of…

January 25, 2021Wallet Wins 1 Comment

11 Smart Ways to Protect Your Personal Data

Fraud prevention can take some effort, but it’s worth it. Especially when your financial security is on the line. These days, you can’t confuse a constant awareness of fraud risk with paranoia, because it’s easy to fall victim to scams. However, common sense goes a long way toward keeping your accounts secure. Remember, YOU are the first line of defense in protecting your data. Learn about new threats, stay current, and take necessary precautions to keep your personal information secure. Here are eleven common-sense tips for protecting your personal data: 1. Think twice. From the clerk asking for your email address at your favorite store to the food delivery website requiring your address, there’s always someone asking…

January 25, 2021Wallet Wins No Comments

3 Strategies for Improving Your Credit Score

Your credit score is a number you need to know. Lenders, insurance companies, and even some employers use this score to decide how reliable you are. It pays to do your best to make sure it’s as high as can be. There are many ways to find out your credit score. As a PEFCU member, you can access your score with the FICO feature in our mobile banking app. Your FICO score, the most widely used credit scoring tool, specifically details what affects your score. If you need more details, you can order a free copy of your credit report through www.AnnualCreditReport.com. From there, you can check to see if the information on your report is correct and file a complaint if necessary. If you’re ready to boost your score, take these three steps to…

January 19, 2021Borrowing Basics, Wallet Wins 1 Comment

Building Good Financial Habits for Life

Where do you see yourself a year from now? Hopefully, you see yourself better off financially. But resolutions and goals with no plan are bound to fail. While it’s reported that around 73% of Americans plan to start the new year with resolutions, about 12% of them don’t even think their goals are possible. In fact, an average of 80% of us don’t meet our resolution goals. But failing to meet your resolution doesn’t make you a failure. In fact, you’re an amazing person who might not have an amazing plan. We want to see you live your best financial life as much…

January 4, 2021Borrowing Basics, Future Planning, Wallet Wins 3 Comments

Why Shopping Local Matters

We know that COVID-19 has had an impact on our economy. When we use the word “economy,” we often think about how the national economy is affected. But what affects us the most are the impacts on our local economies and communities. As a credit union that supports local economies, we understand how economic downturns affect each of our member’s financial lives. We know that the mom-and-pop pizzerias and bakeries are more real to you than the market value of the good because you can smell and taste the care that goes into each batch. We understand how brilliant the colors are at the farmer’s market you stroll through…

November 16, 2020Wallet Wins No Comments

Good Debt, Bad Debt – Knowing the Difference

You might be under the impression that all debt is bad, but that isn’t true. While no one likes to owe money, some loans can help you become more financially secure. There are good debts, and there are bad debts. Good debts are not as risky to lenders and may lead to better loan terms. Bad debts raise red flags to lenders and make them more cautious about lending you money, leading to higher interest rates. To help you better understand the differences, let’s review some examples of good and bad debts. Unsecured Debt vs. Secured Debt Most debt falls into two categories: secured debt and unsecured debt. Secured debt that is “secured” by collateral, like mortgages and car loans. If you do not repay the secured debt as promised, your lender can repossess the security (your house or car) to satisfy…

November 16, 2020Wallet Wins 1 Comment

4 Must-Try Personal Finance Apps

Getting your finances in check can be hard. Fortunately, technology makes it easier to manage your personal finances. There are many applications to help with your budget goals. Each provides a unique approach to help you manage your money. We’ve done a little digging for you. Check out these budgeting apps to find out what works best for you! You Need a Budget (YNAB) How it helps: YNAB is all about budgeting. Period. This app provides both the mechanics to monitor your income and expenses and help you find the root causes of financial distress. It follows the model “give every dollar a job.” YNAB encourages users to think about money differently and this philosophy can be difficult for some users to catch on to. When using this tool, you only budget the dollars you already have.…

October 12, 2020Wallet Wins 2 Comments

PEFCU Credit Card Rewards: Charity

You have a big heart, don’t you? You are always looking for opportunities to give to those in need. With the PEFCU Visa® Credit Card, you can give your ScoreCard® reward points to charitable organizations. It is one more reason that you’ll want to hold on to your PEFCU Visa® card. Local Charities Scorecard® allows you to search for local charities, allowing you to see your community change up close. Choose from a list of charities that are close to your neighborhood… and close to your heart. Giving Pools Sometimes paying it forward is a small piece of a bigger puzzle. You can join other like-minded members and pool your points together with them for a large donation to…

October 5, 2020PEFCU Perks, Wallet Wins No Comments

4 Smart Ways to Use Your Stimulus Check

If you are fortunate enough to have a secure job during this COVID-19-related economic downturn, you might not need the stimulus money offered to struggling American families. While everyone could use the extra money, here are four wise tips for using your stimulus checks: 1. Pay Your Most Important Bills First. Some families are hurting right now. If your family is among them, prioritize and pay the most important bills first. If feeding your family is most crucial, then use the money to buy groceries. Otherwise, prioritize your bills according to need. Just be aware that deferments and forbearances must eventually be repaid. 2. Build Up Your Savings. There’s nothing wrong with putting your money aside for a rainy day. Today is a rainy day for millions of Americans. If you’ve kept your head…

September 21, 2020Future Planning, Wallet Wins No Comments

«‹9 101112 ›