Author: Meredith Olmstead

The sticker price on a new and used car continues to climb, making saving money on transportation increasingly important. The average price of a used car reportedly spiked by more than 16 percent, year-over-year, and working families are paying above Kelly Blue Book value in too many cases. We all n...

The holidays are a time of joy, light, and celebrations when families and friends gather from near and far to spend time together. The season is certainly a special time of year. Yet all the celebrations, the travel, the entertaining, the gift giving, and the food and drink that is associated with t...

Holiday Season Fraud Prevention During the holiday season, consumers are more susceptible to various forms of fraud. The best way to reduce fraud is to understand red flags and stay a step ahead of scammer. The most common form of fraud found in the banking industry is a result of social engineering...

Never had a monthly budget before? Here are some tips to get you started. Whether you’re deep in the throes of money woes or you’re just looking for a way to save a bit more cash, there’s one thing you can do to turn everything around: You need a budget. 1. Start by simply tracking […]...

Is your home in need of some upgrades and updating? Sometimes a fresh coat of paint is all it takes, but other times there are more detailed home improvement projects that you need to improve the look and feel of your home. If you are wondering what project to tackle next, here are seven home [&hell...

Making a budget isn’t difficult; in fact, 80% of Americans say they have one. The problem comes when people try to stay on a budget. Approximately 80% of those who made a budget did not follow it, resulting in an average of $7,400 in overspending per year. So, how do people who need ...

Buying your first home is an exciting time full of many emotions. You are ready apply for your first mortgage on your own and become a homeowner! This time is also full of lots of important information, and sometimes you can feel a little overwhelmed. To help you through the process, we want to walk...

In order to help reach your financial and credit goals, it’s good to have a plan in place. The plan itself doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require that you treat this journey as a marathon rather than a sprint. Here are three simple things you can do to help get you started. [&hellip...

Using a home equity loan creatively gained significant traction in recent years. After faithfully paying their monthly mortgage premium, working families build up considerable equity they can use for a wide variety of purposes. If you would like to enhance your quality of life, address financial con...

Knowing how to make a monthly budget is the important first step to financial freedom. That means retiring comfortably, spending time with your family, and traveling like you always wanted. Monthly budgets, however, aren’t something you can set and forget about. In order to make one work for you a...