Financial Wellness Blogs - Page 1

Cutting expenses doesn’t always mean making big sacrifices. Often, small adjustments to everyday spending can free up money for savings, debt repayment, or future goals. Many common bills—like groceries, utilities, subscriptions, and phone plans—can be reduced with simple changes. If you’re wondering how to cut expenses without hurting your lifestyle, these practical ideas can help lower your monthly costs.

When you need cash fast, a credit card cash advance can feel like a quick fix. But advances come with higher rates, fees, and interest that starts on day one. If you’re already carrying balances, a cash advance can make it harder to become debt-free. Here’s what to know about cash advances, plus less risky alternatives you can try.

The 2020 global pandemic locked up economies and limited the use of cash. As the circumstances forced more people to use plastic, fraudsters found more opportunities to steal identities and commit credit card fraud.

As summer ends, it’s time for back-to-school shopping. Start by defining a budget, and involve your kids in the budgeting and shopping process.

Regardless of your lifestyle, as you go from childhood to adulthood and then grow older, you encounter several milestones that define your life. You may get married, start a family, buy a home, buy a car, start a business, etc. These major life events have one thing in common: they all cost money.

Credit card fraud is one of the most frequent types of identity theft in the US. Prior to 2020’s unprecedented rise in fraud related to application for government benefits (likely as the result of COVID-19-related fraud), credit card fraud topped the list of identity theft types by a wide margin for multiple years in a row.

Close to half a million people fall victim to credit card fraud in the US every year. Learn what credit card fraud is and how you can guard against it.

You stick your credit card into an ATM to grab some cash on your way home from a trip. Unbeknownst to you, someone has installed a barely noticeable electronic device over the card slot of the machine, called a “skimmer.” A few days later, you begin to notice fraudulent charges on your accounts. Someone has stolen your identity by committing credit card fraud.

Inflation hikes the cost of living, making it more difficult to make ends meet with the money on hand. Learn how to manage your debt despite inflation.

Maxing out your credit cards can affect your credit score, hike your payments, and land you in a debt trap. Find out how you can pay down a maxed-out card.