Money Matters
Your Credit Union Newsletter
Financial articles for FIGFCU members by your Credit Union.
With inflation high and money tight for so many of us, there’s never been a better time to re-examine how we’re managing our finances and make some moves to save more.
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Airfare to air fryers. Thai food to tie clips. Memorabilia to memory foam. You can purchase just about anything these days with a buy now, pay later (BNPL) plan. In 2022 alone, consumers in the US bought around $250 billion in goods using BNPLs. The allure of making a small initial payment and splitting the remaining obligation into a series of automatic withdrawals is undeniable. The question remains: Is this a smart way to gain spending flexibility or a tool rife for accumulating bad debt?
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ome. While this will save you money, however, cooking every meal can be daunting for some people, unless you make a meal plan. Here are some tips for creating a successful plan to boost your financial (and personal) health.
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When a major storm is headed your way, you prepare yourself. The same should be true for a recession. A growing consensus among economists is that the U.S. economy will enter a recession in 2023. These tend to go hand in hand with major stock market declines and unemployment.
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The Federal Reserve has committed to a policy of fiscal tightening by raising interest rates. According to Fed Chairman Powell “we still have some ways to go…we will stay the course [keep raising rates] until the job is done.” This leaves the economy on a knife edge. Raise rates too much, too fast and we fall into recession. Too little and prices continue to rise and eat up savings.
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Moving is rough and considered one of the most stressful experiences people can go through. That stress can intensify when moving thousands of miles across the country. You may need to move for work or family obligations, or maybe your company is making remote work permanent and you can live in an idyllic hideaway.
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f you’ve kept up with the news, you’ve heard about the White House proposal for up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness: the Student Debt Relief Plan. Frustratingly, it’s a bit of a waiting game right now as the proposal and its future is pending a ruling by the Supreme Court.
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Last month we introduced the “2×2” financial wellness planning system. Why is it called 2×2? You set aside two hours on the calendar two times a month to complete a predetermined financial task. With this modest but consistent effort, you’ll sustain financial health and build wealth in easy bite-sized chunks that you check off the list each month.
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You tear open the letter marked “Internal Revenue Service,” wondering whether it contains an unexpected refund or perhaps a friendly thank you note for filing on time. But, to your dismay, you find that you actually owe hundreds of dollars more than you projected because of a mistake with your tax return. Your heart sinks as you think of all the sacrifices you must make to pay the extra money.
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Let’s be honest. A whole slew of Americans, almost two-thirds by several counts, have no idea how much money they spend in a month. They also have little idea where their money goes. Yes, taxes and other deductions take a chunk right off the top of their paychecks, but the rest seems to just evaporate. If this sounds familiar, the first piece of good news is that it’s not just you.
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