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Do you have home-improvement projects you are wanting to tackle but don’t have the excess cash readily available to do so? A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) may be the perfect solution for you. A HELOC is a revolving loan that is secured by your house. It allows you to leverage the equity that you have in your house to gain access to funds to use for home-improvement projects, such as home renovations, debt consolidation, emergency expenses etc... HELOCs are a variable rate loan. You...

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As more and more banking options are available online, fewer and fewer people choose to receive paper bank statements every month, for businesses or those with multiple bank accounts, however, these statements are important to managing finances. Unfortunately, these statements are not always simple to read and understand. Some banks tend to include vague, misleading, or complicated information and sometimes even hidden fees. It might even feel like there is a secret banking language that...

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Since the Coronavirus has hit, most of us have had major changes to our careers – if not through layoffs and furloughs, by work from home adaptations and remote work. These changes have resulted in many people rethinking their career paths, which can be a scary thought. Before you decide, let’s explore a few important parts of this process: Considering a Career Change People seek career changes for different reasons. The most common are better pay, less stress, a better work-life...

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Saving for a rainy day is a common theme this year, as many people have experienced Coronavirus-related financial strains. An emergency fund is a financial buffer that will keep you afloat in a time of unexpected expenses or a halt in your income. The main purpose of an emergency income is to help people avoid overusing credit cards or taking out additional loans–usually at high interest rates. Some of these unexpected expenses might include: Medical expenses Appliance repair...

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Before leaving the house, many people do a quick check: Do I have my phone, keys, wallet, etc. Something people don’t often think about when they grab their purse or wallet before heading out the door is the items they already have inside. Do you really need to take those items with you every time? More importantly, is it potentially dangerous to take these items with you every day? Here are seven things you should not keep in your purse or wallet. Your Social Security Card At the...

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What is a Credit Score? Credit scores are measured on a scale of 300 to 850. Your credit score is a representation of how much debt you have, your credit risk, and your likelihood of paying a bill on time. A few factors contribute to determining this, such as how many lines of credit you have and your financial records. The breakdown of what affects your credit score looks something like this: 10% – Types of Credit Used 10% – Recent Credit Changes 15% – Length of...

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The Coronavirus outbreak is all anyone has talked about for the past few weeks. Though it may have hit different people in different ways, it’s perfectly understandable to be a little worried about the future, especially in terms of your financial future.   The government has passed a few relief packages and standards to help people pay their bills and stay on their feet, but it’s still a good idea to have a plan. Some of your bills might be postponed for a while, but is it a...

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The Coronavirus outbreak has thrown a wrench in just about everyone’s plans this year. From smaller goals to major life plans, people around the country are finding it necessary to adjust. Since you can’t pay your bills in stockpiled toilet paper (yet), read a few of our finance tips on managing money below: The Basics of Adjusting Your Budget First off, we’d usually say cut out unnecessary spending, such as a night out at the movies or splurge trips to the mall, but the quarantine...

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Looking for ways to protect your identity? Two options to consider are fraud alerts and credit freezes. But what’s the difference? A fraud alert makes companies verify your identity before granting new credit in your name. Usually, that means calling you to check if you’re really trying to open a new account. Placing a fraud alert is easy – you contact any one of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and that one must notify the other...

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When it comes to creating your budget for the year, a vacation allowance is not typically considered an important expense. But maybe it should be, especially if you have little ones in your household. Planning and saving for a vacation is a great way not only to create life-long memories but also give your children the tools to learn how to create a budget and instill saving at a young age. Where do you start? The most important lesson you can teach your children is conceptualizing money and...

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