Education Articles

Despite the Noise, Stay the Course on Your Financial Plan

In a 24-hour news cycle with no shortage of ups and downs, it’s natural for your reactions to affect your everyday life, including how you manage your finances. The stock market isn’t immune either. On February 19, the S&P 500, a leading market indicator, soared to an all-time high, only to slip into full “sell! sell! sell!” mode, culminating in...

When to Use (And Not Use) a Credit Card

To use or not to use a credit card. That is the question. Some experts recommend making nearly all of your purchases on a credit card. Others say to use a credit card only for needs and not wants . Every scenario has a common thread, though: “However you choose to use a credit card, it’s important to understand the true cost of your purchase and...

8 Back-to-School Shopping Hacks

Hard to believe, but summer is nearly in the rearview and back-to-school season has arrived. It’s an exciting time for students, who are itching to put their best foot forward, often with the latest styles and newest tech. To help avoid overspending, check out these eight frugal hacks for keeping your budget intact (and your student eager for th...

Your Guide to Paying Taxes as a Gig Worker

The gig economy continues to expand exponentially—and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. To give you an idea of how much the workforce landscape has changed, gig workers (temporary or part-time independent contractors and freelancers, such as Uber drivers, Airbnb hosts, website designers, dog walkers, etc.) are projected to mak...

Affordable Sustainability, Part 2: Going Organic

Here are six ways to shop organic on a budget. It’s not unusual to walk right past the organic foods sections in a grocery store—after all, the cost of groceries is high enough without the added premium. But going organic—whether for health, environmental, or taste reasons—doesn’t mean you have to be a big spender. Here are ways to go organic on...

Payment Apps Are Convenient, But Storing Money There Poses Risks

According to a recent Motley Fool survey , about 75% of Americans trust digital payment apps more than, or as much as, traditional payment methods like cash or cards. The apps’ convenience and wide availability as payment options have made it increasingly easy to perform peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions like splitting a check, requesting funds, o...

Digital Banking Upgrades: Making Your Day-To-Day Even Easier

We’re always looking for ways to improve your digital banking experience, and thanks to member feedback, we have a number of updates that will make it easier to do your banking digitally. Read on for an overview of the latest enhancements. Please note: If you don’t have automatic updates enabled on your mobile device, be sure to update the SELCO...

Financial Wellness Planning: Reviewing and Tweaking

Step 10 of 10 Steps to Financial Wellness The foundation is set for your path toward financial wellness. The key now is to not get complacent. Take each step intentionally, adjust your plan when needed, and stay true to your vision. Here’s a quick overview of what brought us here: Step 1: Tracking your spending Are you regularly tracking your...

Financial Wellness Planning: Start Investing for Retirement

Step 9 of 10 Steps to Financial Wellness You’re now ready to start saving—and growing that savings—for a comfortable retirement. And the longer you allow your savings to grow, the bigger your nest egg will be when it’s time to cash in on your funds. In other words, the earlier you can start saving, the better. For step 9 of your financial wellne...

Financial Wellness Planning: Building and Maintaining an Excellent Credit Score

Step 8 of 10 Steps to Financial Wellness Establishing and maintaining a healthy score is a crucial part of financial wellness. What’s a healthy number? Most lenders consider 670–739 to be an indication of stability and reliability. As such, benefits of such a score include: Better interest rates on credit cards and loans. Improved chances of...