Education Articles

What Does Credit Union Membership Mean?

When credit unions profit, so do you. There are more than 4,500 credit unions in the United States, yet doubt continues to creep into many people's minds about whether their structure and services (including digital tools) can stand up to larger banks. SELCO and other credit unions continue to gather momentum—and set themselves apart from...

Protect Yourself From Financial Burden

Simply put, Payment Protection helps safeguard your loans. If an unexpected life event leaves you at risk of defaulting on a major loan, Payment Protection  could help you and your family when you need it most. If you’re thinking, “That sounds a lot like life insurance,” you’re partially right. But Payment Protection and life insurance are...

10 Financial New Year’s Resolutions

Hard to believe, but the time has come to make—or to start making good on—your annual New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps you’ve already gotten to work on eating healthier, organizing your garage, or learning a new language (congratulazioni!). How about getting your “financial house” in order? If you haven’t developed a definitive plan for the new...

Buying a Home During Winter

Spring and summer are the most popular seasons for house-hunting. But winter has its upsides. But that shouldn’t stop you from looking for your dream home as the temperatures drop. Though icy driveways and snowed-out open houses can be less than thrilling, there might be some surprising benefits to purchasing a home during the coldest time of...

7 Savvy Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

In the late 1960s, Stanford University conducted a now-classic psychology study called the Marshmallow Test. In it, children were offered a choice between eating one marshmallow immediately or two marshmallows if they could wait a few minutes. You can watch kids deal with this agonizing dilemma here . Resisting an immediate reward for a greater...

P2P Payment Systems: What You Need to Know

Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment systems have dramatically changed the way we handle our money. It’s so easy to send money with just a few taps on your phone. But be sure to keep your money safe by following the tips outlined in this article. First popularized by PayPal, the world of P2P payment systems has exploded. In fact, for the first time in the...

Boost Your Credit Score: 4 Myths Debunked

In the area of personal finance, credit scores can seem a lot more mysterious than they actually are. Many people believe that improving them is a matter of trial and error. As a result, there’s a lot of “credit score advice” floating around that can do more harm than good. Below are four common myths about credit scores and the truth about each...

Is Now the Time to Refinance?

The benefits of refinancing locally could make the difference. In mid-2022, the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in an effort to reduce inflation. By October 2023, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to 7.79%, the highest it had been in the 21 st century since topping out at 8.64% in 2000. Those surges put homeowners...

The Ins and Outs of Farm and Ranch Insurance

Farmers and ranchers have unique insurance needs. Their situations call for considerably more protection than, say, a home or vehicle. With that in mind, farm and ranch insurance policies can be tailored to help meet those needs. Think of this type of insurance as a hybrid designed to protect farmers and ranchers personally and commercially....

Stay (Financially) Safe During the Holidays

Despite all of the economic challenges over the past handful of years, holiday shopping season hasn’t suffered. Partially fueled by longer holiday seasons, sales continue to  set records for online and other non-store sales during the final three months of the year. That means a whole lot of payments via credit and debit cards and a host of...