Does Social Media Affect Your Finances?
You’re scrolling through Facebook or Instagram when you spot a photo of a friend sporting a new stylish watch you just have to have. Before you know it, you’re on the retailer’s site, entering your credit card details and awaiting your own fabulous timepiece. Keeping up with Joneses has always had a negative impact on […]
How APR Works & What It Means for Your Loan or Credit Card
Are you planning to get a loan or open a new credit card? You know you typically can’t borrow money for free. APR (annual percentage rate) indicates how much it costs to borrow money over the course of one year. To understand all the potential costs associated with loans and credit cards, you need to […]
Zombies, Vampires… and Stocks? How to Banish Your Investing Fears
It’s thrilling to face what frightens us. That’s why we watch horror movies, tell ghost stories, and decorate our houses with skulls and spiderwebs every October. But when it comes to our finances, most of us would rather feel safe and secure. According to a recent Ally Invest survey: Sixty-five percent of adults say they […]
The Do’s and Don’ts of Staying Safe on Social Media
Social media: where you go to catch up with friends and family, get your news, and watch funny videos of puppies. Oh, and where you can put your personal safety at risk without even realizing it. Posting information on websites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is a great way to stay connected with those near […]
Don’t Get Hooked by a Phishing Scam
Email, texts, and other forms of digital communication are an integral part of your daily life. Cybercriminals know this and are lurking on nearly every platform, counting on you to fall for phishing scams hook, line, and sinker. Phishing is when scammers masquerade as reputable companies or individuals and use phone calls, email, direct message, […]
The Friendly Con: Don’t Be Fooled by Social Engineering
You’ve been chatting with someone on a dating site and things seem to be going well. So well, in fact, that you’re already talking finances. The person asked you to conduct a simple transaction at your bank on their behalf. Wanting to build a trusting relationship – you of course agreed. Things must be serious, […]
The Checklist That Can Help Keep Cybercriminals’ Hands Off Your Money
Never in a million years would you sign a blank check and leave it sitting around on your desk at work or hand over your car keys to a complete stranger asking to borrow your car to run an errand. Likewise, you know not to give anyone your personal bank account information. Unfortunately, today’s tech-savvy […]
Where Americans Are Moving: The Top Real Estate Markets
Are “For Sale” signs popping up (and coming down) all over your neighborhood? Do you see a moving van rumble past your house every few days? No, it’s not your imagination. In many places across the U.S., the real estate market is on fire. Prices have been up an average of about 6.5 percent for […]
Half of Drivers Paid Costly Repair Bills Last Year. Here’s How You Can Avoid the Expense
Say your car has a huge problem on your way to work one day. Smoke is coming out of the tailpipe. The engine overheats. You’re left with no choice but to have it towed to a garage, where a mechanic disassembles a portion of your engine and discovers the problem: a blown head gasket. Sounds […]
Money Confessions From Real-Life Savers—and How to Avoid These Common Setbacks
Despite setting a budget, do you find yourself overspending? Think: last minute getaways, daily acai bowls, that $250 pair of shoes that you really don’t need but… While we’ve all made an impulse purchase or overspent, some of us are more willing to admit it than others. Once you realize where you struggle, though, you […]
