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8 min read
How a Spring Cleaning Yard Sale Can Teach Kids Real-World Money Skills
Spring cleaning usually starts as a “clear out the closets” kind of weekend. But once you stack up toys, books, and sports gear your family no longer uses, you’ve also got something else: a hands-on money lesson. A yard sale turns “stuff we’re done with” into a mini marketplace where kids can see how decisions, effort, and price connect.
8 min read
Wealth Planning for Every Decade of Your Life
Money goals don't stay the same throughout life, and that's why wealth planning works best when it evolves with your income, responsibilities, and timeline. This financial planning by decade guide highlights the priorities that matter most in each stage, without assuming you have the same job, family setup, or budget as anyone else.
8 min read
Inflation Hacks: How Credit Card Rewards Can Help Offset Rising Everyday Costs
Inflation continues to show up in groceries, fuel, and other bills, as the latest report showed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted, “The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in December,” and prices were up 2.7% over the prior year (BLS, 2026). Consumers need practical ways to offset these rising costs, and credit card rewards are one method that can help. This article explains how.
8 min read
Family Focus: Compound Interest and How to Explain it to Teens
Compounding happens when money earns interest, and that interest stays put long enough to earn more interest. If you remember one thing about compound interest for teens, remember this: time can do a lot of the heavy lifting. Start learning about financial literacy for teens now to make saving, managing debt, and achieving future goals easier.
10 min read
Smart Habits for Building Generational Wealth Over Time
Generational wealth doesn’t start on an equal playing field. Some inherit opportunities, while others inherit barriers that can be shaped by discrimination and trauma. No matter where you start, though, wealth-building is still possible by learning from the past and taking steps that help the next generation carry less weight. This article breaks down practical, realistic generational wealth strategies. These tips will work whether you’re starting from scratch or rebuilding after setbacks. As you read, keep one idea in mind: wealth is less about what you earn and more about what you keep, protect, and pass on.
10 min read
The Local Advantage: Why Local Credit Unions Continue to Win in 2026 and Beyond
Banking in 2026 is shaped by 2 expectations: strong digital access and real support. Those expectations aren’t going away anytime soon. That mix is why banking with a local credit union is desirable for everyday consumers.
Top financial course offerings
Money Mapping
Every journey begins with a single step — so start your quest for financial success here. Learn how to pinpoint your financial goals, and then explore budgeting and savings strategies that’ll help you reach your destination. Approx. 30 min.
Diving into Credit
Your credit score can have a sink-or-swim effect on your purchasing power. Take this deep dive into learning how your score is determined and why it’s important, and you’ll emerge with tips on how to use credit responsibly.
Navigating Financial Decisions
You make plans to ensure smooth sailing — but we all encounter financial storms along the way. Learn to adopt good money habits and how to navigate debt repayment so you can chart your course to financial empowerment. Approx. 30 min.
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Rent vs buy calculator: Should I rent or buy a home?
Deciding whether to rent or buy a piece of property is one of the biggest financial decisions anyone can make. Consider several factors when making this decision. Your decision to rent or buy a home may depend on how fast prices and rents increase and how long you stay in your home. In certain circumstances, renting rather than buying may be more advantageous. It’s best to compare the cost of renting to the cost of buying a home by adding up all the required expenses for each option.
You’ll need to factor in the cost of rent, a security deposit and expected rent increases versus all the expenses that go into buying a home, including your monthly mortgage payment, purchase price of the home, property value appreciation, the interest rate you will pay on your loan, your marginal tax rate and the yield you might receive on savings. When looking at these factors, consider each option's present and potential future value. The better financial choice is the one with the lower present value and the best long-term potential.
Use our Rent vs. buy calculator to compare the cost of renting and buying in your area based on various factors. The results will show you how much you will pay over the years to own a piece of property compared to how much you will have to spend over the same period to rent a home or apartment. Enter the following information to see your results:
Debt consolidation calculator
Debt consolidation involves merging several debts into a single debt, often with a lower interest rate and more favorable terms. It is a strategic financial move where an individual merges credit card balances, personal loans or medical bills, into a single debt with a structured repayment plan.
Usually, the new loan has a lower interest rate than the average interest rates of the individual debts being consolidated. If you want to simplify your debt management, use the debt consolidation calculator. It will show you how to reduce the overall cost of getting out of debt.
Loan payment calculator: Estimate your monthly payment with this simple loan calculator
Use this calculator to estimate your rate and monthly loan payment for a car, motorcycle, recreational vehicle or personal loan. You can also use this calculator to contact an Ent Lending Specialist.
Auto loan calculator: Calculate a vehicle payment
Your monthly auto loan payment is based on the net purchase price of the vehicle, the loan term and the interest rate for the loan. The loan amount is based on the net purchase price of the vehicle (plus sales tax) or the vehicle price less any cash rebate, trade-in or down payment. If you have an outstanding balance on the vehicle you trade-in, that amount is added to the price of the vehicle you are purchasing.
Home loan calculator: Mortgage loan calculator for buying a home
The primary factors to consider when determining how much you can afford to spend on a home include your income and monthly debt obligations (car payments, student loans, credit cards, etc.), how much money you have for a down payment and your specific financial goals. Various loan programs are available, offering a range of options for different situations.
Ultimately, the best way to understand what is right for you is to talk to a licensed loan officer who can help you explore and understand what is right for you.
If you are pre-approved for a mortgage loan, use the Ent Mortgage Payment Calculator to estimate your monthly mortgage payment to figure out how much you need to pay every month. Your monthly payment goes towards the principal balance on your mortgage and the interest accrued during the last billing period. Pay your mortgage on time every month to avoid compound interest and late fees. Once you pay off the mortgage in full after a certain number of years, you will own the home outright.
Enter the following information to get started:
HELOC Payment Calculator: Calculate Your Home Equity Line of Credit Payments
Repayment of a home equity line of credit requires that the borrower makes a monthly payment to the lender. For some home equity lines of credit, borrowers can make interest-only payments for a defined period, after which a repayment period begins. Interest-only payments are based on the outstanding loan balance and interest rate. During the repayment period, the payment includes both repayment of the loan principal, plus monthly interest on the outstanding balance. Loan payments for the repayment period are amortized so that the monthly payment remains the same throughout the repayment period, but during that time, the percentage of the amount that goes towards principal will increase as the outstanding mortgage balance decreases.
Mortgage proceeds: Home sale proceeds calculator
One of the most important questions consumers ask themselves is, “How much money will the sale of my home yield?” This is largely dependent on two things: The amount you still owe on the home and what you will have to pay your realtor for selling the home. Life events, such as a job relocation or a change in financial circumstances, can also impact the timing and financial outcome of your home sale. If you have a second mortgage or a home equity loan on the property, you will have to pay that off when you sell the home. When you sell a home, you will also have to pay interest on your outstanding mortgage balance from the date of your last payment until the time of the sale. You are also liable for property taxes up to the day you sell the home. At times, sellers have additional expenses. Local governments will often require that you pay a transfer tax when the home is sold. Incidental closing costs may also nibble at your proceeds.
Financial Health Calculator: How Am I Doing Financially?
The first step towards a better financial quality of life is knowing where you stand. Take this quiz to see your financial health score.