Smart Money Management
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Managing Money Personalities: Four Money Personality Types
Money means different things to different people and can motivate people in unique ways. When thinking about how to manage your personal finances, remember that there is not a perfect, one-size fits all strategy. Adapt plans to your personality so that they are easy to follow through on and rewarding. While money is important, it is a tool meant to make your life better and shouldn’t rule your life. The first step to having a better relationship with money, is to first know yourself. Take this quiz to find out your money personality.

Financial Stress: How-to Deal with Financial Stress and Financial Pressure
We’ve all heard sayings like you can’t buy happiness or money is the root of all evil. While people may have negative feelings around money due to bad experiences in the past, that doesn’t mean that money can’t be a positive part of a person’s future. Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it can help someone achieve their goals in other areas such as providing for their family, having more freedom around lifestyle choices and taking care of their health.

A Parent’s Guide to Raising Money-Smart Kids
As a parent, you might struggle with when and what to teach your children about money management. Is five too early to earn an allowance? Should you share the family budget with your children? When should teens learn about credit? These are all important questions, and it’s often not easy to know the answers. Kids have different levels of interest in financial education. But research tells us that by the age of five most children understand money and what it can do. The information below offers more specific guidelines for different age groups. Again, these are just guidelines. What decisions you make about when and what to teach at home depend on your family situation, household budget and how comfortable you are in the role of teacher.

How to Save Money
Do you work hard every week, only to see your paychecks slip away like sand between your fingers? Saving money can be difficult. The good news is that it’s never too late to start saving and you can take baby steps while you learn how to put money away. As your nest egg grows, you’ll be motivated to find more ways to boost it up and can add even more money saving tricks to your repertoire.
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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.

Compound Interest Calculator
How interest is calculated can have a great impact on the interest earned by your account and how your savings grow. Compound interest arises when interest is added to the principal and when the interest that has also been added earns interest. You will see your account balance grow more quickly with accounts that pay interest more frequently. The "Annual Percentage Yield" or APY is the effective annual rate of return once the effect of compounding interest is factored in.

Save or Pay Off Calculator
Having savings is important, especially when the savings are part of an emergency fund or a hedge against a loss of income. However, when you also have debt, in the form of an outstanding credit card balance or loan, you might want to consider whether you are better off using the money you have in savings to pay down debt. Whether it makes sense or not is determined by the interest rate you are earning on your savings versus the interest rate you are being charged on your outstanding loan balance. The difference between earning interest and paying it should give you a good indication of where you can get the best return.
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Managing your finances during inflation
Inflation can seriously affect your finances. Rising prices can reduce purchasing power, so you might need to stretch your funds farther than you used to. Economic forces like inflation are out of your control, but what you can control is how you manage your finances in times of flux and stress.

Financial new year's resolutions that stick
The start of a new year is traditionally a time for reflection. Many of us think about what we would like to change about our lives during this time of year, which can often mean changing the way we spend and earn money. Many of us make New Year's resolutions but face difficulty keeping up with our goals by the time February rolls around. That’s why it’s important to set attainable goals so you don’t feel like you’re running up a never-ending hill. Use these financial New Year’s resolutions to set yourself up for success in 2023 and beyond.

Tips for Smarter Holiday Spending
The holiday season is right around the corner, and all those added expenses could significantly impact your finances. From gift-giving to lavish homemade meals and traveling to see loved ones, the costs can put a dent in your bank account or force you to take on more debt, but there are ways to enjoy the holidays without spending a fortune. Use these holiday spending tips to get through the season unscathed.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Services
If you buy something online or on your mobile device, you might see the option to “buy now and pay later.” This feature allows you to buy the item right away without paying the full price upfront. These services may help break up larger payments into smaller, more affordable ones, but can also encourage excessive spending. Learn more about buy now pay later services and how they can affect your finances.

Ways to Give Back to Your Community This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is more than getting together with your friends and family for a delicious feast; it’s about giving thanks and being grateful for what you have. Regardless of how or where you plan on celebrating in Colorado, there are many people in our communities that could use a hand this time of year. A little bit of effort goes a long way. Learn how you and your guests can give back to your community on this special day.

Is One Checking Account Enough?
There are so many reasons to have more than one bank account. Most of us use money in different ways, so it may make sense to open additional accounts. The situation can become more complicated if you are married or more than one person uses your account. Use this guide to help you open the right number of bank accounts.
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Financial Principles: Four Important Money Principles of Financing and Money Management
If you could only learn four things about money, what would they be? Read this article to learn about four essential money principles that can help you take control of your finances.

Tips for Smarter Holiday Spending
The holiday season is right around the corner, and all those added expenses could significantly impact your finances. From gift-giving to lavish homemade meals and traveling to see loved ones, the costs can put a dent in your bank account or force you to take on more debt, but there are ways to enjoy the holidays without spending a fortune. Use these holiday spending tips to get through the season unscathed.

What Is Zero-Based Budgeting?
If you’re looking to save money, you may be interested in what’s known as the zero-based budget (ZBB), or zero-sum budget. This means allocating all of your monthly income to various expenses, including basic needs like food and rent, as well as savings and paying off existing debt. Allocating 100% of your monthly income doesn’t mean spending all your money every month, nor does it mean you have to put it all in savings either. It just means you have a plan for every cent you make. Learn more about this method of budgeting and how it can help you improve your finances.

Compound Interest: Learn How to Calculate Compound Interest
It’s no secret that compound interest can be a huge asset when it comes to your finances. But it can also be a recipe for disaster if you’re having trouble making monthly payments on your mortgage, student loans, or credit card bills.

Managing Your Finances During Inflation
Inflation can have a serious effect on your finances. When prices start to rise, consumers lose their purchasing power, which means your money won’t go as far as it used to. You may not be able to control inflation, but you can change the way you manage your finances during these uncertain times. Learn more about the effects of inflation and the impact it can have on your savings and income.

Managing your finances during inflation
Inflation can seriously affect your finances. Rising prices can reduce purchasing power, so you might need to stretch your funds farther than you used to. Economic forces like inflation are out of your control, but what you can control is how you manage your finances in times of flux and stress.

How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck: 7 Ways to Break the Cycle
Living paycheck to paycheck isn’t easy. It means using up all your paycheck until the next one arrives. This leaves little to no room for surprise expenses, such as accidents, medical emergencies and other surprise fees that can put your bank account in the red. It also makes it harder to save for long-term goals, such as retirement, buying your first house or paying off your credit card or student loan debt. Use these personal finance tips to break out of the cycle so you can start saving more money each month.

Money Tips to Save More and Spend Less in the New Year
Around this time every year, countless people spend time pondering and planning goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. Whether your new year’s resolutions are big or small, improving your personal finances can probably help you reach them. A foundational piece to improving your finances is learning how to save more and spend less. Read this article to learn about some of our Community Education Team’s favorite money tips to try in the new year.

Great Resignation: Money Tips When Transitioning Your Job
With a record number of job openings all over the country, it’s a great time to look for a new job. But transitioning careers can leave you without income for several months or more, depending on how long you are out of work. If you are thinking of changing jobs, learn how to manage your finances during this period of transition.

Introduction to Charitable Giving
Philanthropy and charitable giving, once thought to be reserved for the wealthy and the elite, has become a common theme across much of today’s society. Charitable organizations fill a vital niche in our communities. They serve the public and support initiatives that may not be covered by the public or private sector and help create thriving societies and economies. Charitable giving can be both personally and financially rewarding, which is why it’s important to know what your options are so your gift has the biggest impact.

Budgeting Plan: How to Stay on Track and Make Adjustments
Americans are more in debt than ever. The pandemic may be to blame for part of the increase, but studies have also shown that Americans are less financially literate than they used to be. If you’re struggling with debt, or you just want to live within your means, the first step is to create a budget.

Financial new year's resolutions that stick
The start of a new year is traditionally a time for reflection. Many of us think about what we would like to change about our lives during this time of year, which can often mean changing the way we spend and earn money. Many of us make New Year's resolutions but face difficulty keeping up with our goals by the time February rolls around. That’s why it’s important to set attainable goals so you don’t feel like you’re running up a never-ending hill. Use these financial New Year’s resolutions to set yourself up for success in 2023 and beyond.
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