Blog

Level-up your financial literacy by taking advantage of our free blog! Enjoy topics ranging from money lifestyle tips to fun local activities for the whole family. 
Click here to join the email list.
a couple looking interested in refinancing

Big Purchases: When to Save & When to Borrow

By: American Heritage 07.23.20 3 minute read Auto Savings & Budgeting

When you’re looking at a big-ticket purchase, one question always comes up: Should you pay with your savings or finance it? Or, if it’s a new home or car, how much of the purchase price should you pay up front, and how much should you borrow? There is no simple answer. On the one hand, paying in cash can keep you out of debt. On the other hand, large cash purchases could wipe out much of your savings, while borrowing can help ensure you have more savings available for emergencies. There are many factors to consider. Ask yourself these eight questions to figure out whether you should pay cash or use financing for your next big purchase.

READ THE ARTICLE
5 ways to help a friend

5 Ways to Help a Friend Going Through Financial Hardship

By: American Heritage 07.09.20 3 minute read Savings & Budgeting

A good friend is always there to help, in good times and bad. But if a close friend of yours is struggling with financial problems such as a job loss, overwhelming debt, or major expenses like medical bills, it can be hard to know how to help. Often, giving or lending money is not the best solution. While there may be situations when providing a small amount of cash is harmless, this isn’t always the case. A friendship can quickly get complicated once money is involved, especially if this leads to resentment over an unpaid debt or if this gets in the way of your own financial needs. Fortunately, there are plenty of other ways you can help. In honor of the International Day of Friendship, which is July 30, we’ll show you how to help a friend who’s struggling financially without having to spend your own money.

READ THE ARTICLE
How to charitably give

How-To: Charitable Giving

By: American Heritage 06.22.20 3 minute read Holiday Culture

It's never a bad time to get involved with a charitable cause. However, it’s also a good idea to think before you donate. While giving to global charities and community charities is a wonderful thing, it’s also a good idea to make sure that you’re giving in a way that provides maximum value for your giving dollar and allows you to take advantage of the tax value of donations.

READ THE ARTICLE
Things to do in summer of 2020

Things to Do in Summer 2020

By: Holly Love 06.18.20 3 minute read Culture Coronavirus Pandemic

So, this summer isn’t going exactly the way you could have expected. Maybe your plans have changed, trips and events have been canceled, and now the point of the season seems lost. Still, there are ways to spend the warmer months making memories and having fun, even if things feel a little unconventional! Here are 5 ideas for how to stay busy this summer:

READ THE ARTICLE
A Financial checklist for newlyweds

A Financial Checklist for Newlyweds

By: American Heritage 06.12.20 3 minute read Savings & Budgeting

Getting ready to tie the knot? The opportunity to take on life as a team is exciting, but having your lives so closely intertwined also means big changes for your lifestyle. Especially when it comes to managing your finances. Unfortunately, money can be a tricky topic for couples. In fact, it’s the number one thing married couples fight about. But this doesn’t have to be the case. As you begin this next step in your relationship, one of the best moves you can make for your marriage is to sit down and talk about money. Then start taking the steps in this financial checklist for couples. Your relationship – and finances – will be all the better for it.

READ THE ARTICLE
A mature couple sits on a couch together

6 Ways to Make the Most of Your Retirement

By: American Heritage 06.04.20 5 minute read Investing & Retirement

You want to enjoy your retirement. You’ve earned it! So, the last thing you want to do is worry about your finances. If you’re recently retired or soon will be, you want to make sure your money will last, especially during these uncertain times. Here are six keys to saving money and simplifying your finances in retirement.

READ THE ARTICLE
Helping during the Coronavirus

Looking for Ways to Help During COVID-19?

By: American Heritage 05.28.20 3 minute read Culture Coronavirus Pandemic

It’s easy to feel frustrated and disconnected by the new challenges and safety guidelines surrounding COVID-19. For many of us, that makes us want to find ways to help and support our community. While there may be temporary limitations to our ability to get out of the house and do all the things we used to do, there are still plenty of ways that we can help our neighbors and community. Here are eight ideas to get you started.

READ THE ARTICLE
Woman setting up her budget

Digitize Your Budget with These Online Tools

By: Holly Love 05.21.20 2 minute read Savings & Budgeting

Notebooks, graph paper, and saved receipts have played their part, but now digital budgeting tools have taken center stage. With the ability to track and sort your purchases in real time or pay bills automatically on your behalf, these handy tools are a necessity for getting your budget back on track. You can't argue that there's nothing more frustrating than trying to find a missing receipt or important document. Overwhelmed by your options or don’t know what’s out there? We’ve compiled a list of some popular recommendations – including a few tools of our own!

READ THE ARTICLE
Growing Your Savings Accounts

4 Ways to Keep Your Savings Protected & Growing

By: American Heritage 05.14.20 3 minute read Savings & Budgeting

You’ve worked hard to build up your savings. So you want to make sure they’re protected—and steadily growing—during today’s economic uncertainty. But right now, it may seem harder to grow your savings, especially when you want to avoid the risks that come with a volatile stock market.

READ THE ARTICLE
29 30 31 32 33

Want to stay up-to-date with more financial articles? Join our email list and receive the latest blog articles in your inbox.

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FAVORITE TOPICS