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This That & Chit Chat

November 30, 2023

Common Scam Prevention Tips

EmailsStart by checking the sender’s email address; legitimate organizations use official domain names, so be cautious if it appears unusual or contains misspellings. Pay attention to the email’s tone and grammar; scammers often use urgency, fear, or overly formal language to exploit recipients. Be careful with unexpected attachments as they may contain malware. Never send personal or financial information in an email and keep your anti-virus software and operating system up to date.

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November 28, 2023

Red Flags of Holiday Scams

As the holiday season approaches, it’s a time of joy, celebration, and unfortunately, an uptick in various scams aiming to take advantage of your festive spirit. Kohler Credit Union is committed to ensuring you remain safe and secure by sharing valuable insights on how to safeguard yourself from scams.

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September 8, 2023
by: Jean Chatzky @ SavvyMoney

6 Tips For Teaching Your Kids to Save

 

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September 4, 2023
by: ChatGPT

Budgeting Blitz - Tackling Financial Goals One Minute at a Time

A Guide to Saving Money Effectively: Budgeting is a powerful tool that empowers you to take control of your finances and save money. When done right, budgeting can help you allocate your income wisely, minimize unnecessary expenses, and work towards achieving your financial goals. Here's a step-by-step guide to budgeting properly and maximizing your savings:

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August 11, 2023
by: Banzai

When You Can't Afford Your Minimum Payments

It’s scary to find yourself in a situation where you can’t afford your monthly debt payments. Whether that’s due to a sudden life change, like a job loss or illness, or if you’ve simply found yourself unable to keep up, there are steps you can take.

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July 28, 2023
by: Banzai

Portfolio Building

As logical as it might seem to look for the perfect stock, bond, or mutual fund and make it your investment of choice, that’s not the best approach to meeting your financial goals. No single investment, or type of investments, provides a strong return year in and year out.

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July 20, 2023
by: Banzai

To Buy or Not to Buy?

They say there’s no place like home, but does that mean you have to purchase one to get the benefits? Just like everything else, buying a home has its pros and cons.

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July 7, 2023
by: banzai

8 Internet Safety Rules for Kids

Cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and internet scams are on the rise—how can we help kids navigate the internet safely?

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June 29, 2023
by: Banzai

What a Car Loan Costs

When shopping for a car, it's usually best to start by shopping for a car loan.

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June 22, 2023
by: Banzai

Reasons to Refinance

Refinancing can be beneficial if everything lines up in your favor. What can you get out of it? The list is long and exciting for someone stuck with loan payments that they aren’t happy with.

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June 15, 2023
by: Banzai

Transitioning to Retirement

Transitioning to retirement takes planning and preparation. But if you're wise, you can set yourself up for success.

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June 8, 2023
by: Banzai

Talking to Your Partner About Money

When it comes to talking with a spouse or partner about money, many people shy away. It can be scary—but it doesn’t have to be. Positive and frequent communication is key.

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June 5, 2023
by: Banzai

Making and Spending Money

Making and spending money is a critical part of financial responsibility.

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May 25, 2023
by: banzai

Selling Your Home

Whether you need some more space, are ready to downsize into something a bit more manageable, or are relocating to a new place, you should prepare for the emotional and financial impacts of selling your home.

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April 24, 2023
by: banzai

Insuring Your Home

Home Insurance is absolutely essential to protect what is likely your largest investment: your home.

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April 17, 2023
by: banzai

Learning to Budget

A budget is a plan for how you’ll spend your money. To create one, you divide your income (the money you get) into your expenses (the things you buy).

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April 10, 2023
by: banzai

Working with a Mortgage Lender

Applying for a mortgage is a big endeavor. Most lenders require you to complete a mortgage application—a comprehensive financial statement.

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March 20, 2023
by: banzai

Is the Money in My Account Safe?

Your financial institution is one of the safest places to store your hard-earned cash. The best part? All you have to do is open an account.

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March 10, 2023
by: Banzai

4 Tips for Using Peer-to-Peer Payment Apps

Whether you’re splitting the bill at a restaurant with friends, paying back your parents, or buying snacks at a sports event, it’s hard to beat the convenience of peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, Google Pay, Cash App, and PayPal.

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March 2, 2023
by: banzai

50 Internet Safety Tips for 2023

Cybersecurity risks have grown just as rapidly as technology has and online scam artists are always finding new ways to lower a system’s defenses.

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February 28, 2023
by: banzai

3 Jar Allowance for Kids

The sooner you teach your children the basics about budgeting, the better, and the 3-jar money system is a great way to get started.

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February 9, 2023
by: banzai

Completing a Return

Filing a tax return is a matter of following the line-by-line instructions that come with your tax form. Each form has its own set of instructions and includes a number of charts and worksheets to help you figure out if you're eligible for credits, deductions, and exemptions.

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February 3, 2023
by: banzai

Scams Targeting Seniors

Scammers target seniors more aggressively than any other group. Recognizing the most common scams helps prevent your money and personal information from getting stolen.

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January 23, 2023
by: banzai

Paying Taxes

Many major life changes, such as buying a new home, changing jobs, getting promoted, starting a business, having a child, and more, will have tax implications. But that doesn't always mean you'll owe more to the federal government.

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January 19, 2023
by: banzai

Tax Brackets and Statuses

How much you owe in federal income taxes is determined by many factors, but your tax bracket and status will likely have the biggest impact.

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January 11, 2023
by: banzai

Meet Your 401(k)

Even if you’re just starting your first real job—actually, especially if you’re just starting your first real job—it’s time to start thinking about retirement. That’s not a comment on how motivated or unmotivated you are, or a suggestion that you should wish your life away. It’s just reality.

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January 6, 2023
by: banzai

Tracking Your Joint Expenses

It’s hard enough keeping track of your own expenses. So you shouldn’t be surprised that managing money as a team effort can test your patience, especially if your partner has a different method of keeping financial records—or worse, no method at all.

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December 21, 2022
by: banzai

Picking the Right Credit Card for You

Finding the right credit card isn’t as easy as filling out the first application you get in the mail—or at least it shouldn’t be. To use credit to your maximum advantage, it’s best to shop around before picking the right card for your needs.

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December 21, 2022
by: banzai

How To Manage Your Debt: Strategies & Tools

Even if you're financially responsible, life's unpredictable nature can sometimes catch you off guard, at times making it dangerously easy to fall into debt. Discover how to start managing your debt with these tips and tools.

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December 15, 2022
by: banzai

Mobile Banking

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Mobile banking provides a convenient, safe way to access your funds when you're unable to visit a branch.

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December 9, 2022
by: banzai

A Practical Guide to Bitcoin

Over the past decade, cryptocurrency has grown in popularity, yet it’s still “cryptic” to many. As the foundational and most popular cryptocurrency, understanding the basics of Bitcoin can help you unravel the riddle of crypto.

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December 2, 2022
by: Banzai

Renting Rulebook

If you want the best renting experience possible, there are a few rules you should follow.

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November 28, 2022
by: Banzai

Trusts

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A trust, similar to a will, is a way to designate what happens to a person’s belongings after they pass away.

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November 18, 2022
by: banzai

14 Ways to Cut Household Expenses

Changes to the economy, your situation, or your goals may prompt you to take a look at your budget for opportunities to save. But where do you start? These lists will help you make changes, both big and small, to your budget.

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November 11, 2022
by: Banzai

Leaving a Job with a 401(K)

When you leave a job with a 401(k), you’ll generally have four options for what to do with the money. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, so deciding what’s right for you will depend on your situation and preferences.

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October 27, 2022
by: IAMT

The Upside of Frugality

Frugal living discussions often talk about pinching pennies or “stretching a dollar.” A penny saved is a penny earned, or so the saying goes, but is that actually the case?

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October 21, 2022
by: Banzai

Certificate of Deposit

If you're willing to wait, a CD can be a great way to earn a high interest rate on the money you deposit.

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October 17, 2022
by: banzai

Savings Accounts

If you're building an emergency fund, saving for a big purchase, or getting money together to invest, using an insured savings account can put you on the right road.

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October 7, 2022
by: IAMT

Use Psychology to Build a Budget You’ll Stick With

When you start looking for financial advice (or any kind of advice, for that matter), experts will share their take on what’s “good” and what’s “bad.” In personal finance, there are some classifications that we can all agree on: Debt is bad. Emergency funds are good. Overdrawing your account is bad. Earning interest on your savings is good.

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September 30, 2022
by: Banzai

What a Car Loan Costs

When shopping for a car, it's usually best to start by shopping for a car loan.

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September 26, 2022
by: banzai

Opening Your First Account

Opening an account at a bank or credit union is the first step toward owning your personal finances. Best of all? It’s super easy.

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September 16, 2022
by: banzai

7 Internet Safety Rules

Follow these 7 internet safety rules to help keep yourself and others safe online.

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September 9, 2022
by: IAMT

How to Overcome ‘Credit Card Shyness’

News outlets and credit card companies are quick to label millennials as being credit card-shy. According to a recent survey, millennials apparently fear their credit card debt more than climate change, the threat of war and even death. It may sound like an overreaction, but the underlying trend is substantial: millennials are carrying fewer cards and have lower balances, compared to the previous generation of young adults. 

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September 2, 2022
by: banzai

Improve Your Cybersecurity

It’s likely you use a phone, computer, or some other device every day (you’re even using one right now!). But just because you use it often doesn’t mean you can let your guard down.

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August 26, 2022
by: Banzai

Getting a Car

When looking for a new car, you have three main options: buy used, buy new, or lease.

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August 11, 2022

Check It Out

Still stashing money under beds, in ceiling tiles, or under floorboards? You may even use a safe to protect your cash. Yes, these are fun, creative ways to secure money, but they aren't great for all your income. Instead, it’s time to take safe-guarding your money a little more seriously. Checking accounts—they’re serious—and safe.

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August 3, 2022
by: IAMT

College Budget Breakdown

Most people ask, "How much does college cost?"—that’s the first mistake. It’s not to say this question isn’t answerable, but grouping college into one huge expense can be a little deceiving.

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August 1, 2022
by: IAMT

Auto Insurance

Auto insurance is not only often a legal requirement, it's also absolutely vital to your financial health.

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July 19, 2022
by: IAMT

What is a HELOC?

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a line of credit that allows you to tap into your home’s equity.

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July 8, 2022
by: IAMT

When’s the best time to write a business plan?

Writing a business plan is an essential part of building a successful business. At its core, a business plan is a road map for your project: it establishes your purpose, it sets goals and expectations, and it forecasts the relationship between cost and revenue. Business plans exist in many forms: some formal and some informal.

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