Author Archives: Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

4 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Return

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Tax form with paper money, silver pen, calculator on white background

Here are some smart ways to spend your money once you get that tax return this year.

Pay down credit card debt. This may be the smartest choice when deciding what to do with your refund. Decreasing your debt helps alleviate the interest you’re paying, which will be a huge weight off your wallet and credit score. Debt can feel like a mountain, so take the opportunity to dig yourself out from under it.

Put it into retirement. Your retirement account (401k, Roth IRA) can sometimes be neglected if you’re not steadily adding funds, so use your refund as a chance to jump start your contributions for 2017. It may not seem super important now, but you’ll be retirement age before you know it.

Questions about retirement savings or investments? To set up a complimentary consultation with the Investment & Retirement Center located at First Financial Federal Credit Union to discuss your savings goals, contact us at 732.312.1500, or stop in to see us!*

Build that emergency fund. Even if you’re doing a good job of saving for retirement, that may be all you’re saving. If this is you, use your tax return to create an emergency fund in case things go south. It’s never a bad idea to be prepared!

Invest in yourself. This could have a lot of different meanings. Exercise is good for your body and taking a trip can be a good way to unwind and refresh your mind. If these sound like good ideas, join a gym or book a flight. Have a favorite charity? Give some of that money away. Helping others can be good for the soul too.

*Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. First Financial Federal Credit Union (FFFCU) and First Financial Investment & Retirement Center are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using First Financial Investment & Retirement Center, and may also be employees of FFFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of FFFCU or First Financial Investment & Retirement Center.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

6 Ways to Tweak Your Budget This Year

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Pencil on the statement of payroll details

Just because February is here doesn’t mean you should already be neglecting to improve your finances. In fact, no matter your resolutions (or if you’ve already abandoned them), it’s always a good idea to work on your finances.

If you’re looking for ways to tweak your budget to better effect this year, then here are some strategies you can follow to spend less and save more:

1. Factor in Infrequent Expenses

One of the biggest pitfalls of budgeting is forgetting about infrequent expenses. Some expenses may only be paid quarterly, or perhaps even once a year. It’s easy to forget to include them in the budget, especially if you create your budget during a month when you’re not making the payment. The fix is easy though.

As you tweak your budget this year, spend the extra bit of time to look ahead for infrequent expenses and include them. Break them down into monthly costs so that they are accounted for. Also ensure that the money is already there when they are withdrawn from your account.

2. Don’t Count on Irregular Income

Many of us like to look ahead and estimate our income. Unfortunately, we often over-estimate what is coming in. We rely on our estimates too heavily whether it’s a bonus at work, a tax refund or some other windfall. Instead of factoring future income into your budget, consider pretending it doesn’t exist. That way, when you do get a windfall, you can bank that instead of spending it. This way, you don’t end up in trouble if the extra money doesn’t appear like you thought it would.

3. Boost Your Savings

You can also use more no matter how much you’re setting aside, so look for ways to boost your savings. Even an extra $15 a week can help in the long run. Consider changing how much is taken from your paycheck and contribute it to your retirement account. You can also put more in your emergency fund. Just make a small tweak to the amount to make a difference down the road.

4. Check into Your Subscriptions

When was the last time you reviewed your subscriptions? Look at where your money is going on a monthly basis. If you aren’t using subscriptions, change things up so you aren’t spending on what you no longer use.

5. Review Your Insurance

Every six months or before renewal, do a quick comparison of your insurance policies. Could you be saving more elsewhere? If it looks like you can get a better quote someplace else, let your insurer know and ask for a match. If you haven’t changed your insurance for a few years, you might be surprised at what’s available and how much a quick search can save you.

6. Sign Up for Cash Back Sites

If you aren’t using a cash back site, now’s a good time to do so. Sign up for Ebates and Swagbucks to get some of your purchase-price back. Between these sites, plus use of a rewards or cash back credit card to pay, you could end up with serious savings overall. Yes, you want to spend less, but you also want to get a little back for the spending you do.

First Financial’s Visa Credit Cards come fully loaded with higher credit lines, lower APRs, no annual fees, a 10-day grace period+, rewards, and so much more!* Click here to learn about our cards and apply online today.

*APR varies up to 18% for purchases, when you open your account based on your credit worthiness. The APR is 18% APR for balance transfers and cash advances. APRs will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Subject to credit approval. Rates quoted assume excellent borrower credit history. Your actual APR may vary based on your state of residence, approved loan amount, applicable discounts and your credit history. No Annual Fee. Other fees that apply: Cash advance fee of $10 or 3% of the total cash advance amount—whichever is greater (no maximum), Balance transfer fee of $10 or 3% of the balance—whichever is greater (no maximum), Late Payment Fee of $29, $10 Card Replacement Fee, and Returned Payment Fee of $29. A First Financial membership is required to obtain a Visa® Credit Card and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties.

+No late fee will be charged if payment is received within 10 days from the payment due date.

Article Source: Miranda Marquit for MoneyNing.com

6 Things to Do if Your Identity is Stolen

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Smartphone in hand, concept of data protection, blue

The best line of defense against identity theft is prevention, but when that fails you need to handle the situation correctly and swiftly. If you notice any mysterious purchases or your bank contacts you about confirming charges, your account may be compromised. If you believe that someone has stolen your identity, minimize the damage by following these steps.

1. Identify and close the account in question

The most common (and sometimes the only) way to discover compromised accounts is noticing fraudulent charges after they’ve posted. When you become aware of the situation, contact your financial institution as soon as possible, dispute the charges, and ask to either lock or close your account.

2. Look for other unauthorized charges

Next, you need to pull up your other accounts and scan old statements for additional charges you don’t recognize. If you find any questionable charges, call your financial institution and alert them of the problem. You may have to put a lock on a number of your accounts if your identity has in fact been stolen.

3. Review your credit report

When assessing whether you’re a victim of credit card fraud or identity theft, your last stop should be your credit report. By law, you’re entitled to at least one free credit report from each credit reporting agency every year. Request your reports and look for any account that you don’t recognize.

4. File a report with the FTC

After you have a pretty good handle on the extent of your problem, you need to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission. You only need to do this if you think that your identity has been stolen. The FTC doesn’t handle credit card fraud, so if only one account was touched you probably aren’t a victim of identity theft and don’t need to submit a report.

5. Set up a fraud alert

A fraud alert puts a red flag on your credit report and notifies both lenders and creditors that they should take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit. All you have to do is call one of the three credit reporting agencies to place a 90-day alert on your reports. Don’t worry about any potential stigma that could come with this, it is a rather common practice nowadays.

6. Open new accounts and move forward

Most financial institutions advise opening up new accounts following identity theft, even those that might not have been compromised. After all is done, make sure that you implement preventative measures going forward. There are plenty of ways to make yourself a less likely target and they all take less work than recovering from being a victim.

Article Source: Tyler Atwell for CUInsight.com

 

5 Reasons You Should File Your Taxes Early

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Printed copy of Form 1040 for income tax return with reminder for April 18 deadline

You’ll get your money as soon as possible.

This one may seem obvious. The sooner your file for a refund, the sooner you’ll get it back. The closer you wait until Tax Day, the busier the IRS is, and the longer it’s going to take to get your money back.

You can prevent your return from being stolen.

Criminals would love to have your tax return, so filing quickly will give them less opportunity to commit fraud and steal your money.

You’ll be less stressed.

If you find out your taxes are going to be more difficult than past years, you may find yourself scrounging around for paperwork and the process may take a lot longer than you planned. By filing early, this date shouldn’t be a source of stress for you.

You’ll have more time if you have to pay.

Hopefully you’re looking at a refund this year, but if not, you’ll have to be paid in full by tax due date. If this is the case, you’ll give yourself more time to pay by filing early. Think about that if you know you owe money this year.

Tax pros are less busy.

Not only is the IRS less busy at the beginning of the year, but tax professionals are as well. Keep this in mind if you’re not filing on your own. For those of you who file online, this won’t be a big deal, but if you need a pro to help sort you out, you’ll be glad you made an early appointment.

First Financial members get discounts on TurboTax products – get started today!

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

5 Ways Technology Can Save You Money

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Overhead view marble counter top with male hand holding cup of coffee with computer keyboard, cell phone, reading glasses, and bagel on plate. Work at home concept.

In this world of instant gratification, technological advancements sure can make life easier. If you use technology correctly, it can also save you a lot of money. Here are some ways technology can save you more than a few bucks.

Smartphone apps

There are a ton of apps available that can save you money. There are apps that will help you monitor your budget, find travel discounts, find the cheapest gas prices, as well as loyalty apps that will help you earn rewards for what you spend. Do a search for these topics in your phone’s app store and start saving!

Doing everything online

All the best deals are online. If you spend time in line at the store buying birthday presents, you’re wasting time, and time is money, so you’re also wasting money. Shop online. If you’re driving to your bank to deposit a check, you’re wasting gas and gas costs money, so you’re again wasting money. Deposit that check with your mobile banking app. If you’re mailing in a check to pay a bill, you’re spending money on checks and postage and that’s also wasting money. Pay that bill online!

Get rid of that landline

We all remember that phone on the wall in the kitchen that had the super long cord that would allow you to talk and walk to the other side of the house. These days, landlines aren’t as popular. Some people like the security and reliability they provide, but they are probably few and far between. But if you’re looking to save a few bucks on something you’re probably not using as much as your cell phone, it may be time to disconnect.

Get a smart thermostat

Some of the more advanced thermostats know when the house is empty and will adjust your heating or AC accordingly. Thanks to GPS, they also can see when you’re heading home and re-adjust the temperature for your arrival. This may sound a little creepy, but it’s also super cool and cost effective.

Cut those cable cords

If you’re still paying for cable or satellite tv, you may as well go outside and light your wallet on fire. With all of the available streaming options out there these days, you can almost get the exact same channels for half the price.

 

The 4 Fastest Ways to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

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There are many reasons why most of us decide to sign up for a credit card. Whether it’s to help boost your credit score or as a means of purchasing a more expensive item that you plan to pay off in increments, credit cards can be a smart option for your finances. Unfortunately, they can also be very detrimental to your budget if not used wisely or paid off in a timely manner. If you’re feeling stressed about your card balances – keep your head up and remember you can work your way out of debt! Here are four fast tips for effectively paying off your credit cards.

Cut them up.

This may sound like an obvious solution, but it is an enormously effective one. Stop the behavior that has gotten you in trouble in the first place and put an end to making charges once and for all. Moving forward, plan to only make purchases you can pay for right away and begin the process of working your way out of the debt you’ve created.

Pinpoint the problem.

What is it that you’ve had to use your cards to purchase? Clarity is key when it comes to your personal finances. Are you living out of your means and making high end purchases that you simply cannot afford? Are you making poor financial choices like eating out too much that you can easily rectify? Sit down, look at your credit card statements, and alter your lifestyle accordingly.

Compare interest rates.

If you owe on multiple cards, go back and review each one’s interest rates. Many people automatically assume that the card with the highest balance is the one to work on first, but this is a mistake. The high interest rates are what will get you in the end, so concentrating on those cards will have a greater impact on your finances.

First Financial’s Visa Credit Cards come fully loaded with higher credit lines, lower APRs, no annual fees, a 10-day grace period+, rewards, and so much more!* Click here to learn about our cards and apply online today.

Get a side job.

Sometimes, if your debt is going to take a significant amount of time to control, it’s best to look into other sources of income. There are often easy ways to make money on the side to get a few extra dollars in your pocket.

*APR varies up to 18% for purchases, when you open your account based on your credit worthiness. The APR is 18% APR for balance transfers and cash advances. APRs will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Subject to credit approval. Rates quoted assume excellent borrower credit history. Your actual APR may vary based on your state of residence, approved loan amount, applicable discounts and your credit history. No Annual Fee. Other fees that apply: Cash advance fee of $10 or 3% of the total cash advance amount—whichever is greater (no maximum), Balance transfer fee of $10 or 3% of the balance—whichever is greater (no maximum), Late Payment Fee of $29, $10 Card Replacement Fee, and Returned Payment Fee of $29. A First Financial membership is required to obtain a Visa® Credit Card and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties.

+No late fee will be charged if payment is received within 10 days from the payment due date.

Article Source: Wendy Bignon for CUInsight.com