Making Money Personal

What Every Student Should Know About Student Loans - Money Tip Tuesday

Are you thinking about going to college and not exactly sure how you are going to pay? In this tip we talk about student loans and the many options you have available to finance your college costs.
Check out this Nerdwallet Article for more information about student loans 
Check out studentaid.gov for more information about college funding options
Listen to our other Money Tip Tuesday about Using a Home Equity Line of Credit to Cover College Costs
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal. 
Student loans are loans designed to assist students in paying for college or university. This means that student loans can only be used for academic related expenses, such as tuition, textbooks, and housing. 
The first thing you need to know about student loans is that there are two different kinds: federal and private. Federal loans are preferable over private loans for students for a variety of reasons. For instance, federal loans have income-based repayment plans, forgiveness, and don’t require credit history. This may not always be the case with private loans. It’s also important to consider what type of federal loans are being offered. Subsidized loans don’t acquire interest while in school, while unsubsidized loans do. Federal loans usually offer lower interest rates than private loans.  
However, there is a cap on the amount of money you can borrow in a year, which depends on what year of school you are in and whether you are a dependent or an independent student. For purposes of student loans, a dependent student means you are under 24 years old, not married, don’t have any dependents yourself, not currently serving in active duty or a veteran and you have a parent or guardian. If you have dependent student status, you have to report your information and your parents' information on the FAFSA. Independent students only have to report their own information and their spouse’s info, if married. 
With the exception of subsidized federal loans, you will be acquiring interest on the money you borrow while you’re in school.  This interest is added to the amount of money you have to pay back for the federal or private loans. Also, unless you get a fixed rate, the percentage of interest could go up or down on your loan. 
Another thing to keep in mind about student loans is that you should only borrow what you need and what you can eventually repay. The amount you borrow should keep your payments at 10% percent of your projected monthly income, after taxes. 
Once you leave college, there is a six-month grace period before you need to pay your first bill. You can also refinance your student loans, which will save you money by replacing the previous loan with a newer low-cost loan through a private lender. This may reduce your monthly payment. To qualify to refinance your student loans, you will need a credit score at least in the 600 range (or higher) and a steady income. If you don’t have either of these, you may need someone who does qualify to co-sign with you. 
You can learn more about federal loans at studentaid.gov. Nerdwallet.com has plenty of resources to see which private loan is best for you. 
If there are any other tips or topics you’d like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org and don't forget to like and follow our Making Money Personal FB page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on Instagram and LinkedIn to share your thoughts.  
Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  
Have a great day! 

How Do I Get Pre-Approved for My New Home? - Money Tip Tuesday

The thought of buying your first home is exciting and overwhelming. Where do you start? In this tip we start at the beginning of the home buying process and walk you through how to get pre-approved for your new home purchase.
View current mortgage rates
Start your pre-approval with Triangle 
Contact a Mortgage Originator
Watch our First Time Homebuyer Webinar on YouTube
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. 
With real estate apps today, it’s easy for prospective homebuyers to search for new homes, but that’s not really where you want to start the homebuying process. The first step is to find how much home you can afford and the best way to do that is to work with a mortgage originator at your local credit union to pre-qualify you for your home purchase. 
In this critical step, you will apply for a new home purchase and based on your income, debt, and current credit score, you will receive an estimated amount that you are qualified for to borrow for a mortgage.  
The process is quite easy—you simply apply online. You will be guided through the application process with a series of questions. You will need this information on hand to answer some questions, so it’s best to have it before you start the application. Here are the items you’ll need:  
Current paystub reflecting year-to-date earnings 
Two month’s bank statements (all pages) from other banks you bank with 
W-2 Form from the most recent year & prior year 
Verification of other income sources (mutual funds, Social Security, pension, alimony, child support) 
Most recent statement of Retirement, 401K, IRA’s accounts 
If Self employed  - 2 years tax returns and a year to date Profit and Loss statement 
 
Once you enter your information, the mortgage department will assess your request and determine how much home you can afford. At this point, you will receive an email that you have been pre-approved and the amount you are pre-qualified to borrow for your new home purchase. This email can be shared with your realtor so he/she directs you into the right home for you, and one that you can afford. 
As soon as your pre-qualified or pre-approved for the mortgage amount, you can begin your new home search using the amount as a guide. Please keep in mind, there are other factors to consider when estimating your home costs. For example, how much are the monthly taxes and homeowner insurance on the property and do these additional costs fit within your monthly budget? 
Another unexpected expense for many new homeowners is closing costs. Closing costs are the fees and charges in excess of the purchase price of the property due at the closing of the real estate transaction. Closing costs vary and can be fairly expensive. Typically, new buyers can expect to pay between 3-6% of the purchase price in closing costs so be prepared for this additional expense and budget accordingly. 
When you receive your pre-approval amount from your financial institution, that offer is good for 60 days, but you can request an extension if you feel your house hunt will extend beyond that time period. If your search goes beyond the 60 days, and you haven’t requested and received an extension, you will have to reapply. 
Visit trianglecu.org, select Mortgages at the top of the website to start your pre-approval today. The whole application process should take about 30 minutes to complete, which is a short amount of time for a journey that can last a lifetime! 
If you found this episode helpful, be sure to listen to our other upcoming episodes in this Homebuyer Series: Finance Options for Your New Home Purchase and the Benefits of Buying Local and Borrowing Local. As always, we’d like to hear from you about thoughts on this show or maybe you have some ideas on other topics we should cover, email us at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. Be sure to subscribe to the Making Money Personal podcast for our full episodes and weekly Money Tips wherever you listen to podcasts and follow us on Facebook for more great content. 
Thank you to our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union, and thank you, as always, for listening. 
Have a great day everyone! 
 
 

What’s a Federal Rate Hike? - Money Tip Tuesday

What does it mean when the Fed raises rates? Well, if you have a savings account, loans or a mortgage, a rate hike will impact you. This tip covers a few of the things you can do if the talk of raising rates seems a bit scary.  
Learn more about the Federal Funds Rate
Learn more about the Prime Rate
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal.  
There has been a lot of buzz in the media about the Federal Reserve Board raising rates. If you don’t follow finance or banking closely, you might be wondering what it means and how it could impact your life?  
When people talk about the Fed rate they are referring to the Federal Funds Rate – which is what commercial banks use when they lend money to each other. 
It is set by the Federal Reserve Board and can be adjusted up or down.  
One reason the Fed chooses to raise rates is to slow inflation. 
If you’re noticing an increase in the prices of goods and services around you, that’s likely due to inflation. To help keep inflation in check, the Fed raises the Federal Funds Rate.  
At the time of this recording, the Federal Funds rate was recently adjusted from .25% to .5%. 
The Federal Reserve has also announced it may raise rates 6 more times this year. That means that each time they review the rate, it's likely to adjust.  
Now, when you borrow money from your credit union or bank, you’re not getting the Federal Funds rate. Banks and lenders use a rate based off the Federal Funds Rate called Prime Rate which is typically 3% higher than the Fed rate. 
If the Fed rate is .5% then Prime Rate will be 3.5%. If the Fed rate goes to .75%, then Prime will be 3.75% and so on.  
The Prime rate is what banks and lenders use when they determine what interest rate they’ll charge consumers like you and me when we borrow money.  
If the fund rate goes up, then all the others are likely to follow. 
If you have loans, credit cards and savings accounts, a rate hike will have an impact on you in both bad and good ways. 
Here are a few things you can do to prepare for when rates go up: 
First, you can take advantage of any existing low rates and refinance. If you have an auto loan, a mortgage or a personal loan and you haven’t done it already, refinancing can get you a lower rate on your loan now, especially if you know they will be going up. 
Another thing you can do is pay down your debt as best as you can. Credit Cards and other loan rates will likely adjust to coincide with the rise in the Fed rate. If those rates go up on you, your monthly payment will also go up.  
And finally, keep an eye on deposit rates, which may start to rise. When the Fed rate is low, deposit accounts like CDs, Money Markets and savings accounts don’t give you much of a dividend. But when it goes up, you may start to see deposit accounts offering you a higher percentage on your money. Deposit accounts could become a good place to park extra cash, so keep an eye on the interest rates for CDs, Money Markets and other savings accounts 
When the rates rise, there’s much to consider. It’s best to be aware of what’s going on in the financial world so you can position yourself to make the most of how these changes will affect you. 
If there are any other tips or topics you’d like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org and don't forget to like and follow our Making Money Personal FB page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on Instagram and LinkedIn to share your thoughts.  
Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  
Have a great day! 

Episode 43: Tech Defense Against Financial Crime with Jaime Ramirez CEO of Preventor

We talk a lot about cybersecurity and identity theft on our podcast. In this episode we chat with Jamie Ramirez, founder and CEO of Preventor, about the rising trends in financial crime and what you can do to stand against it.   
Learn more about Preventor
Check out other Preventor resources
Learn more about Triangle's Better Checking account with IDProtect
View episode transcript.
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
*Triangle Credit Union does not use Preventor services and cannot endorse the use of its products. This podcast episode is for informational purposes only.  
 

What is a Sinking Fund? - Money Tip Tuesday

It may be a little early to talk about Christmas but this tip will show you how a sinking fund can help you pay for gifts without panicking in December and without going into debt. 
Open a new savings or checking account to get your sinking fund started.
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal Podcast.  
It is mid-March as I record this for you. We’ve had a couple of days of warm weather here in New Hampshire but we are all still recovering from Winter and everything that came with it. Christmas is likely the very LAST thing on our minds.. it was just about three months ago after all. If you are like many Americans, it is likely that you scrambled at the very last minute to get gifts for those special people in your lives.. The average person waits till about November to begin shopping and many of us wait until December 15th. Waiting until the last minute to shop is hard enough but it is even harder if you also didn’t have any separate funds saved to pay for it. This is where a sinking fund comes in!  
A sinking fund is a separate account containing money to pay for something in the future. This fund or these funds can be used for whatever you want.  
Lets say you plan to spend $500 on gifts at Christmas and you start a sinking fund in January. Simply take 500 and divide by 12 months. Just like a bill, every month you would pay (or transfer) $42 to a separate savings or checking account that is specifically for Christmas. You can even label it “Christmas Fund” so you know what you are saving for.  
I love sinking funds. It is a stress free way of paying those items that don’t occur each month. I use them for insurance premiums, activities for my daughters like ballet and gymnastics, and Christmas! I know many people who also use them for other items like a new phone every couple of years, or a new car they know they will need to get in the future. You can do this for anything and it can even be for items you pay monthly. I love to do this for my rent every month! I take my rent payment and divide it by the number of times we are getting paid in the month and I transfer that to my rent savings account. On the first of the month, that money is there! 
Do you have any additional tips or advice that will help our listeners with this topic or other financial matters? Send us an email! That email address again is TCUPodcast@trianglecu.org or look for our Facebook page and get connected!  
Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to listen to our other tips and episodes on the making money personal podcast. 

Are NFTs a Fad or the Future? - Money Tip Tuesday

Are you familiar with NFTs? If not, this tip explains a little bit about what they are, why they seem so appealing and some things you should consider before purchasing any. 
Helpful resources about NFTs:
https://ethereum.org/en/nft/ 
https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq 
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/nft-non-fungible-token/ 
https://www.investopedia.com/non-fungible-tokens-nft-5115211 
https://www.wsj.com/articles/bored-ape-nfts-so-expensive-11645709606 
Popular NFT marketplaces: 
https://opensea.io/
https://rarible.com/
https://foundation.app/
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. 
There’s so much buzz around the internet and in the press about NFTs.  
You’ve probably read stories or watched videos of people buying some for millions of dollars. Even companies are hopping on the bandwagon to make and launch new collections every day.  
If you’re not familiar with what they are, this tip can offer you more insight into these unusual assets.  
So, for starters, let’s explain what the word NFT means.  
NFT is an acronym that stands for Non-Fungible Token.  
A quick search in Google defines fungible as something that’s “able to replace or be replaced by another identical item; mutually interchangeable.” Fungible assets can be exchanged for the same value – things like crypto coins and dollar bills are widely considered fungible. 
Non-fungible means an asset is one of a kind. It’s not mutually interchangeable. It cannot be replaced or exchanged for something identical. Think of a piece of priceless art or real estate. These assets have an individuality that can’t be duplicated.  
Historically, assets have been physical objects, something you can touch, or hold in your hand, but now, with NFTs, assets can go digital.  
NFTs can be any file like a JPEG, PNG, an audio file, or video files.  
You’ve probably seen some of the most popular collections floating around like the Bored Ape Yacht Club. The digital graphics show a bored looking ape in different themes and dressed in different outfits.  
Well, believe it or not, one of these sold for $1.29 million. 
If you explore the popular NFT marketplaces, you’ll find all kinds of other types of NFTs. Some are animated files where the characters move. Others are video clips, created or recorded.  Some are even digital land plots for gaming platforms like Minecraft.  
What’s so appealing about them? Who would spend millions of dollars on a digital file? Especially when you can easily right click the image and save it to your computer?  
Well, the key lies in the technology behind NFTs. They run on the Ethereum network and use blockchain ledger technology which verifies the file is the original and not a copy. There is a lot more computer science explanation behind how this works, which we won’t cover here, but if you’re interested in learning more about blockchain technology, YouTube offers a plethora of videos to watch and you can read all kinds of online articles about it.  
The gist of it is, NFTs provide a digital authentication record that you’re the NFT owner. Even though the image can be copied, your NFT contains data proving that you have the original.  
Think of it as you would if you were collecting a piece of physical art. You can buy a copy of DaVinci’s Mona Lisa painting, but it’s not the same as owning the original piece.  
The proof of ownership verified through the technology behind NFTs enables the file to be bought and sold like any physical asset would be. And this gets appealing to anyone interested in making money off selling certain types of assets.  
The major appeal for many people is that they imagine they can make millions. And if you’ve read the stories, watched the videos and read the blogs you will find plenty of stories of people making a fortune off the sale of NFTs. 
But is the use of NFTs legitimate or just a fad?  
Well, for some people, NFTs can carry with them unique opportunities.  
For one, if you’re a digital artist, NFTs could offer an opportunity to create and sell some of your own art creations. There are also ways to collect royalties when the NFT is sold or used. Not a bad option for people looking to sell their digital art.  
On the flip side, maybe you’re not an artist yourself, but you want to support budding artists, you can purchase NFTs of their art. 
Recently, business owners are exploring them as new opportunities to expand their product offerings. Nike is selling NFTs of sneakers for avatars in the Metaverse. The NFL launched its own marketplace called NFL All Day where they sell digital video copies of NFL plays they’ve named NFL Digital Highlights. You can go to their site to check them out.  
But, like all budding markets, NFTs should be approached with caution because they are subject to certain dangers.  
There are plenty of NFT scams out there. Surprise, surprise. People have found a new way to trick others into handing over their money.  
First, there are reports of scams called rug pulls. Scammers get people to buy into the upcoming release of an NFT collection promising people that they’ll receive a portion of it after the release. But after the creators collect enough money, they close shop and all the information and pages disappear, leaving the hopeful investors angry about their loss. Kind like when someone pulls the rug out from under you.  
The other danger of NFTs is speculation. Highly speculative markets should be approached with a great deal of caution. This can lead to bad investment decisions and loss of money. Let me remind you of some of history’s lessons like the tulip bulbs, the dot com bubble? People get roped in seeing the stories of others making it big, so they don’t want to miss out. But please don’t let the hype lead you into making a bad financial decision. If you’re interested in learning more about NFTs, then do your research and approach them with an educated, and levelheaded perspective.  
Okay, so in summary:  
For some digital creators, collectors and pseudo investors, NFTs can be useful tools to grow your collection, store assets and make money. But, there are dangers with all new technologies, and non-fungible tokens are no different.  
Do your own research, investigate sources, and explore the platforms because NFTs may not be for everyone. 
Stay levelheaded. Don’t get caught up in speculation or greed and fight that FOMO. It’s better to make a wise financial decision than a hasty one that will leave you filled with regrets. 
I’ll take this moment to state the commonly referenced Latin phrase: Caveat emptor which means “let the buyer beware.” 
If you’re not comfortable enough to purchase NFTs, I don’t blame you. But if you want to search around the marketplaces to see what kinds of cool digital creations people have made, it’s kind of fun. There’s a lot to explore out there.  
Check the links in the show notes for additional information on NFTs and some common marketplaces to explore. 
If there are any other tips or topics you’d like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org and don't forget to like and follow our Making Money Personal FB page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on Instagram and LinkedIn to share your thoughts.  
Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  
Have a great day! 
 

Cyber Safety During Global Conflicts - Money Tip Tuesday

When global conflicts arise, it’s especially important to be vigilant and watchful over your data and personal information. Conflicts bring about new security threats and dangers, but fortunately you can take steps to stay safe even during unpredictable times. 
https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/2022/02/25/russia-ukraine-staying-secure-in-a-global-cyber-conflict/ 
https://blog.knowbe4.com/wartime-suffering-as-phishbait 
Report scams to the US government at this page: https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds 
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast.  
Recently, the Data Services department at Triangle sent out a notice reminding staff of the dangers that can come from a global crisis.  
Jose, Vice President of Data Services shared, “As the world watches the events happening in Ukraine, news of Russia’s army of computer hackers has become the next threat. In particular, against Australia, Russia’s leadership has voiced to hack Australia’s computer networks. The Australian Cyber Security Centre site has a list of proactive cyber security measures for businesses and government agencies to evaluate and deploy controls to protect data and their networks. The United States must remain alert as well because cyber threats are global. 
Even if you haven’t seen evidence yet of any attacks, you should remain on high-alert for suspicious emails carrying harmful viruses or suspicious websites asking for personal information.”  
Triangle’s staff makes data security a top priority. But you also must take steps to protect yourself due to the potential rise in global cybercrime. 
Remember to keep a watchful eye out for potential threats that could include malware and ransomware.  
Make it a priority to safeguard your devices by keeping them up to date, setting security measures like Multi Factor Authentication with strong passwords, and making full use of antivirus apps that can flag and block ransomware attempts.  
When it comes to phishing scams, stay alert for deceiving emails, texts, or phone calls, that might look or sound like legitimate news sites sharing updates, or charities asking you to donate to relief efforts. 
To avoid getting scammed, make sure you set up any spam filters and use attachment scanners to avoid these and other types of email threats.  
Here’s a quick list of 5 other good habits to get into to protect yourself against cyber-attacks:  
Use antivirus protection software to keep yourself safe when going online. Make sure it’s enabled and check in occasionally to run scans and confirm that your device is protected. 
If you suspect an email to be malicious, do NOT open it, do not reply to it a d do open any attachments or click links. You can report suspicious emails and scams to the US government for investigation. Visit usa.gov to learn more about how and where to report.   
It’s good practice to log out of any applications or online accounts when you are not using them. 
Don’t forget about your phone. It can also be at risk. Be careful when you install apps and make sure you trust the app developer before you download any. 
And, remember, do not share your passwords or personal information. 
If you want to learn more about cyber threats and how to best protect yourself, check the show notes for links to additional resources. 
If there are any other tips or topics you’d like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org and don't forget to like and follow our Making Money Personal FB page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on Instagram and LinkedIn to share your thoughts.  
Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  
Have a great day! 

March: The Mad Money Month - Money Tip Tuesday

Does the winter blues have you down? March is the perfect time to do something fun, and today we’ll talk about why it’s okay to spend some mad money in March! 
Check out Groupon for some travel and activity inspiration 
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. 
If you’re like me, by March you have recuperated from the holidays—not so much because you went into debt buying presents, but you just got tired of buying things. I go into hibernation mode in January because that’s what most of us do in New England. February is my finance month and it’s short, so it doesn’t really count, and then there’s March—my mad money month! 
March is when you give yourself permission to spend a little money to celebrate the fact that you survived another winter! I definitely recommend you budget for anything fun that you have planned, but if you haven’t budgeted or don’t have the money right now, there is still plenty of free stuff to do—you just have to look a little harder for it. 
Here are my top three recommendations for March—all with a specific dollar allocation. I’ll start with the cheapest and free item first, then we’ll go up from there. 
At no dollar signs (meaning it’s free) you can (drumroll) take a walk on the beach with a picnic from whatever you have in your fridge. Ok, now I know some listeners don’t have a beach nearby so to you I say, “it’s time to move.” Actually, that might not be an option, so you’ll have to find another amazing destination: like a lake or park, somewhere cool nearby. The point is: it’s time to get out of the house and enjoy the great outdoors. I live about 45 minutes from the beach, so it does take some planning to get there, but I love the beach this time of year. No crowds, no issues parking, no problems! My only recommendation is to check the weather and pick a warm day—and not a windy day (after all, you want to be able to enjoy it). Bring a picnic basket—whatever you have from the fridge and have a good time! 
Ok, next is $ sign so this is not free, but affordable. This is an activity that will cost somewhere between $10 - $25 per person. So, what can you afford to do in that price range? A ton! You can go to the movies, a local see-science museum, a gallery, or dinner out with some friends. Now, the key is: if you have a family, you can’t take the whole family out for $20 so negotiate with your partner and have him/her watch the kids and you go out with your friends for some social time. 
Next is $$ signs, so this is a little more expensive—maybe in the $25 - $50 range. At this point, there’s even more to do, like attending a comedy night, local play, an escape room. Again, at this price point, it won’t be a family adventure, but it will be good for YOU to get out the house and enjoy some friend time. 
So, here’s my point. There is a ton of stuff to do, and you don’t have to break the bank to do it. So often we get caught up in budget-budget-budget, but you have to make room in the budget and take time out of your busy schedule to have some fun. There is no better time to do that than March! As soon as this podcast is over, make a note to text 3-4 friends and schedule some fun activity within the next couple of weeks. Oh, and if you’re having a brain block on what to do, check Groupon for ideas and discounts on all the fun stuff that is happening near you—you  might be inspired to try something new and save some cash doing it. 
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this episode—after all, I encouraged you to get out of the house and spend some money! If you like what you’ve heard, we’d like to hear from you about thoughts on this show or maybe you have some ideas on other topics we should cover,  email us at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. Be sure to subscribe to the Making Money Personal podcast for our full episodes and weekly Money Tips wherever you listen to podcasts and follow us on Facebook for more great content. 
Thank you to our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union, and thank you, as always, for listening. 
Have a great day everyone! 

Reasons to Use Your Identity Protection Services - Money Tip Tuesday

If you haven’t thought about setting up an identity protection service, it’s always a good time to do so. Identity threats can be found almost anywhere, so taking the time to safeguard your identity now will save you a lot of time and money if it ever gets compromised in the future. 
Learn more about Triangle's Better Checking account with identity protection
Log into idprotectme247.com to register and review your credit information
Like what you heard? Go ahead and share on your social media! Visit trianglecu.org to learn more about how we can serve you and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Transcript:
Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. 
The threats to your identity are real. 
Every day people are coming up with new and clever ways of stealing information from others. 
Since so much of our activity is done online and digital, our personal information is all over the place.  
If you’re like me, you probably have dozens of logins with UNs and PWs, you’ve got credit cards, rewards accounts, email accounts, and more.  
If you don’t have an identity protection program yet, it’s time to get on it.  
You’re probably thinking that there’s not much more to identity theft protection than, well, just guarding your identity. 
Even though that’s true, the fact is, and I’ve recently learned, there’s a whole lot more that you can get with it. 
I recently logged into idprotectme247.com that comes with my Better Checking account and I was pleasantly reminded why it’s important to use these protections.  
It started when I got the regular, monthly notice in my email inbox that something in my credit changed. 
Usually, I get the monthly message, but it always says no activity. This time it was different.  
After the moment of panic, because there wasn’t anything I could recall that would affect my credit history, I sprang into action, and logged into idprotectme247.com. 
When I logged in and checked my messages it came as a great relief to discover that the only thing that changed in my credit history was that I had an old credit card I was no longer using, so the bank closed it.  
I checked all my other notices and even my credit report, and everything appeared to be in good shape with no suspicious activity to report.  
The relief was great knowing that my identity had not been stolen. I even appreciated the notification because I wasn’t paying close enough attention to know that that credit line was closed.  
So, if you’re not already using an ID protection service, I’ll share some of the most useful benefits of an identity monitoring platform. 
I’m specifically referring to the ID Protect product that comes with a Triangle Better Checking account, but if you’re subscribed to a different one many of these benefits could be present as well.  
First of all, the peace of mind is worth it. You know that if something happens you’ll be informed right away. No surprises. I get a monthly email stating if there’s activity. Most of the time there’s nothing, but at least I know that something’s running in the background and will let me know right away if something suspicious pops up.  
It reminded me to review credit score and report. It’s important to be up on this. Without the notice, I wouldn’t have discovered that one of my credit lines was closed.  
You also get more information than just your credit score. You get to see all your lines of credit, your payment history, and any notifications related to those accounts. It will literally show me a breakdown of all my payments and whether they were late or on time.  
It has a widget that assessed my “identity threat” which was enlightening. Seeing green was a relief because that meant that my identity threat was low. 
It’s just good to be aware of this stuff.  
If you have a Better Checking account, you’re already partway there!  Visit idprotectme247.com and register with your information and the access code you got when you opened your account.   
Once you have access a simple 5-10 minute review every month is all you’ll need to make sure your identity is in good shape.  
If you’re using a different id protection service, then I hope I’ve reminded you to log in and look around. Get familiar with your platform and check back regularly to make sure things continue to look good.  
If there are any other tips or topics you’d like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org and don't forget to like and follow our Making Money Personal FB page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on Instagram and LinkedIn to share your thoughts.  
Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  
Have a great day! 
 

Episode 42: Money Matters for Couples

It's the season of love and what better time to discuss couples and money then this month! In this episode, Terri, Liz and Wil go through how they and their spouses handle finances at home and offer some personal tips and tricks that you can use to enhance the financial condition in your own relationship!
The contest mentioned in the episode has expired. Be sure to subscribe and listen to new episodes for more opportunities to win prizes.
Learn more about budgeting with our Budgeting 101 webinar
Gain tips on how to get out of debt with our Financial Freedom: Your Path to Debt Free Living webinar.
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View episode transcript.
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