USALLIANCE Blog

The holiday season is here and for most of us, that means spending! Between gift giving, decorations, and holiday travel, there’s a lot to finance and you may be tempted to just put it all on your credit card so you can deal with it later. However, the temporary relief of taking the bill off your mind might cause a lot more trouble down the road if you’re not careful using your credit card this season! Let’s look at some “naughty” and “nice” ways to use your credit cards during the holidays. Stay on the right list to avoid blotches on your credit report.

You already know about the biggest holiday expenses like gifts and decorations. However, there are many under the radar holiday expenses that you might not even be considering, let alone including in your budget. With so much spending going on during the holiday season, it can be easy to give all your attention to the big-ticket gifts you’re spending on, while other costs slip through the cracks. Most of us are aware of what we’re spending on gift-giving, but when was the last time you considered your electric bill during the holidays? Download our infographic to learn about these sneaky holiday budget-killers and creative ways to avoid unnoticed expenses destroying your holiday cheer!

 You go to check your bank account like you do every day, but this time something seems off. A few more clicks and you know something is wrong. You get a sinking feeling in your stomach as you realize that your account has been hacked and you’ve become a victim of fraud, and one question floats across your mind:

What do I do now?

It’s a crucial question, and we’ve got answers! Here’s what to do if you’ve fallen victim to fraud:

As November moves along and Thanksgiving inches closer, the holiday season is approaching quickly – and holiday shopping season with it! If you’re like most people, this is a season full of shopping as we all try to find the perfect gift for each of our family and friends. While it’s difficult to imagine not buying gifts for those we love, that doesn’t mean that you need to burst your budget while doing your holiday shopping. In this infographic, we’ll cover 5 hacks that can help you save on your holiday shopping this year. Follow these tips to keep your budget intact while still spreading the holiday cheer to everyone on your list:

Trying to understand your mortgage payment can be like trying to decode a secret language. Last month, we went over key mortgage terms to help you understand some of the most essential terms. Now, let’s take the next step and go through your mortgage payment in a bit more depth so you can understand the ins and outs of it all. In this article, we’ll take a look at the different components of your mortgage payment, explain how it gets calculated, and offer tips for managing your mortgage payments effectively.

It seems like there’s something in the news every day about cybersecurity – a new reported hack, a leak of information online, new types of scams…it never seems to end. That’s why taking precautions to make sure that you, your information, and your identity are protected. One of the ways that you can increase your protection is through using multifactor authentication (MFA). This helpful infographic breaks down exactly what MFA is and how it works, so you can understand why it makes it that much more difficult to steal your information. We’ll also cover some interesting statistics that highlight just how much cybersecurity risk there is in the modern world, and how significantly MFA can improve your online safety.

Buying a home is one of the biggest life events most of us will experience. It’s not only a huge milestone and an exciting prospect, it can also be scary and sometimes overwhelming. When applying for a mortgage, you’ll see a lot of terms that can quickly get confusing. Understanding these terms will take away some of that terrifying sense of not knowing what’s going on during the process and help give you some confidence in dealing with your mortgage. In this article, we’ll dive into some key mortgage terms, what they mean, their significance, and when a homebuyer will see them.

If you’re considering buying a car in the near future, then this article can help save you some money – simply by timing your purchase correctly! Knowing when to buy your car can help you score a solid discount on the price of your vehicle and help you to enjoy savings on your auto loan for years to come. There are a lot of factors that impact the prices of cars, including when dealerships offer promotions, when new models are coming out, existing inventory, and more. That means that there are several different times during the year where these factors combine to give you a chance to get a great deal on your next car! Here’s when to get your car buying into gear.

You’ve almost certainly heard of a credit report before, but many people don’t know a lot about what it involves and what it’s used for. Our infographic provides a quick, handy guide to what a credit report is, what you can expect to find on one, and why your credit report is such an important part of your financial outlook.