USALLIANCE Blog

I consider myself a pretty responsible person when it comes to managing my money.

I keep an eye on my credit score, pay my bills on time, and make sure I don’t overspend. I put most of my purchases on my credit card to build my credit, get points, and track my spending. I tend to only use my debit card when I need cash.

Whether your relationship began with a meet cute, a long friendship, or a swipe right, if things are beginning to get serious it’s time for you to sit down and talk about your credit score with your partner. Yes, it sounds about as fun as taking a long walk over a beach of hot coals, but with finances being the leading cause of stress in relationships, it’s important to figure out if you’re on the same page before making any more moves toward a future together.

Ah, April. The sun is shining. The birds are singing, and tax-paying procrastinators everywhere would rather go to the dentist than deal with taxes. But once you discover the benefits of filing your taxes early, you might realize that the dreaded paperwork isn't so bad after all.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Dan O'Brien and I'm a solution architect here at USALLIANCE.

This is my third year running the Boston Marathon. It’s also my third year running on behalf of the organization Credit Union Kids at Heart, which works with Boston Children’s Hospital to fund research on pediatric illnesses. This year we’re supporting research on Moyamoya disease, Sturge-Weber syndrome, pediatric brain cancer, and Cerebral Palsy.

I'm Dan, your typical family man, solution architect at USALLIANCE, and marathon runner for a cause.

This is my third time running the Boston Marathon with Credit Union Kids at Heart. This great organization funds many research projects at Boston Children’s Hospital to fight pediatric diseases. Running the Boston Marathon is definitely not an easy task, but I’ve found it’s easier when you’re passionate about your cause and also get into a strict training schedule.

It was right after the devastating 201 Boston Marathon when Dan O'Brien joined USALLIANCE.

Loving husband and father, it wasn't long before Dan discovered Credit Union Kids at Heart, an organization that works with Boston Children's Hospital to fund several pediatric research projects. This is where a project became a passion and ultimately turned a solution architect into a cause-driven marathon runner.

There are more ways to manage your savings than you probably think.

Learning how to handle your savings can be intimidating, with new options seeming more complicated than the traditional ones. You're probably already familiar with a simple savings account, but there are also non-traditional options like a club account or CD account you can explore too.

All of these options have certain benefits, so it might pay off for you to leave your financial comfort zone and learn about the options you have when it comes to managing your savings.

You recycle. You carpool. You donate your old things. You print less. Basically, you're trying to create less waste, or 'go green'.  The financial sector is doing the same.  With all the different ways you can use less paper, going green with your finances is super easy and convenient.  Here are a few ways you can start making that transition.

It should come as no surprise that one of the most popular New Year's resolutions is "to get out of debt."

If getting rid of debt is your personal mission this year, debt consolidation may seem like the perfect solution. But, is it? The answer is... maybe.

Debt consolidation is the term for rolling multiple old debts into a single new one, presumably at a lower interest rate to make payments more manageable, which in turn results in quicker repayment.  Sounds like a good plan - but will it work for you?

If you only have $75, you can't spend $100, right?

Actually, that’s not always the case. When you use your debit card to make a transaction without monitoring how much money you have available, it’s possible to overdraw your bank or credit union account.

The first thing you need to understand is what happens behind the scenes when you make a transaction. Let's break it down: