USALLIANCE Blog

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.

During times of financial uncertainty, it’s normal to fret about the safety of your own money. Naturally, you want to be absolutely sure that your own savings will be secure, even in times of financial crisis. Credit unions offer unique advantages that can provide greater security and peace of mind during financial downturns than even the largest, most well-known banks. Here’s why a credit union can be a better choice than a bank during a financial crisis.

Paying yourself first is the golden rule of personal finance. What does “paying yourself first” mean? It means making your savings a priority – before you spend your hard-earned money on anything else, you make sure that you allocate money to your savings.

When you pause to think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Do you care more about the financial wellness of your local coffee shop – or your own? Paying yourself first means putting your own needs, and your own future, before anything else. That can be a lot easier said than done, especially if money is tight, but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to do it all at once. Start small with just $100 each payday, or even a dollar a day, and watch your savings grow!

Back-to-school season is here – the second-biggest shopping season of the year! However, this year is shaping up to be more expensive than ever due to continued inflation and high prices. As always, we’re here to help with some tips and tricks. You can get everything you need, trim your back-to-school spending, and keep your budget intact.