Budgeting
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3 Questions to Ask Before Using Your Emergency Fund
April 17, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Savings
When is a financial emergency, truly an emergency? Establishing an emergency fund is an incredibly important part of your budget, but knowing when to use it is just as important. Ask yourself these three questions before dipping into the pot. Emergency Fund If you’re new to budgeting, we recommend having a $1,000 cushion to help offset the cost of an emergency expense without it derailing the rest of your budget. If you aren’t able to put the $1,000 aside now, start small and work
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4 Steps to Buying a Home That Won't Bust Your Budget
April 10, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Mortgage, Personal Finance, Savings
It’s that time of year when you’re likely to see ‘for sale’ signs on every block. Maybe you already have your eye on one and go out of your way to drive past it on your way home from work. Before you leap into purchasing a home, be sure to take these four steps before signing the bottom line. 1. Understand Your Monthly Expenses Alarmingly, many Americans don’t have a true understanding about what money they have coming out each month. This can be a dangerous territory
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Spring Into Cash With These Top Savings Tips
April 3, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Savings
The grass is always greener on the other side of winter, but is your bank account? Make the most out of your spring by boosting your savings. All it takes is an idea and some creativity to make some green this spring! Skip the Gym Of course your health should take top priority in all seasons. However, it’s great to switch up your routine, not only for your health but potentially for your wallet! Now that the weather is warming up, you can look for some alternatives for working out. A
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6 Simple Ways To Save
March 13, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Savings
Finding new and exciting ways to save can prove tricky. We’ve all heard of making a list before grocery shopping and sticking to it, as well as cutting cable and dropping unused gym memberships. Bank of Louisiana has put together some tried, trusted and simple ways to save to get your financial game back on track! Sign Up for Rewards There are rewards for just about everything these days. For example, gas, groceries, movies and clothing stores all offer different rewards programs. Credit
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5 To-Dos Before Buying a Home
February 20, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Mortgage, Personal Finance, Savings
Are you about to begin the hunt for your future home? We understand that the home buying process can become overwhelming, which is why we’d like to offer you a little insight. Start your home buying journey off right by completing this checklist! Strengthen your credit. A 620 FICO score means you can get a mortgage, but that doesn’t mean you’ll want to. According to recent data from myFICO.com, someone with the minimum credit score can expect to pay over $82,000
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Saving for Retirement: How Much Is Enough?
February 13, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Retirement, Savings
Over the years, we put away money for important events such as a baby, college tuition, a new car or house. Those tangible items make it worth the amount we set aside. However, retirement is a harder concept to grasp, as it is far off into the future. For this reason, we wanted to help shed some light on how much is actually enough when saving for retirement. How much do I save at my age? Trying to figure out how much to save at any age can be tough, especially when saving for other items.
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6 Steps To Improve Your Finances
February 6, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Savings
Staying on top of your finances can prove challenging, especially when bills, debt, daily expenses and saving come into play. Finding your way to financial freedom takes time which is why Bank of Louisiana has compiled a few steps you can take to improve your finances. Coupon Like Crazy Some people always pay full price for items. Nowadays, there should be no reason to empty your wallet to that extreme. You can go old school and buy extra newspapers when the coupons are good. We also recommend
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Money Management for College Students
January 23, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Savings
If you’re fortunate, your parents may have taught you how to save your allowance or a certain percentage of each paycheck. However, if those skills weren’t taught to you or you just plain didn’t listen, we are here to help you at the beginning of your financial journey as an adult! Stay tuned for some simple tips you can start doing now to strengthen your current and future financial habits. 1. Create a Budget Most adults who have been managing their money for years have
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5 Creative Ways to Save for Your New Home
January 16, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Mortgage, Savings
You’ve made the decision that you are tired of renting and ready to step into the world of home ownership. Good for you! You may be wondering what your next steps should be in order to be financially prepared for this major investment. Here are some creative ways to ramp up your savings for this exciting adventure! 1. Consider a Move Now Is the place you’re living in now truly the most cost effective for your budget? Consider moving to a temporary location that can significantly
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Saving For Retirement in Your 30’s
January 11, 2019
Categories: Budgeting, Retirement, Savings
Congratulations, after your roaring twenties, you have made it to the thriving thirties. Unfortunately, with another candle added to the cake comes another responsibility. People in their thirties have a very high amount of expenses from a house payment to the cost of little ones, which is why we wanted to offer the following solutions to saving. Automate Savings You have hopefully already begun a savings account for the other financial goals in your life. If not, no worries! You’ve likely
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