Personal Finance
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Four Emotions That Are Interfering With Your Finances
April 16, 2018
Categories: Personal Finance
Who doesn’t want a healthy financial life? Yet, the number of people who actually have one is decreasing. Americans’ total credit card debt grew by 8 percent in 2017, with an overall 12.96 trillion in debt. While there are many underlying factors, one component that can be limited in your budget is emotions. You may feel helpless when it comes to taking control of your finances, but one of the biggest hindrances is your emotional state. The good news is where you are doesn’t have
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What Sports Can Teach Your Kids About Finances
April 12, 2018
Categories: Family, Personal Finance
As a parent, you want to do your best to give your children a great childhood and prepare them to be successful, contributing members of society. One of the ways that many parents are doing this is by encouraging youth sports. They realize that there are great lessons learned from athletics like how to be a part of a team and physical health. It’s also a good way to get kids away from the screens! By the same token, you may not realize that sports, particularly pay to play, have additional
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The Riches Reset: 30 Day Cash Only Challenge
March 27, 2018
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance, Savings
You may have heard the suggestion, but in a day where even plastic purchases are becoming irrelevant, how can paying with cold hard cash be feasible or helpful? We challenge you to find out by going plastic-free for the next 30 days in order to shake up your spending habits for the year. We will begin by informing you on some of the disadvantages you may experience, followed by the surprising benefits. Cons of Cash Safety Carrying cash can be a safety concern. You
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How to Tackle Student Loan Repayments
March 13, 2018
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance
What they didn’t teach you in school, was how to pay for school. Many know what it’s like to look excitably into your direct deposit account or open that envelope on payday to only be dissatisfied by the large withdrawal that was taken towards your student loan debt. Confronting what seems like the impregnable wall of debt can be overwhelming. And many can feel unprepared - even duped at the debt to income ratio their college degree has given them. However, it doesn’t have to
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First Steps to Financial Fitness
March 6, 2018
Categories: Personal Finance, Savings
Starting a Financial Fitness routine may be one of the best things you can do for your health. You may not realize it, but financial stress can take a toll on your physical and emotional well-being. If you are one of those who have or are experiencing financial stress, you are not alone. In fact, the leading stressor of Americans is related to finances. Stress, if left unchecked, can lead to changes in your body and mood such as: heart disease, obesity, headaches and depression. Whether you
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What Mad Money is and Why You Need It
February 20, 2018
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance
Paying off debt can be daunting, and budgeting for it is even more stressful. In order to be a winner with your budget, you must add Mad Money to your life - and no we aren’t talking about the TV show. Mad Money is, “A small sum of money carried or kept in reserve for minor expenses, emergencies, or impulse purchases.” There is no restraint to what you can purchase with Mad Money, only that you spend the allotted amount. This should be a small percentage of your monthly income.
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Creative Money Making Ideas for Teens
February 13, 2018
Categories: Family, Personal Finance
If you’re a teen, you know that making adequate money for your college fund and paying for the rising cost of items is challenging. School has never been as time consuming and with the economic pressure to go to college and the rising rate in unpaid internships, you may be at a loss as to whether flipping burgers will help you in the short and long term. We have come up with a list of creative ways you can earn some extra cash - without having to sacrifice your studies. Studies show that
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Tips to Reduce Financial Stress - From Panic to Plan
February 6, 2018
Categories: Budgeting, Personal Finance
If you are feeling overwhelmed and losing sleep at night because of your finances, you are not alone. There are many factors that can contribute to financial stress such as: kids, marriage, debt, pregnancy, job status and physical health. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2015 survey, 64% of stress is attributed to money. If you are experiencing a creeping sense of panic over your finances, take a deep breath and exhale. We are going to walk you through a simple plan
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Love and Money: Five Common Mistakes
January 31, 2018
Categories: Family, Personal Finance
No couple likes to fight, especially when it comes to finances. Unfortunately, money is the leading cause of stress in relationships. And this isn’t only a problem for couples who are tight on money, as a survey has shown that the more your income increases, the more finances will put a strain on your relationships. What this shows is the importance of being on the same page as your partner when it comes to finances, no matter your incomes. Bank of Louisiana has compiled a list of five common
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4 Ways You Can Budget With an Irregular Income
December 13, 2017
Categories: Personal Finance, Savings, Security
If you work sales, freelance or are self-employed, you have a major issue to contend with when it comes to personal budgeting—an unpredictable income. While this can make it hard to plan your monthly spending, it’s not completely impossible. Today, Bank of Louisiana would like to offer you these tips to budgeting on an irregular income: 1) Calculate the Bare Bones. These are the minimum expenses you need to cover every month, usually in the form of
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