Two Cents - Insights Brought to you by Vectra Bank

Personal Banking Articles

• Benefits of Going Paperless

  February 2020 / Personal Banking / Share

  Take your bank statement, notices and tax documents online.

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• New Year's Resolutions to Help You Save Money

  January 2020 / Personal Banking / Share

  Add some of these financial goals to your resolutions list to help you save money.

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• The Mobile Banking Features Consumers Want

  December 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Find out what consumers really want from their mobile banking applications.

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• Benefits of Opening a Premium Credit Card

  December 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Opening a premium credit card can do more than help you earn points faster.

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• 3 Easy Ways to Save This Winter

  December 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Keeping costs low during the cold winter months can be difficult.

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• Teaching Gen Z About Personal Finance: What They Want to Know

  November 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Generation Z is eager to take control of their personal finances with an emphasis on becoming debt-free.

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• 4 Ways to Use CDs in Planning Your Financial Future

  October 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Here are four ways to incorporate CDs in planning your financial future.

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• Have a Side Hustle? You Need These Banking Tools to Get Paid

  August 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Here are the banking tools anyone with a side hustle needs.

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• Back-to-School Shopping: How To Save

  August 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Here are a couple tips to keep the back-to-school bill manageable.

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• Use Summer Chores To Teach Your Kids About Financial Literacy

  July 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Start teaching your children about responsible money habits.

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• Start Saving in Summer For a Winter Vacation

  June 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Use these tips to start saving for a winter vacation in summer.

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• When is Refinancing Student Loans a Good Idea?

  June 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  When is the best time to refinance your student loans?

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• Spring Cleaning for Your Home and Personal Finances

  May 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Your budget could likely use the same spring cleaning refresh as the rest of your house.

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• 3 Cheap Ways to Get Away This Spring

  April 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Here are three ways to travel cheaply this spring.

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• What Does Rate Uncertainty Mean for Your Personal or Business Banking?

  March 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  What does rate uncertainty mean for your personal or business banking?

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• Personal Finance Resolutions to Make for 2019

  January 2019 / Personal Banking / Share

  Here are some personal finance new year's resolutions to make.

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• Setting Up a Budget for the New Year

  December 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Now is a good time to start thinking about ringing in the new year with a new budget.

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• Settling Year-End Personal Finances: How a Checklist Can Help

  December 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Use a checklist to inform your 2019 budget.

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• A Guide to Instant Payment Services: From A to Zelle

  July 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Sending and receiving money has never been easier thanks to the rise of payment apps.

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• Tips to Prepare for Your Summer Vacation

  July 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Staying safe and healthy while traveling should always be a priority; and making sure you can afford a break doesn't hurt, either.

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• How To Find The Best Cell Phone Plan For You

  June 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Making an informed decision on your next cell network provider can end up shaving off a sizeable amount from your monthly bills.

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• Saving Money With Help From Your Community

  June 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Keep in touch with your community year-round to stay apprised of great saving opportunities.

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• Quick Steps to Build Credit

  June 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Whether your score needs improvement or you don't have a credit report yet, there are a few easy ways to build credit from the ground up.

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• What Financial Documents Are Most Important to Keep?

  June 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Keeping track of financial documents is easier when you have a plan in place year-round.

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• What Really Determines Your Car Insurance Premiums?

  May 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  What determines car insurance premiums, exactly? And are there ways to lower your auto insurance premium without simply switching carriers?

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• How To Travel On A Budget: Tips And Advice

  April 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  If you've always wanted to learn how to travel on a budget, there's no better time than now.

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• Getting Your Tax Returns Filed Before the Deadline

  April 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  It's essential to get your tax returns completed as soon as possible. Here's what to know if you are filing your taxes at the last minute.

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• Teaching Your Kids About Personal Finance

  April 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  All throughout childhood, parents should act as a reliable resource for their kids when they have questions about just about anything, including money.

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• Make the Most of Mobile Banking

  March 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Have you joined the movement to mobile banking yet? If not, you might be missing out on some amazing benefits and surprising convenience.

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• Which Banking Services to Use at Different Stages of Life

  March 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  As you enter different stages of life, ensure that your bank and the services it offers are equipped to meet your needs when you're ready.

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• Planning Finances with Your Spouse or Partner

  February 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  As difficult as discussions about money are to have even in the most stable relationships, they are an essential step that should be considered.

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• Achieving Your Financial New Year's Resolutions

  February 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  It is possible to make a financial resolution that you can actually keep.

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• Vectra Bank's New Deposit Accounts

  January 2018 / Personal Banking / Share

  Learn more about Vectra Bank's new deposit accounts.

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• Use Credit Card Rewards For Holiday Spending

  December 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  One way to lighten the load from higher holiday spending is to tap into credit card rewards points.

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• Tax Deductions To Take Advantage Of

  December 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  The start of January means time to think about filing your taxes.

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• Use Health Savings Before the End of the Year

  December 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Since the costs of health care for the average person or family are often high and can vary significantly from one year to another, it's beneficial to use every tool at one's disposal to reduce them.

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• Knowing When To Switch Banks

  December 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Take the time to understand when it might be wise to switch banks.

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• Getting the Most from Credit Card Rewards

  November 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Keep in mind the basics of credit card rewards programs to pick the card that makes the most sense for your financial needs.

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• New Regulations Look To Curb Payday Lending

  November 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  The CFPB will now require and enforce a restriction that lenders only approve borrowers for loans if they have proof that they can afford them.

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• Why Grocery Prices Are Falling Around the US

  October 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  While you may not have noticed, we've been in the midst of an historic deflationary period in consumer food prices.

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• Travel Insurance: Know Before You Go

  September 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  If you're considering a travel insurance policy for your next big trip, make sure you know exactly what is covered and what you need.

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• Recent Changes in the 'Gig Economy'

  September 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  The gig economy now accounts for as much as 4 percent of the American workforce. Should you sign up?

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• Choosing the Right Student Aid Option

  August 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  There are many ways to get help with paying for college thanks to a number of programs and loan types.

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• The Best Ways to Save $500 Per Month

  August 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  It may be easier than you think to save around $500 over a month.

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• How College Grads Can Pay Off Student Loans

  July 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Before beginning the repayment process, it's essential to know the terms of the loan, including when and how you will need to pay them back.

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• New Credit Scoring Models Benefit Consumers, Businesses

  July 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Credit consumers can expect to see some changes to their reports relatively soon.

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• Buying and Selling in a Hot Housing Market

  June 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Don't be caught off guard if you're looking to own a home in a highly competitive real estate market.

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• How to Save On Student Debt With a Mortgage

  June 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  According to Fannie Mae, these initiatives could help as many as 8.5 million U.S. homeowners save on their mortgage and student loan payments.

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• The Best Ways to Lower Your Down Payment

  May 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  There are several ways to lower the down payment on a house.

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• Why Home Ownership is Still a Great Investment

  May 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  As home prices increase each year, home ownership is still a great investment.

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• Low Mortgage Rates Present New Homebuying Opportunities

  May 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Low interest rates are good news for prospective homebuyers, and the forecast still looks bright for them in the long run.

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• How to Avoid Paying Too Much for Car Insurance

  May 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  To save as much as possible on your auto insurance, start your homework as soon as you've signed the paperwork for the purchase of your vehicle.

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• Demographics of the new American homeowner

  April 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Homebuyers are getting younger as their tastes and needs continue to evolve faster than ever.

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• US gears up for the next home buying season

  April 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  As things get underway once again for 2017, the market looks poised to log yet another impressive year.

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• Choosing the best auto loan

  March 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  Shopping for a new car might be fun, but most would agree that searching for a good auto loan isn't a joy. However, that attitude could be costing us.

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• Get a head start with these tax tips

  February 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  While you don't need to have your tax returns filed until April 18, it never hurts to start preparing as early as possible.

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• How to file your taxes for free

  February 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  By taking advantage of these tools, taxpayers can save time, money and a good deal of stress.

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• Questions to ask your banker heading into the new year

  January 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  With another year wrapping up, many might now be thinking about small changes they can make to ensure 2017 is their best year yet.

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• How to spend that end-of-year bonus

  January 2017 / Personal Banking / Share

  If you receive a small windfall at the end of the year for whatever reason, you might be wondering how best to use it.

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• Get the most bang for your holiday travel buck

  December 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  The holiday season is a time for greeting, eating and gift-giving, but before any of that can happen, many of us need to travel somewhere first.

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• How a new administration may impact US real estate

  December 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Just as with any sector of the economy, U.S. real estate could stand to gain or lose through the implementation of broad fiscal and monetary policy mandated by the executive branch.

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• Maintaining good credit before purchasing a home

  November 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Credit scores may now be viewed with even more importance than ever in today's current financial environment, since many lenders appear to be tightening their credit standards.

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• How interest rate increases impact homebuyers

  November 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Homebuyers or owners especially could benefit from developing a greater understanding about the Fed and how it influences the U.S. markets.

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• Financial literacy and why it matters

  September 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Many of us overestimate our financial knowledge. That has major implications for the way we approach spending and saving.

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• Easy ways to trim holiday spending

  October 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Don't stress about holiday spending this year - use these helpful tips to reign in costs and gain a little extra cheer.

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• Financial literacy and why it matters

  September 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Many of us overestimate our financial knowledge. That has major implications for the way we approach spending and saving.

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• How to pay off debt and stick to savings goals

  September 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  It is possible to pay off even large debt balances by devising a smart, sensible plan and sticking to it.

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• 3 budgeting strategies to try

  August 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Budgeting is not unlike dieting - the basic concept behind it is pretty simple, but it's the execution where most people get tripped up.

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• What to know about changes to Social Security

  July 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  As part of the new budget, the federal government signed into law some changes to the framework of Social Security that are important to understand.

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• How to get fit on a budget

  July 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Most people are well aware of the health benefits of regular exercise. But what's less obvious are the numerous financial incentives for getting fit and staying active.

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• What new parents should know about life insurance

  July 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  If you're considering starting a policy or wondering if it's even worthwhile, keep in mind that life insurance can be a great investment.

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• How to prepare for retirement

  June 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Even though Americans are working longer, they are still nervous about their financial wellness in retirement.

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• What new credit score rules mean for you

  June 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Think you finally have credit scores figured out? Unfortunately, financial institutions are about to throw yet another curve ball your way.

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• What's the point of saving with low interest rates?

  June 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  It seems like everyone agrees that saving, just like broccoli, is good for you, even though it's no fun. Still, some may ask, what's the point?

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• How to start saving for summer

  May 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  There are plenty of smart ways to save a good amount before the thermometer even cracks 80 degrees.

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• The best ways for millennials to save

  May 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Given recent statistics on their financial situation, it seems stories about millennials and their money problems have been greatly exaggerated.

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• How to get started with investing

  May 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Anyone with a full-time job can and should be able to save a small amount toward their future goals.

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• Putting your 2016 tax return to good use

  April 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  If you're lucky enough to get a check from yourself this year, there are many smart ways to spend it.

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• What Fed interest rates mean for personal finance

  April 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Even if the Fed decided to keep raising interest rates, the effect on your savings accounts or certificates of deposit would be minor.

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• Financial resolutions for the new year

  March 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  Making a resolution for 2016 to improve spending habits or increase savings can have a great impact over the next year and beyond.

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• Preparing for tax season

  March 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  The average American worker retires at age 62, according to a 2014 Gallup poll.

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• Picking the right time to retire

  March 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  The average American worker retires at age 62, according to a 2014 Gallup poll.

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• Finding a job after turning 50

  February 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  It can be complicated for even the most accomplished workers to find steady employment after they turn 50.

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• Preparing to add new employees in 2016

  January 2016 / Personal Banking / Share

  The holiday season can be a dangerous one if you are not careful. That's because of the great risk of identity theft that exists during this time of year.

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• Creating a holiday spending budget

  December 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  The holiday season can be joyous and fun, but can also be stressful on two things you find important: your psyche and your wallet.

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• 3 Simple Savings Hacks You Can You Use Everyday

  December 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  Unfortunately, there is no secret formula to saving money.

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• Managing finances takes time and effort, but also a detailed plan.

  December 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  Managing finances takes time and effort, but also a detailed plan.

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• Teaching your kids how to manage debit and credit cards

  December 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  Teaching kids how to manage a credit card is an important lesson for parents to pass down.

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• Creating a family budget for the school year

  November 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  The kids are back in school, and your family’s budget should reflect that.

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• Retirement planning without a 401(k)

  November 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  A 401(k) is the most common retirement plan for American workers, but it’s not for everyone.

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• Mobile banking tricks to save time

  November 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  Going to the bank to deposit paychecks or withdraw cash can be a time-consuming experience. That’s why many customers are opting for digital banking on their smartphones or tablets.

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• Financial life hacks: Helpful hints to save for retirement

  November 2015 / Personal Banking / Share

  Many workers want to save money for retirement, but that task is often easier said than done.

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