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1-2 points: Good start! We’re here to talk you through the basics and to help you plan for the future. Also be sure to check out our free financial basics course.
3-4 points: Well done! You’ve got the basics down; but if you need help planning for a big purchase or life event, we can help. Start with our free course: Major Life Events.
5 points: Look at you go! Capitalize on all that great financial savvy with the right mix of tools and products you need for your plans.

No matter your score, we’re committed to helping you achieve your dreams (big and small!). Visit your local branch today, or give us a call. Let’s start something amazing together.

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How To Make A Budget The best way to save money and gain control over your finances is to make a budget. Follow these simple steps to make a budget that will save you money and bring you peace of mind about your spending. Making a Budget People often set their budgets according to a monthly schedule because most living expenses are based on monthly billing cycles. As such, it won’t hurt to spend one full month making your budget. That way you’ll come up with the most accurate data possible. Record All Your Expenses Keep track of everything you pay each month. This includes: Rent/mortgage Car payments Car warranty Utility bills Student loans Cell phone bill Gas Groceries Insurance (car, health, or any other type) Home warranty Memberships to gyms or clubs Charitable donations Many of your monthly expenses are fixed amounts. But others, such as gas and groceries, will fluctuate from one month to the next. Round slightly up for these as it’s better to come up a little short of the intended number than to go over it. Also, some payments such as car insurance might be quarterly or yearly. Figure out how much it equates to per month and factor the payment in that way. Record Your Income The next step is to tally up how much money you’re bringing in each month. If you have a job that pays hourly or by commission and each paycheck varies a little, round slightly down. It’s better to bring in a little more money than what you intended as opposed to coming up short. Do the Math Now that you know what’s going out and what’s coming in, do the math to determine how much is left over. If the difference is positive (you’re making more than you spend): Great! You have extra money that can be put in a savings account, vacation account, or to be used for fun spending money. Or, use it to chip away at those student loans or car payments. Remember, the faster you pay those off, the less you’ll spend in interest in the long run. If the difference is negative (you’re spending more than you make): You’re operating in debt and the sooner you can curb the momentum, 4 min read

3 Steps to Creating a Strong and Unique Password In today’s world, passwords have become an important part of our daily lives. We use them for everything from social media accounts to digital banking, and endless apps in between. Although it is easy to choose the same short and memorable passphrase for everything, it can leave you wide open for risk if one of those platforms is compromised. Step One: Change It Up The first step to protecting yourself from data breaches is defining secure phrases for your different accounts in order to alleviate risk. The consider the following tips to remember when selecting a password: Make sure your password is at least 12 characters Include upper-case and lower-case letters throughout Avoid keyboard paths like 45678 or asdfg Add punctuation marks within the password not just at the end Step Two: Make it Meaningful While there is strength in a lengthy password, trying to remember an array of random letters, symbols, and numbers such as YP&3U6?@DM2$ may be difficult; therefore, it is beneficial to use phrases meaningful to you, but ambiguous to others. Instead of using easily predictable passwords containing information shared online such as birthdays, anniversaries, or family names, try relating it to your favorite hobby, food, or movie in order to better protect yourself. For example, creating a password that combines your favorite movie and the last 4 digits of your best friend’s phone number like PreTTyWoM@N2849! ensures that cybercriminals cannot effortlessly hack your account. Here is a chart designed to help you better understand how easily a cybercriminal can guess your password and the time it would take for you to be hacked. Step Three: Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe The more complex your passwords, the easier it is to forget a character and get locked out. So, what’s the best solution to keep everything straight and safe? Online: Storing passphrases on your phone or computer or sending them through email or text often seems like a convenient hassle-free solution, but it creates the opportunity for hackers to obtain private information. Offline: Writing down your passwords can be the safest way to store your information, but it is still crucial to not record them word for word. Sadly, fraud often times comes from internal sources 4 min read

How to Open a Checking Account – South Carolina If you are wondering how to open a checking account in South Carolina, your local First Bank can help. The first step is deciding what type of checking account is best for you. After choosing an account that fits your needs, you will need to visit one of our branches to fill out an application. Open a Checking Account at First Bank in South Carolina With several convenient locations in South Carolina, it is easy to choose a plan that works best for you. First Bank offers three comprehensive checking accounts, each with unique benefits. Everywhere Checking Free online and mobile banking, free online bill pay, and free eStatements or paper statements.* Open an account. Everywhere Plus Interest at a minimal balance requirement. Free online and mobile banking, free online bill pay, and free eStatements or paper statements.* Everywhere Premium No First Bank transaction fees on out-of-network ATM withdrawals. Free member checks or 50% off other check designs, plus 4 free official checks per statement cycle. Interest at a minimal balance requirement. Free online and mobile banking, free online bill pay, and free eStatements or paper statements.* Students and seniors (55+) can also enjoy the benefits of checking accounts designed to meet their specific needs with Campus Checking and Senior Checking, respectively. First Bank also has options for South Carolina businesses looking to open a checking account. Business owners can choose from three accounts that range from basic to premium. We also offer a Commercial Analysis account that is designed for large business that want a custom checking service. Open a First Bank Checking Account Today If you’re ready to open a personal checking account in one of our South Carolina branches, you can either click here to open an Everywhere Checking account online, or visit a local branch to learn more. Our established team of professionals in South Carolina are ready to help you choose the best account for you. For more information about First Bank, check out our related articles: Best Bank for Checking Account – South Carolina, Checking Account Comparison, or What Do I Need to Open a Checking Account. *While First Bank does not charge for mobile banking, your mobile carrier’s message and data rates may apply. The First Bank Digital Banking 3 min read

Money and Marriage: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly A marriage merges 2 hearts, 2 lifestyles, and in some cases, 2 bank accounts. Expert opinions vary on whether couples should maintain separate accounts or combine their finances. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of each option. 6 min read

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