Budgeting and Goals Articles

Learn how to set and stick to a budget to achieve your financial goals.

Learn About Budgeting and Goals

Check out these articles to get tips and tools for creating and maintaining your budget so you can get where you want to be.

All Budgeting and Goals Credit: Score and More Family Finances Fending Off Fraud Invest, Invest, Invest Paying Off Debt Personal Finance 101 Homeownership Retirement Filing Your Taxes Student Loans For Teens

Tips to Freshen up Your Budget First Bank Clients: Are you using your MyMoney tools in online banking? MyMoney Manage your budget, track your spending, and modify your debt payback plan – all from your First Bank online banking account. Learn how Start with your (e)mail. Do you have a system for keeping your mail organized and sorted? Credit card and loan statements, bank statements, bills, and receipts can pile up quickly. An organized mail area in your home is the first step in keeping track of your bills and expenses. Bring that cleaning momentum into your email inbox and organize your e-statements too. If your email inbox is piling up, it might be time to clean it out. Here are a few email cleaning suggestions. Tally up your monthly expenses. You can use paper and a pencil, a spreadsheet, or budgeting software. Choose a method you are most comfortable with and get started. If you search for budgeting templates in Google, you’ll find a seemingly endless number of options. A template similar to this option from Microsoft is a good starting point for logging your expenses in a spreadsheet. Check in with your automatic and recurring transactions. Many utility providers, subscription services, and credit cards offer automatic payment options. Autopay enrollment is a great way to ensure you won’t miss a payment, but it can become easy to lose track of where your money is being spent. If you like the convenience of automatic payments but want to keep a better eye on those transactions, consider enrolling in Bill Pay. At First Bank, our Bill Pay system allows you to manage all of your payments from one place. Learn more about First Bank Bill Pay here. Predict your variable expenses. Examples of variable expenses are food, gas, clothing, pet care, prescriptions, etc. that change each month. These are more difficult to pin down, but there are a number of ways to do it. You can either look into the past and add up expenses from each spending category, or you can track those expenses moving forward in real time. Whichever your preference, having a strong understanding of how much you should be spending on non-fixed expenses each month will give you a more accurate picture of your discretionary spending. For a list of common personal budgeting categories, click here. Refine your debt repayment and savings goals. It’s hard to choose between prioritizing debt repayment or saving for the future. While you want to avoid paying unnecessary interest and penalties on your debts, it’s also important to have an emergency savings fund so that you’re less likely to incur more debt when unexpected expenses arise. Many experts recommend having enough saved to cover 3-6 months of expenses. First Bank offers a number of savings account options so that you can keep that money separate from your checking account. Did you know that First Bank credit cards offer $0 balance transfer fees? Here is a helpful calculator to see if a First Bank credit card is right for you. If you’re struggling with making your debt payments, you’re not alone. Our bankers understand that circumstances can be tough and everyone has a different financial story. We want you to feel comfortable talking about you finances and confident in creating a successful path forward. Please reach out to your local First Bank and we’ll do what we can to help you get back on track. Use your discretion. With recent cost of living increases, your typical discretionary expenses are most likely also increasing and could be throwing off your budget. Depending on your debt and savings goals, you might want to readjust your discretionary spending to allocate more for debt payments and savings deposits. MyMoney: Your First Bank Advantage If you’re a First Bank client, log in to your online banking account and explore the Financial Tools section (also known as MyMoney). This service will create a budget snapshot for you. To ensure accuracy, you’ll want to link all of your active banking accounts and customize your spending categories. Find MyMoney instructions here. One of our favorite ways to use MyMoney is to select the ‘Trends’ tab and view your monthly trends by category. You’ll have a nice breakdown of each expense category with the amount spent shown per month. 4 min read

Back to Budgeting Basics: Using Digital Tools to Ace Your Finances At First Bank, we have a range of powerful tools and techniques that will empower you to ace your finances. Let’s dive in and discover how these financial tools can help you excel in your journey to achieve financial wellness. It takes time and commitment to create and stick to a budget, but First Bank can help you with: Setting Your Budget Paying Your Bills on Time Staying on Track Setting Your Budget It can be difficult to set your budget if you aren’t keeping track of where you are spending money. Sure, you could be old school and maintain a register book, but we live in the age of technology. Why not find some digital tools to help you? MyMoney is a money management tool that helps you manage your budget, track your spending, and modify your payback plans for debts all in one space. First Bank ensures this tool is automatically integrated into your online banking and allows you to view your transactions by categories so you can easily track your spending and keep your budget organized. You can link accounts you have with other institutions so you have a full snapshot analysis of your financial patterns and have the full picture when you go to set your budget. Total Amount $1,578.64 Select to ViewTransactions Track your cashflow with MyMoney. Manage your budget, track your spending, and modify your payback plans for debts. Get Organized 4 min read

How to Save for Periods Without a Paycheck Did you know that two out of five wage and salary earners over the age of 15 know their schedule less than one month in advance? If that sounds like you, or if you’re a teacher on a 10-month pay cycle, try this calculator to help you figure out the best approach to savings during those periods without pay. 1 min read

Three Tips to Building Your Emergency Savings Trying to stay on top of your finances and budgeting for monthly expenses can be stressful, especially when unexpected car repairs, job related issues, or natural disasters occur. We want to make sure that you are fully prepared in case any unexpected life altering events happen and fortunately there’s a way you can do so. Starting to build your emergency savings can help you when you find yourself in a bind. Emergency savings, or an emergency fund, allows you to build a savings buffer, so that you do not have to worry about how to pay for unforeseen financial emergencies. If you don’t know where to start with saving for emergencies, here are a few tips to help get you started. Create a budget. Creating a budget helps you estimate how much you are spending. You can adjust a budget to show how much you are spending on a monthly or weekly basis. This helps you visualize where your money is going and how much of your income you have left over after paying bills. Having a budget can also help you determine wants vs. needs. Determining needs over wants can free up more money from things that aren’t necessities. Determine how much to put into your emergency savings. Money experts recommend having three to six months’ worth of expenses saved in your emergency savings. However, once a budget has been created and you see how much extra income you have, you can decide how much is reasonable to put into an emergency fund. Don’t be discouraged if it seems like you aren’t saving enough initially. Everyone’s situation may vary and as you become more comfortable saving, adjustments can be made. Determine where to keep your emergency fund. Figuring out where to keep your emergency savings is completely up to you, but make sure to keep it in a place that is easily accessible. A few options for savings are a savings account, checking account, or certificate of deposit. No matter which option you choose, we have associates ready and available to help get you started. Find your local branch today and start getting your savings in order. Want to continue learning how to make your money go further? Take 3 min read

Teach Teens to Save: Banking Tips For A Financial Future We know learning may look a little different these days, so we’ve put together a guide to help boost your teen’s knowledge of banking. In this guide, you and your teen will find information on: Working their way around a check – Yes, they still exist! Setting up a financial future – Start sooner than later. Life hacks on saving time and money – Who wouldn’t want that? Get your teen thinking about their financial future, and download this free guide today! For additional resources, check out these interactive courses on Starting Out, Financial Basics, and Paying for College. 1 min read

The Taxman Cometh Do you have a stack of forms sitting on your counter that you’re dreading sorting through? If so, you might have FOTM, or Fear of the Tax Man. It can often hit around February or March, and is incredibly common. One way of dealing with FOTM is by getting your finances ready so that when it comes time to file, you feel a little better. Here are our tips and to-dos to help you prepare. Start Early (If You Can) Ideally, you’ve already started this process, but if you’re reading this and haven’t started pulling your tax information together, don’t panic. Keep it together: Make sure you keep all the tax documents you receive together so they’re easy to find and reference when it’s time to file. If you are getting help preparing your taxes, this will also make the process much smoother. If you have a business, make sure you keep those expenses separate. Review your filing status: Your filing status can affect how much you owe in taxes each year, and whether or not you have to file at all. If you’re unsure about your filing status, the IRS has a tool for helping you figure it out. Look back at last year’s return: Think about what areas (if any) were frustrating or caused you trouble. Prepare ahead of time this year for how you might make it easier for yourself. Deduce your deductibles: Track your charitable donations, childcare expenses, any home improvements you made, and any other deductibles you may have. You can use our mobile or online banking to help track these. Get it done. Whether you file on your own or use a tax preparer, make sure you get everything in by July 15 or file an extension! Check out the IRS tips page for links and articles that may further help and guide you. Remember, FOTM is real, but if you’re prepared, you can alleviate the fear. Please note, First Bank does not offer direct tax advice. We recommend you speak to a professional if you have any questions about preparing your personal or business tax forms. 2 min read

How Much Should You Have In Savings at Age 25? If you’re wondering how much you should have in savings by the time you’re 25, you’re already on the right track. At an age where financial independence becomes increasingly more important, how much you can save depends on a number of factors, including income and debt. Savings at Age 25 Many experts agree that most young adults in their 20s should allocate 10% of their income to savings. One of the worst pitfalls for young adults is to push off saving money until they’re older. If you begin at 10% and find that you still have money left over by the time you receive your next paycheck, you may be able to comfortably increase the amount you’re saving per month. You should also consider saving for retirement. CNN Money offers retirement savings suggestions based on your income level: Income Amount Saved Per Year $40,000 $4,000 $65,000 $6,500 $90,000 $9,000 $115,000 $11,500 Financial Goals to Make Saving Easier As nice as saving 10% may sound, there are other factors that can impact to how much you may actually be able to save, including necessary expenses and debt. Here are some milestones that can help you save money each month and help your credit and future purchases: Pay off auto loans, credit card debts and other consumer debts as soon as possible. This does not include student loans and mortgages. You’ll want to focus on the higher interest debt first. Save three months’ worth of living expenses in case of job loss or emergencies. This will allow you to create an emergency fund in case you encounter unexpected financial hardships. Start investing your money in stocks, real estate or bonds. One of the easiest ways to do this is to take advantage of a 401(k) or other retirement fund offered by your employer. Often, employers will match your contribution, so this is a good way to maximize your investment and make it grow quickly. Visit a First Bank Location Today Regardless of your age, it’s important to make savings a priority. If you’re in your 20s and getting started, it can help to have some professional advice. To learn more, turn to the financial advisors at your local First Bank.* We help 3 min read

Highest Yield Savings Account A high yield savings account is a great way to grow your money over the long term. First Bank has several options for those searching for the highest yield savings account available to them. Read on to learn more about the best ways to save your money for the future. Save Your Hard-Earned Cash With A First Bank High Yield Savings Account First Bank offers high yield savings accounts that will help you save your hard earned cash, so you can spend it however you want to in the future. Our Money Market Account gives you access to your savings, while you earn interest at a higher rate than most other savings account options. Money Market Account benefits include: 6 free withdrawals per month* Interest-earning account access $1,000 minimum required to open account Free online and mobile banking* Easy money transfers Free eStatements or paper statements A certificate of deposit is also a good option for anyone looking for the highest yield savings account possible. If you do not need immediate access to your funds, a CD usually offers higher interest rates than savings and money market accounts. First Bank’s CDs are safe, FDIC-insured investments, and typically offer fixed interest rates. Learn More About High Yield Savings Accounts Today To learn more about the highest yield savings accounts in North Carolina and South Carolina, visit our website or stop by your local First Bank branch. ——— Sources: Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/high-yield-savings-account.asp *Withdrawal fee of $15 each after the first six free during the month. Federal regulations limit withdrawals of preauthorized transfers to six (6) per month, including checks, drafts, online transfers, telephone transfers and debit card purchases. You may conduct an unlimited number of withdrawals at the ATM, in person at a branch, or by mail when the check is mailed to you. *While First Bank does not charge for mobile banking, your mobile carrier’s message and data rates may apply. 2 min read

11 Easy Tips for Saving Money Saving money is important if you want to be prepared for future financial surprises or hardships and establish peace of mind. But sometimes, finding extra funds to set aside is a challenge. These simple money saving tips can show you new ways to save and fill your savings account up in no time. 11 Great Money Saving Tips 1. Switch your bank account. If your current bank account charges you fees, you might consider switching to a bank that offers you ways to keep your account hassle free. First Bank* offers five different checking account options. 2. Save loose change. Save money by storing loose change in a jar. Once the jar is full, you can cash in the change at your bank and deposit the money into a savings account. 3. Create a budget. By creating a budget, you’ll be able to see where you can cut back your expenses and save money each month. 4. Making a shopping list and stick to it. Instead of going to the store without a plan, try creating a shopping list and not straying from it. This way you won’t be tempted to buy things you don’t absolutely need. 5. Avoid dining out. Dining out is expensive. You can save a ton of money each month by simply eating at home. And if you have to eat out for an event or because you’re running low on time, you won’t feel guilty spending the money because you’ve been saving all month. 6. Cancel cable. As great as television is, cable is an unnecessary expense. If you’re really looking for ways to save money, consider canceling your cable subscription. 7. Make coffee at home. The average American worker spends about $14.40 on coffee per week. By making coffee at home, you could save around $1,100 annually. 8. Cancel unused memberships. Have a gym membership you never use? What about a subscription to a magazine you never read? Look at all of your recurring membership fees and cancel the ones that you’re not using on a regular basis. 9. Shop generic. Often, generic items are just as good as their name brand counterparts. Choosing the generic brand when grocery shopping can save you tons of money on your bill. And to save even more money, don’t forget to sign up 3 min read

3 Tips for Saving Money in Your 20s Saving money in your 20s may seem like an impossible task, but did you know that your 20s is actually prime time to start setting money aside for you future? If you’re wondering how to save money in your 20s, follow these three simple tips for managing your funds and setting yourself up for a financially successful future. 3 Important Money Saving Tips for Young Adults 1. Start an emergency fund. An emergency fund is one of the most important things you can establish in your twenties. Should you experience any financial hardships, such as unemployment, unexpected medical expenses, or an expensive car repair, your emergency fund will be there to cover you. But how much money should you save? That depends on how much you spend each month. Money Under 30 suggests having at least three months of expenses saved up. You can use their Emergency Fund Calculator to get a better idea of how much you should be putting away. 2. Mange your budget. Take a close look at your budget—especially your entertainment budget—to see where you can cut back. Adults in their twenties often spend money on entertainment, like concerts with friends and weekend travel plans, and these areas are often where you can cut back the most. The Penny Hoarder suggests taking charge in your group of friends and making sure your plans are reasonably priced. 3. Pay down your debt. Paying down your loans now will save you money in the future. Forbes recommends focusing on your emergency fund and retirement savings first, then paying off any debt with interest rates over 7%. For interest rates over 7%, you’re likely save more on interest than you would earn by investing that money. Always consult a financial advisor or debt expert before making decisions on consolidation or pay off. Save Money with First Bank Following these three simple money management tips is a great way to reach your savings goals. For more money management tips, check out First Bank’s Financial Education Center or contact us to learn more about our savings accounts. ——— Sources: Betterment: https://www.betterment.com/resources/investment-strategy/strategy-investing-in-your-20s/ Money Under 30: http://www.moneyunder30.com/emergency-fund-calculator PennyHoarder: http://www.thepennyhoarder.com/managing-money-in-your-early-20s/ Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/financialfinesse/2014/03/06/should-you-increase-savings-first-or-pay-down-debt/#7ae4e10b33e6 2 min read

How Much Should a 40-Year-Old Have Saved for Retirement? Are you 40 years old and concerned about your savings? Just how much should you have saved for your retirement by now? There’s no precise answer to give you, but there are some savings recommendations based on income. If you don’t meet these suggestions just yet, don’t panic. The key is to get on the right track right away, and these guidelines can help you do exactly that. Income-Based Savings for a 40 Year Old While some financial advisors suggest having your savings match your annual income, others suggest a more ambitious goal of having three times your salary in savings. That means an estimated savings range of: Income Estimated Range in Savings $50,000 $50,000 — $150,000 $75,000 $75,000 — $225,000 $100,000 $100,000 — $300,000 $150,000 $150,000 — $450,000 $200,000 $200,000 — $600,000 Financial Goals for Your 40s By your 40s, you should focus on these three financial goals if you don’t already have them in order: Pay off as much of your credit card and consumer debt as possible Ensure your emergency fund is ready and available if and when you need it Grow your retirement account, even on its own Are you struggling to make these things happen? You might consider the tips below to help you get on the right track. Create a budget. By knowing how much you spend each month, whether on eating out, fixing home repairs or car problems, or paying phone bills, you can more easily visualize how much you need to save. Take advantage of employer-matched retirement. Whether it’s a 401(k) or an IRA plan, or something entirely different, make the most of what your employer is offering you. It’s the easiest and least painful way to save money for retirement. Learn what counts as a true emergency. Differentiate between what should require you to dip into your savings and what isn’t a true necessity. If you need assistance planning for your future and creating a solid savings, First Bank* can help. First Bank is a community bank and has been helping residents of North Carolina and South Carolina reach their financial goals since 1935. Find a branch near you to speak with a financial advisor today. ——— Sources: Time: http://business.time.com/2012/09/21/what-you-should-save-by-35-45-and-55-to-be-on-target/ Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/10/24/40-money-things-you-need-to-know-by-40/#4c620e126cb4 Investment and insurance products and services are offered through Osaic Institutions, 3 min read

Get a Hassle-Free Checking Account with First Bank Figuring out where to get a hassle-free checking account doesn’t have to be hard. First Bank offers five different types of hassle-free checking accounts that don’t have monthly maintenance fees as long as minimum requirements are met. Types of Hassle-Free Checking Accounts at First Bank All of our personal checking accounts feature free online and mobile banking, free online bill pay, and free eStatements or paper statements. Everywhere Checking: Rewards benefits when you use your eligible First Bank credit card. How to Keep It Fee Free™ Maintain a $600 minimum balance, or Maintain an average collected balance of $1,200, or Receive a direct deposit of any amount during the monthly statement cycle Everywhere Plus: All the benefits of Everywhere Checking, plus the chance to earn interest at a minimal balance requirement. How to Keep It Fee Free™ Maintain a $1,200 minimum balance, or Maintain an average collected balance of $2,400 Everywhere Premium: All the benefits of Everywhere Plus, plus no First Bank transaction fees on out-of-network ATM withdrawals, rewards benefits with eligible credit cards, and free member checks. How to Keep It Fee Free™ Maintain a $5,000 minimum balance, or Maintain an average collected balance of $10,000, or Maintain $20,000 in personal deposits (Checking, Savings, Money Market, CD, IRA), or $20,000 in outstanding personal loan or HELOC balances Campus Checking: No monthly maintenance fees and no First Bank transaction fees on eight out-of-network ATM withdrawals per month. Earn cash back at hundreds of online retailers. Available to students ages 16-25. How to Keep It Fee Free™ Typically free for enrolled college or graduate students under the age of 25 Senior Checking: For seniors 55 and older. Rewards benefits when you use your eligible First Bank credit card. Free basic checks or 50% off other check designs. How to Keep It Fee Free™ Maintain a $600 minimum or $1,200 average balance, or Make a monthly direct deposit of $250 or more* Contact a First Bank Specialist Today Now that you know where to get a hassle-free checking account, Visit a First Bank branch to speak with one of our experts today and start saving. *Account holders may avoid the Monthly Maintenance Fee by meeting any of the requirements listed in the Keep it Fee 3 min read

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