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Personal Finances Articles

From personal finance to paying off debt, credit score insights, and more — you’ll find everyday financing basics here.

Learn About Everyday Finances

Understanding how to manage your money is the first step to financial health. To help our communities, we’ve compiled articles with helpful tips for stretching your hard-earned dollars further. For a deeper dive on financial topics below, you can also check out our financial wellness courses.

All Budgeting and Goals Credit: Score and More Family Finances Fending Off Fraud Paying Off Debt Personal Finance 101 Homeownership Retirement
State of the Housing Market 4 Common Costs Of Renovating An Older Home You’re on the market for your first home, and a great deal comes across on an older home. You love the potential it has, but then a question comes to mind: how much will it cost to renovate this house? 5 min read
Image for tile. Hold That Line: Protect Yourself from Credit Card Fraud We asked our skilled team of fraud detection experts in the BankCard department for the best steps to follow if you receive an unexpected but somewhat convincing call about fraud on your card. 2 min read
Image for tile. How Your Healthy-Eating Resolution Saves Calories and Money To get tips on mindful eating and spending, we talked with Jessica Thiefels, a full-time blogger and ACE Certified Personal Trainer, as well as an NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition specialist and the owner of her own personal training business, Honest Body Fitness in San Diego. If you made a resolution to eat healthier this year and need a boost to keep going, get excited because it turns out you’ll save a lot more than a few extra calories. You Eat Out Less Often The top expense for most people is eating out. In fact, 2014 data reveals the average American spends $232 per month eating food prepared outside the house. When eating healthy, however, a restaurant is the worst place to be. With no idea of how much salt, butter, dairy, and oil goes into a dish, you could be eating double or triple the amount of fat you should have in one day. You soon come to realize that eating in is not only less stressful because you control the ingredients and portions, but that it’s saving you hundreds of dollars a month. Planned Eating Cuts Down on Food Expenses When eating healthy, it’s important to plan your meals and snacks in advance so that when your 3 pm craving rolls around, you can reach into your trusty stash of almonds nearby to avoid hunting for sweets instead. This healthy eating strategy helps you save at the grocery store. When you know what you need, you can buy just that. All too often we buy more than is necessary and end up tossing it. This is a nationwide problem, with 40% of food in the United States going uneaten. This means we throw away the equivalent of $165 billion dollars each year, according to the National Resources Defense Council. By planning your healthy meals for the week, you waste less and save more. Vegetables Are Versatile Vegetables are not only some of the cheapest items in the grocery store, but they can be used in so many ways. Save money and time by buying them when they’re fresh and freezing some for future meals, or by simply buying them frozen to begin with. “Frozen vegetables are a lifesaver and can 4 min read
Assortment of cleaning products and supplies on wooden floor 5 Steps to Kick off Your Spring Cleaning It may be hard to believe, but spring is just around the corner. We’re here to guide you through the spring cleaning process one step at a time. 3 min read
A living room and dining room in house The Right Age to Buy a House Although buying a house for the first time is a big decision, it turns out there is no perfect age to do it. When it comes to taking the plunge, it’s more about individual readiness. 3 min read
Insurance agent showing family an ipad screen Considering Long-Term Care Insurance? Read This First If you’ve worked hard, invested wisely and had some luck, you should have enough income after retirement to live comfortably. But what happens if you develop a chronic illness or disability in your golden years? 4 min read
Image for tile. 7 Tips to Help You Protect Your Identity To help protect you from fraudsters, we’ve compiled this list of handy tips. 4 min read
Row of cars in a car sales lot Buying Your First New Car: What to Know It’s a moment to savor: getting your first vehicle, enjoying the new-car smell, taking pride in ownership. Here are some things to consider before you sign on the dotted line. 3 min read
Image for tile. Where Your Locally Spent Dollar Goes [Infographic] An illustrated look at what happens when you spend a dollar or two in your hometown. 1 min read
Phone with First Bank mobile app on table with coffee Is Mobile Banking Safe? Americans love their smart phones. The reasons for their adoration are seemingly endless. They Facebook. They text. They Google. They listen to music and watch movies. They take photos and video. They GPS their way to new destinations. And increasingly, they bank. First Bank has offered customers a mobile banking app since 2008, and in the recent years added increasingly popular features such as mobile check deposit, a P2P services, and financial management and budgeting tools. Unlike larger regional and national banks, who are constantly adding “shiny” new app features in an effort to draw new customers, smaller community banks like First Bank wait until the technology is more proven. It doesn’t take much longer, but our goal is to maintain a top level of security and a good customer experience. Consumers who are new to mobile banking might not realize that banking through an app is more secure than through a web browser, says Cary Whaley, vice president of payments and technology policy at the Washington-based Independent Community Bankers of America. The vast majority of fraud involves credit/debit cards and checks, rather than from mobile apps, Whaley said. With a mobile app, the bank knows with whom it’s dealing. The app typically cannot be accessed without a password or challenge question, and now, with biometrics such as a fingerprint and FaceID. “That’s pretty powerful security,” Whaley said. “We would call that 2-factor authentication.” Ready to get started with mobile banking? Download the app today. 2 min read
Couple smiling in kitchen Simplifying the Home Buying Process The home buying process can be daunting, especially for first-timers. When should I start looking? How much do I need for a downpayment? Fear not! We’ve got you covered. 1 min read
Hand and hammer working on roofing with shingles Roof Maintenance Tips Severe roof damage can seriously disrupt your life, wreaking havoc on your home as well as your wallet. Here are some basic things you can do to care for your roof and maximize its life expectancy. 4 min read

Explore Courses to Grow Your Personal Finances

Illustration of charts and account notes. Financial Basics Get off on the right foot with the right financial tools. 13 Topics
Illustration of car and house. Major Life Events Big life events don’t have to mean big financial headaches. 13 Topics
Illustration of buildings and houses. Financial Caregiving Learn what you should know about handling another person’s finances. 6 Topics
Illustration of books and money. Paying for College Study up on ways to pay for that diploma. 10 Topics
Illustration of a piggy bank with an umbrella above it. Building Financial Resilience Learn how to bounce back from financial setbacks. 11 Topics
Illustration of a piggy bank and smart phone. Starting Out Take smarter first steps into personal banking. 5 Topics
Illustration of password field, lock, and fingerprint. Identity Protection Safeguard your identity and your financial future. 6 Topics
Illustration of clipboard with charts, a credit card, and a calculator. Family Financial Planning Bring the family together to talk about a financial plan. 7 Topics
First Bank personal credit card with rewards attached to a clipboard. Get rewarded for qualified everyday purchases View Credit Cards
Smartphones showing First Bank MyMoney financial charts. Discover the joy of financial clarity with MyMoney View Features
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