Savings

If you’re looking to buy a house, having a larger down payment will offer you a lot less financial stress in the long run. However, in order to put a larger sum of money down, you will need to take the right steps to save. Follow these 5 steps and you will be on your way to being a first-time home owner! Step 1: Figure out how much you will need to save - If possible, secure a number or range on the amount you can responsibly spend on a house. You can plan to sit down with a mortgage lender

Asking yourself how much money you need in order to enjoy a comfortable retirement is difficult. Although it may be a challenge to figure out how much money you’ll need, a true monetary amount is different for everyone. It depends on factors such as where you’ll live, how healthy you are, and what you want to achieve in retirement. For example: travel or try exciting, new adventures. Ultimately, it depends on your lifestyle. But, here are some general guidelines to help you refine your

In a 2016 study, it was found that 43% of students do not track their spending while 58% said they do not save money every month. From that, it is shown that 7 out of 10 students are stressed out about their finances. It can be quite the adjustment for students to transition from high school to college. This new stage of your life can be filled with many mixed emotions and late night adventures. In just a matter of time you are living in a brand new environment, meeting new people, taking new classes

Savvy savers are full of great ideas and qualities, so those who aren’t the best at keeping our finances in check are always left wondering how they do it. Thankfully, BANK offers a bucket list with some of the expert saver’s top priorities you can strive to meet! Pay off your credit card debt. As the average American has $16,000 worth of credit card debt, focusing on paying off yours can be a big financial undertaking. There are different methods you can utilize such as The Snowball

Congratulations! You’ve taken a big step in your financial future by purchasing your first home. As a new homeowner, you may be worried about the chunk of change you just spent, and your bank account may be looking a little slim right now. Luckily, BANK is here with a few simple saving solutions to help your funds increase. Slow Your Spending As you have just made a big dent in your savings, now is the time to slow down on your purchasing behavior. Be sure to be aware of your spending

Say ‘I Do’ to savings and “no” to debt on your big day. Weddings can grow out of control and expensive in no time when the planning begins. That’s why it's important to learn savvy ways to save before you walk down the aisle. Luckily, BANK offers a few creative ideas to trim your wedding budget. Cut the Cake Many couples now are ditching the idea of cake and doing mini cupcakes or a donut bar. Find something that fits your quirky personality and go that route.

Nobody wants to be consumed with worrying about their finances. Debt for most people is a fact of life. Unless you have a stroke of luck with the lottery, or a Daddy Warbucks, you are probably unable to pay cash for life’s most important purchases: a car, house or your college education. The goal with debt is to take on good debt that will provide opportunities and income advancement. Bad debt is purchasing items with no return on your investment, with their value quickly depleting. Bad

When it comes to preparing your finances for certain occasions, natural disasters usually aren’t one of the events that come to mind. However, not creating an emergency fund for the unexpected could hurt you immensely since Mother Nature doesn't care whether you’re prepared or not. That’s why BANK has put together a few tips on how you can ready yourself for a natural disaster. Make Your Fund a Priority While some disasters come with a warning, others do not. If you

Magic is one type of entertainment that will never go out of style. Whether it’s David Blaine and his shocking stunts, or newly famous films such as Now You See Me, this classic art has proved to truly stand the test of time. While BANK may not be the best at slight of hand, we do have a few savings tricks up our sleeves! See if you can understand the steps to these financial stunts and make your fiscal success appear out of thin air.   Make your money disappear (into your savings!) Before

When you and your sweetheart set your budget each month, there are a variety of factors at play. Where can you get the best deals on groceries? How many date nights will you have each week? Do the kids have any sporting activities that require new equipment? At Iowa State Bank we recognize that everyone’s budget is different. No matter which categories you enjoy most, we’d love to showcase some great examples to help you find extra ways to save, and better identify which costs are worth