Good Money Moves

This week on Good Money Moves, Jenna Taubel and Diane Adams with First Alliance Credit Union list and explain ways to use your tax refund that will put you and your family in a better position to reach your financial goals.

Why do CDs get such a bad rap? This week, Good Money Moves looks into some of the myths or misconceptions about certificates of deposits. Jenna Taubel and Danielle Sommerfeldt with First Alliance Credit Union will also explain why CDs can be a good money move for meeting your financial goals.

Many people are interested in transferring their accounts to another financial institution or consolidating their accounts in one place but don't. Jenna Taubel and Danielle Sommerfeldt with First Alliance Credit Union explain how to compare financial institutions, find the one that best meets your needs, and make the switch without hassles.

There are multiple strategies available for erasing debt. Jenna Taubel and Nate Finney from First Alliance Credit Union explain some of the "pay on your own" plans for attacking piles of debt and how a debt consolidation loan can be a powerful tool for people seeking to make Good Money Moves by ridding themselves of bad debt.

Knowing the difference between good debt and bad debt can help to keep you from becoming overwhelmed by debt payments. This week, Jenna Taubel and Nate Finney with First Alliance Credit Union offer strategies for both managing debt and staying out of debt.

Many of us are now facing big credit card balances as a result of our holiday gift purchases and other holiday-related expenses. Jenna Taubel and Kim Ferraro with First Alliance Credit Union share successful strategies and tools available for paying off credit card debt as quickly as possible.

In this episode of Good Money Moves, we discuss effective strategies for setting and successfully reaching goals set at the start of the New Year that involve improving your and your family's financial health.

Understanding the basics of budgeting, managing credit, and understanding interest rates can set you up to make Good Money Moves.

Good Money Moves this week is all about interest rates. What is interest, what is compounding interest, and what do APR and APY mean? Jenna Taubel and Troy Brenhaug with First Alliance Credit Union answer those questions and explain how you can put yourself in a better position to enjoy a lower interest rate on your next loan. LISTEN:

The most common tools utilized by criminals engaged in identity theft and fraud are data breaches, phishing, and pretexting. Jenna Taubel and David Schouten with First Alliance Credit Union explain how each of the methods work and some of the "red flags" to watch out for and help protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft and fraud.

Identity theft and identity fraud are a $16 billion a year business that victimizes an estimated 1 in 15 people each year. Jenna Taubel and David Schouten with the First Alliance Credit Union discuss the scope of the problem, along with some of the more common methods used by identity thieves and ways to avoid becoming a victim.

Credit cards can be a useful financial tool if used responsibly, but all too often they are not. Jenna Taubel and Scott Wilson with the First Alliance Credit Union explore some of the ways credit cards can lead to financial problems and offer some tips and advice to avoid having that happen to you.

It's estimated Americans spend a trillion dollars a year on the holidays. That figure and others suggest it's pretty easy to overspend and leave yourself with a budget mess entering the New Year. This week, on Good Money Moves, Jenna Taubel and Scott Wilson with the First Alliance Credit Union provide some strategies and tips that can help you avoid a holiday spending hangover.

There is more than one way to develop a successful household or personal budget. On this episode of the Good Money Moves podcast, Jenna Taubel and Jordan Kaehler from First Alliance Credit Union explain the differences and advantages to a half-dozen different budget methods and how to decide which is the best for your situation.