Good Money Moves

Creating a budget is a very individualized process, but there are some guidelines. Jenna Taubel and Jordan Kaehler from First Alliance Credit Union explain some of the parameters you should follow when setting up a successful budget for the first time and offer some suggestions for taming some of your expenses if you find they don't match your spending priorities.

Jenna Taubel and Danielle Sommerfeldt from First Alliance Credit Union highlight the advantages of having a budget and describe the steps for creating a simple budget that realistically accounts for your monthly income and expenses.

A key step for anyone wishing to make Good Money Moves is to create a monthly budget. Unfortunately, a large majority of Americans do not have a household budget and lack crucial information needed for improving their financial health. On this week's Good Money Moves, Jenna Taubel and Danielle Sommerfeldt with First Alliance Credit Union explore some of the reasons two-thirds of us do not actively budget our monthly income and expenses.

Today's savers have a wide range of account options to choose from when making Good Money Moves. Jenna Taubel and Kim Ferraro from First Alliance Credit Union describe some of the options available, ranging from Money Market and Certificate of Deposit accounts for the more savvy saver to incentive savings accounts to help the new saver get started.

While saving money is crucial for your financial health, choosing the right savings account is also important. Jenna Taubel and Kim Ferraro from First Alliance Credit Union explain how credit union savings are insured by the federal government and the various fees you might be charged by banks and credit unions for having a savings account. Knowing what fees are charged and how much is charged can have a significant impact on your ability to meet your savings goals.

Everyone knows saving money is a Good Money Move, but how much money should you save? This week on Good Money Moves, Jenna Taubel and Michelle Dodd from First Alliance Credit Union explore how you can answer that question by starting small and deploying a strategy known as S.M.A.R.T Goals to develop an actionable plan that meets your individual situation

Jenna Taubel and Michelle Dodd from First Alliance Credit Union explore some of the reasons behind the statistics that show many Americans are not good savers. They also explain the importance of saving money and some common difficulties or challenges that can be avoided by having adequate funds available in a savings account.

This week's Good Money Moves explores some of the options available to people overwhelmed by multiple debt payments. Jenna Taubel and LeAnne Trom from First Alliance Credit Union explain why a debt consolidation loan is the best option for most people while also exploring some of the less attractive alternatives, including debt settlement programs and bankruptcy.

Your ability to secure a debt consolidation loan is dependent on many factors, particularly your credit score. Jenna Taubel and LeAnne Trom from First Alliance Credit Union ​explain that a poor score does not necessarily disqualify a person from taking advantage of a debt consolidation loan to improve their financial health and discuss some paths that can be pursued depending on the individual's situation.

On this week's Good Money Moves program, Jenna Taubel and Troy Brenhaug from First Alliance Credit Union highlight the different types of debt consolidation loans available and provide some insight on which type would likely be the most appropriate in certain situations.

Jenna Taubel and Troy Brenhaug from First Alliance Credit Union explain how a debt consolidation loan works and how it can help a person simplify and improve their financial situation.

Making Good Money Moves can have a positive impact on your credit rating in a relatively short amount of time. Jenna Taubel and Hayley Howard from the First Alliance Credit Union explains some of the steps you can take to make sure your credit score does not sour. Plus, learn some steps you can take to rebuild your credit rating if you’ve run into trouble or how to start building your credit history.

Jenna Taubel and Hayley Howard with the First Alliance Credit Union explain how a consumer can positively influence their credit score. Making timely payments is obvious, but the credit rating agencies also look at capacity and utilization, and the type of debt a person holds and how they manage that debt can have a major impact.

Good Money Moves this week is focused on the importance of knowing and monitoring your credit score. Jenna Taubel and Robin Fries with the First Alliance Credit Union explain how it's a number that can have a profound impact on much more than your ability to obtain credit and the interest rates you pay. They also provide crucial information on how to monitor your score, what can cause it to change, and what to do if there are errors.