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 Now is the right time to start perfecting the art of saving.

“Pay yourself first” is a catchphrase that means prioritizing your personal savings above other expenses. Savings should not be an afterthought or an extra that only happens if there’s money left over at the end of the month. Putting aside money should be a fixed line on your budget that happens every month without fail. 

Here’s how to successfully pay yourself first.

Government impostor scams decreased in 2021 after peaking during the pandemic, but scam victims still lost twice as much money that year to fake government agents, according to new research from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

With government impostor scams, someone claims they’re with a government agency so they can swindle money or personal information from unsuspecting victims.

The Summer is here and you’ll be making lots of purchases with your debit and credit cards to prepare for your vacation getaways, family outings, and events with friends. So you can get enough bang for your buck, We Florida Financial has put together the below list of items our South Florida credit union members should buy and skip this Summer:

Buy: Patriotic items

Pledge your allegiance along with your favorite retailers when buying almost anything under the sun in red, white and blue. Of course, you’ll also find discounted fireworks and July 4th decor, which can be stored for next year’s Independence Day festivities. 

Skip: Sunglasses

If you need a new pair of shades, you’re best off waiting a bit before springing for a new pair. Sunglasses are still retailing at full price this month, and won’t start to see discounts until September. For even steeper savings, pick up a new pair of shades in October. 

Q: Is it a good idea to use my We Florida Financial credit card to pay for gas?

A: People commonly use their debit cards or pay in good old-fashioned cash when filling up on fuel, but there are several advantages to using a credit card to pay for gas. Here are four reasons our members should use your credit card to pay at the pump. 

Leaving college often means the start of a new job, new living arrangements to pay for and other new expenses to cover. All of this means your finances will likely need an overhaul. It’s time to create your post-college budget.

If you’ve been working with a budget throughout college, you’ll already have the concept down pat. You’ll want to rework the numbers to incorporate your new expenses, as well as your new salary. If you’ve floated by on a wing and a prayer while in school, you’ll have to start at the very beginning as you build a workable budget to manage your finances.

If you’re looking to fund a home improvement project, consider tapping into your home’s equity with a home equity line of credit, or a HELOC.

What is a HELOC?

A HELOC is a revolving credit line allowing homeowners to borrow money against the equity of their home. Borrowers can withdraw money as needed during a set amount of time known as the “draw period,” which generally lasts 10 years.

Scammers are always dreaming up new ways to con people out of their money. Recently, they’ve figured out a “quick” way by hijacking QR codes. Here’s what to know about QR code scams and how to avoid them. 

Consumer debt can be one of the biggest challenges to financial wellness. With some intentional action and commitment, reaching true financial wellness is possible!

Here’s how to pay down or off your debt in five simple steps:

1. Organize your debt

List every credit card you own along with an outstanding balance. Jot down the amount owed to each card issuer. Next, list the interest rate of each card. Repeat these steps for other loans you may have as well. 

How much do you know about credit unions? Test yourself on these 8 myths: How many did you believe until today?

Myth #1: You must meet strict eligibility requirements.

Fact: While credit unions do require that members meet certain requirements to satisfy a common bond, many of these are broad, and few of them truly limit membership.

If you’re in the market for a new car or truck, you’re likely also shopping for an auto loan. Your auto loan will affect your monthly budget for the full term of the loan, so it’s important to do your research and make an informed decision before finalizing it. Here’s all you need to know about auto loans and how to choose the one that’s best for you. 

Tax season is stressful enough without adding vulnerability to identity theft to your list of things to worry about. To keep your sensitive personal information safe, however, you should be a little worried, though – or at least alert and informed enough to know a tax scam when you see one.
Tax scammers have several common tricks they use to lure taxpayers into handing over personal information that can be used for identity theft. Knowing what to look for is key to avoiding tax scams this tax season.

Q: What should be on my financial to-do list this spring?

A: It’s wonderful that you’re using the season to clean up your finances. Let’s review some ways you can improve your money management this time of year.

When trying to trim a monthly budget, most people don’t even consider their fixed expenses; however, with just a bit of effort and research, most of these costs can be reduced.

1. Consider a refinance

Trim your mortgage payments by refinancing at a lower interest rate. It will cost a bit, but you can roll closing costs and other fees into your refinance loan. Plus, the money you save each month should more than offset these costs. A refinance is especially smart in a falling-rates environment or if your credit score has improved a lot.

If you’re like most Americans, you’ve probably noticed your grocery bills climb to crazy heights during the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past 12 months, all of the six major grocery store food group prices increased, according to the November 2021 Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Spend less, save more, pay down debt — how can you make 2022 the year you actually stick to these and other financial resolutions? To help answer that, we’ve compiled a list of tips. 

Quiet. Calm. Clean. And empty.

These are just some words that may come to mind when your youngest kiddo leaves the nest. No stray sneakers cluttering up the hallway. No trail of school papers. You may even get the TV remote to yourself!

With the sun setting by 6 pm since we fell back for Daylight Saving Time, it’s more important than ever to brush up on ATM safety. Using a compromised ATM can mean risking identity theft and/or having cash stolen.

Here are tips to help you keep your ATM transactions secure.