Financial Fundamentals Blog

4 Common Retirement Investments and the Differences Between Them

  • Francesca Sacco
You’ve heard many times about the importance of saving for retirement. But when it comes to actually taking steps toward retirement planning, you’ll need to find a place to put your money and let it grow over time. In other words, retirement saving should actually be investing — not just putting away money, but taking those...

What Are My Options for Paying Off Student Debt?

  • Francesca Sacco
If you’re one of the more than 43 million U.S. adults with federal student loan debt, you’re probably eager to get those loans paid off and take a giant leap closer to financial freedom. But for many buyers, the process of paying down those loans takes years and years. As your life changes over time, your ability — or...

7 17 Credit Union scholarship applications due by March 1, 2022

  • Francesca Sacco
As a community-minded financial institution, 7 17 Credit Union provides services and products that make a difference for our members and the communities we serve. Our products and services cover a broad range of needs, including checking, loans and scholarships to offset the cost of higher education or trade school. We’ve been...

Financial Action Plan for Lowering Your Credit Card Payments

  • Francesca Sacco
Faced with high credit card balances, costly interest charges and ever-increasing minimum payments? You’re not alone. According to one survey conducted in September 2021, 54% of Americans reported carrying a balance on their credit card — and if you’re not careful with this financial tool, it can quickly become a costly...

Important credit card safety tips to protect your personal information

  • Francesca Sacco
It’s important to be proactive and keep your credit card information safe year-round to avoid identity theft. While safeguarding your credit cards often comes down to common sense, fraudsters are always on the hunt for passwords and PINs. If fraudsters are successful in gaining your personal information, it can prove to be...

The Advantages of Keeping a High Credit Score

  • Francesca Sacco
Financial experts all talk about the importance of building and maintaining good credit. But what exactly does this mean — and why should consumers care? If you haven’t pulled a credit report or applied for credit recently, your credit score might not be at the top of your mind. But your credit score plays a crucial role in...

Home Financing: 5 Tips to Remember When Buying In a Competitive Market

  • Francesca Sacco
The housing market is on a hot stretch that has spanned the past several years, resulting in soaring home prices, increased market competition and more frustration for would-be homebuyers. When you’re constantly getting outbid on homes you want to purchase, it’s easy to get frustrated and feel like there’s nothing you can do to...

How To Use A HELOC To Consolidate Your Debt

  • Francesca Sacco
When debt grows beyond your ability to pay it off in a matter of months — or, in some cases, years — it’s time to consider other options for paying off that debt, managing the amount of interest you’re charged and building a plan to settle this debt and get your finances back on track. In most cases, making monthly payments...

Three tips to battle inflation

  • Francesca Sacco
Three tips to battle inflation

Caring for Your Parents: How to Pay for Senior Living

  • Francesca Sacco
When we’re children, we depend on our parents to provide everything we need — from food and shelter to emotional support. Then, as we grow up and our parents age, the tables start to turn. The parents we used to depend on start to grow old and require new kinds of care to maintain their health and quality of life. If you’re the...

Choosing a Life Insurance Policy: Five Factors to Consider

  • Francesca Sacco
Few people would list life insurance policy shopping as one of their favorite activities. But while this process may be boring and even a bit morbid, it could be a financial game-changer if you or someone in your family passes away. Choosing life insurance isn’t always a straightforward process. Policies can come in several...

Beware of holiday credit pitfalls

  • Francesca Sacco
It’s easy to over spend during the holidays. The tantalizing sales and elaborate window sales make it easy to get caught up in holiday shopping. And while it may not seem important in the moment, over spending can have many implications on your finances. Instead of spending the new year trying to correct the damage, learn to...