Name: Emily Chandler About me: I’m the lending manager at Element Federal Credit Union. I have been here for almost 13 years now. I oversee the lending department and also help with other tasks when needed. Outside of work, I just recently got engaged last year. I live with my fiance, Nathan, and our 12-year-old, […]
What does it mean to be a credit union member? Even though there are over 5,000 credit unions in the United States, many misconceptions about their structure and their services still exist. One popular-but-false assumption is that the term “credit union member” is interchangeable with the term “credit union customer.” It might seem like a […]
When’s the best time to write a business plan? Writing a business plan is an essential part of building a successful business. At its core, a business plan is a road map for your project: it establishes your purpose, it sets goals and expectations, and it forecasts the relationship between cost and revenue. Business plans […]
Budgeting with 50/30/20 Budgeting is a skill that helps you make smart decisions with your money. It ensures that you’re spending less than you earn, it prepares you for life’s curveballs, and it funds your goals and your dreams. Unfortunately, budgeting is often seen as restrictive and overwhelming. Financial priorities are deeply personal, so it […]
Buying vs. Renting a Home: Are You Getting the Right Advice? The average person moves residences about 11 times in their lifetime. That provides a lot of opportunity to confront the following question: is it better to own your home or to rent it? It’s a huge decision that affects your lifestyle as much as […]
Scholarship Application Time-Savers Successful scholarship applications take considerable time and effort. Although there’s no shortcut to a quality application, there are steps you can take to make your efforts as rewarding as possible. Tackling your scholarship search with strategy and efficiency can translate into extra applications—and therefore, extra tuition dollars. For best results, incorporate the […]
The Dos and Don’ts of Debt Repayment Consumer debt is an extremely contradictory part of our personal finances: it’s at once common and incredibly personal. According to numerous sources, the majority of US adults owe money in some way, shape or form—and yet what this consumer debt represents can vary drastically from person to person. […]
Pay Yourself First: How to Automatically Start Saving More Money Like going to the gym or eating a healthy diet, saving money is one of those concepts that’s simple to grasp but weirdly challenging to put into practice. We understand its benefits. We agree that it’s essential to our well-being. We know that it’s something […]
How to Overcome ‘Credit Card Shyness’ News outlets and credit card companies are quick to label millennials as being credit card-shy. According to a recent survey, millennials apparently fear their credit card debt more than climate change, the threat of war and even death. It may sound like an overreaction, but the underlying trend is […]
5 Totally Free Things You Can Do to Support Your Local Economy Supporting your local community is a positive thing—it builds relationships, it strengthens the local economy, and it makes your neighborhood a happier and healthier place to work and play. The most obvious way to support your surrounding community is with the choices you […]