This article is written and provided by our partners at BECU.  Experts say that financial management is 20% knowledge and skills and 80% behavior. If reducing debt is your goal, putting some healthy habits into practice can take you a long way toward success. Emotions and Money Most of us want to believe we make [...]

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This article was provided by our partners at BECU. Get even more financial wellness tips by downloading our 30 Ways to Improve Your Financial Wellness Checklist presented by BECU. From stepping on the bathroom scale to analyzing blood samples, we have lots of ways to measure our physical health, but what about our financial health? One measure [...]

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This post was created in partnership with BECU. Read on for tips on how to think about money and strategies for saving. Experts say that financial management is 20% knowledge and skills and 80% behavior. If reducing debt is your goal, putting some of the following healthy habits into practice can take you a long way [...]

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Trips to the grocery store can be expensive, especially if you have a lot of mouths to feed. The average U.S. household spends $4,942 on groceries per year, based on 2020 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That’s roughly $412 per month. With inflation rising and continued supply chain shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [...]

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This article is written and provided by our partners at Fidelity Investments.  Key takeaways Consider allocating no more than 50% of take-home pay to essential expenses. Try to save 15% of pretax income (including employer contributions) for retirement. Save for the unexpected by keeping 5% of take-home pay in short-term savings for unplanned expenses. Budget. [...]

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Finances can be stressful even without a pandemic. Striving to be financially fit takes practice, consistency, and hard work. But at the end of the day, efforts to increase your financial education and freedom have a positive impact on your overall wellbeing, from reduced stress and anxiety to a heightened sense of security. When it [...]

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This article is written and provided by our partners at Fidelity Investments.  It’s so easy to spend money—sometimes you don’t even realize the ways it leaves your wallet. But knowing these 9 ways companies try to get your cash can better equip you to keep it. Key takeaways The convenience of shopping from your phone can [...]

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It’s no secret that homes in Washington state and the greater Seattle-Tacoma area have skyrocketed in price over the last decade. In July the median sale price for a home in the Seattle metro area averaged at $795k, according to Redfin data. Historically, a down payment on a home has been 20% of the home [...]

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This article was provided by our partners at BECU. Take advantage of Whole U discounts with BECU including a $50 bonus deposit when you open a new checking or savings account! What is a CD? A CD is a certificate of deposit, a federally insured deposit account that has a fixed interest rate over a [...]

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TIAA, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, offers a wide variety of resources for financial education and support to the University of Washington community. Explore TIAA’s expansive offerings below. Custom Bi-Weekly Seminar for UW Employees As an employee of the University of Washington, TIAA provides customized webinars unique to your retirement plans and financial [...]

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This article is written and provided by our partners at Fidelity Investments.  See options on how to handle this large and somewhat unpredictable expense in retirement. Key takeaways Health care continues to be one of the largest expenses in retirement. Decisions about when to stop working, when to take Social Security, and how to generate [...]

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This article is written and provided by our partners at Fidelity Investments.  Key takeaways Always note the amount due and the payment date so you pay on time, every time. Read the contract with your card issuer so you understand the terms and possible fees you may face. Check your credit reports regularly to monitor your [...]

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Across the United States, millions of students utilize loans as a form of financial aid for higher education. In 2018, 70 percent of higher education graduates had used loans to cover some, or all, of their expenses. In July of 2021, student loan debt totaled $1.73 trillion! The reality is adults of all ages in [...]

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