Are you tired of experiencing the same Halloween parties over and over — and spending a lot on them?
You might have searched here and there to find budget-friendly Halloween ideas, but you don’t have any luck. If you see something that interests you, it might be so expensive that you have to put it on the back burner for another year.
Honestly, the answer is as simple as making it yourself. So let’s give your home the Halloween look you want to have this year — but on a budget.
It’s not a holiday season without at least one Halloween party! Trick or treating is still a couple of weeks away, so hopefully, you haven’t already exhausted all of your brilliant ideas for decorations and activities.
If you’re looking to get creative this year but don’t have the time or money to hire fancy caterers or set up elaborate decorations, these quick and easy tricks will get you the best results on a budget.
DIY projects are inexpensive, easy to make, and customized, unlike store-bought decorations that look the same every year. It also gives time to strengthen your family bond as you spend time together creating your decorations. You can try the following ideas below.
If you’re planning a party for a group of kids, it’s a good idea to have Halloween-themed bento boxes. Kids love eating their favorite foods in new ways, which can be a great activity to keep them entertained.
In case you don’t want the bento box, there are other food ideas that you can try. You can check the list below for some fantastic food recipes that you can use:
Taking pictures is part of every human being’s life, so why not make props for a Halloween photo booth? It’s not just one of the Halloween party ideas, but it also adds to the fun! It’s also a great idea to make some fun props for the kids. There are some ideas below.
For this idea, you need some spookier food that you can find in your kitchen. However, making weird, creepy Halloween food doesn’t have to be that difficult or time-consuming. Just add some homemade Halloween props to your dishes, and you can instantly spruce up your dinner table.
It’s not necessary to go to a specialty store to get Halloween-themed props or decorations for a lot of money. Sometimes a simple yet detailed idea is enough to thrill the party. Use the above tips to make your own Halloween party decorations and snacks — for a low budget!
“The second busiest retail season of the year, next to holiday shopping.” That’s what one National Retail Federation report had to say, noting that back-to-school expenses would hit a record high for the 2021-2022 school year, averaging $789.49 per child. That’s up from the average of $696.70 last year.
If that number gives you heartburn, here are a few tips to help get what your kids need without the financial stress.
If you do find yourself needing a little extra to cover the costs of back-to-school shopping United Community can help. Here are some of the ways you can cover back to school expenses:
APPLY NOW or CONTACT US and allow us to review your specific situation and make a personal recommendation that will fit your budget.
Will there be a fourth stimulus check sent out?
A group of lawmakers is starting to call for the fourth round of stimulus checks, just as the final payments from the third round are starting to hit mailboxes.
On March 30th, a few U.S. Senators wrote a letter asking President Biden to consider both recurring direct payments as well as automatic unemployment insurance extensions as part of his Build Back Better economic plan.
Also known as the American Jobs Plan, the bill doesn’t yet mention a fourth stimulus check similar to those millions have received throughout the pandemic. Rather, it’s a long-term initiative to rescue, recover and rebuild the country’s financial standing.
In short, President Biden has not indicated publicly that he supports a fourth stimulus payment, rather, he is focused on passing the Build Back Better plan that aims to improve transportation infrastructure and affordable housing, among other things.
Houses. Cars. Gas. Why is everything so much more expensive than it was a year ago?
If you think you’re spending more on things like gas and food than you were at this time last year, you’re right. That’s because we seem to be reopening to a more expensive economy than the one that existed pre-pandemic.
It’s not necessarily price gouging. In fact, it has a lot to do with a shortage of materials that manufacturers need to make their products. When supply is low, prices climb for manufacturers, and consumers end up paying more for the end product. It seems silly, but even things like the cereal, Grape-Nuts, has been hard to come by.
Kristin DeRock, the Grape-Nuts brand manager, said in a recent interview that making the unique breakfast cereal involves “a proprietary technology and a production process that isn’t easily replicated, which has made it more difficult to shift production to meet demand during this time.”
It’s also been hard to get your hands on things like fitness gear, sofas, and lumber. The shortages and price increases have to do with several factors. The work-from-home economy put never-before-seen pressures on companies that both struggled to estimate demand and were forced to halt production for safety reasons.
As imports have picked up speed on the back of surging (and erratic) consumer behavior, US shipping ports have become unusually congested. The early 2021 freeze in Texas compounded these problems, suspending oil production and impacting the manufacturers who rely on it.
Tight capacity, low inventory, and fiscal stimulus have created the “perfect storm” causing both big-ticket and everyday items, from hot tubs and bikes to meat and cheese, to cost a whole lot more because of the unusual conditions created by reopening.
“So how long will these high prices last?”
Experts agree and anticipate these disruptions lasting until early 2022. Until then, the stimulus will continue to drive demand and the pandemic will continue to rattle the movement of everyday goods, keeping prices higher into early next year.
“There’s something wrong with your Amazon account.” It could be a suspicious purchase, a lost package, or an order they can’t fulfill. If you’ve received one of these calls and hung up, you did the right thing.
Spam calls are running rampant right now from scammers pretending to be companies like Amazon and Apple trying to convince you that there’s an issue with your account and they just need a little information from you. The problem is, that little bit of information they are requesting could cost you big time. In fact, one credit union member who encountered this kind of call unknowingly gave up their information to the scammer and lost $7,000!
“While some departments at Amazon will make outbound calls to customers, Amazon will never ask you to disclose or verify sensitive personal information or offer you a refund you do not expect,” Amazon said in a recent response to these bogus calls. Amazon advises that you report any suspicious or fraudulent correspondence by visiting Report Suspicious Emails, Phone Calls, Text Messages, or Webpages for more information
In most of these scenarios, callers are being directed to push certain numbers for assistance.
If you get an unexpected call or message about a problem with any of your accounts, hang up.
If you feel you have fallen victim to one of these scams, please contact the credit union immediately. We can assist you in proactively securing your accounts to try and avoid any losses.
While your idea of fun probably isn’t cleaning out the garage, closets, and kitchen all weekend spring cleaning, as the weather warms up, can be shockingly refreshing. Not to mention, you could also make some money in the process and find some cool stuff.
Did you know 78% of people get into spring cleaning every single year while 7% have admitted to never doing spring cleaning? Closets, bedrooms, and kitchens were some of the most popular rooms to start in according to that survey, with the home office following closely behind.
“It’s hard to get motivated and get started,” said one expert. If it’s been on your to-do list you would probably agree with that statement, but what if you could get paid for getting up and starting that spring cleaning ritual?
Here are five tips to help you get motivated, and could help you make a little extra money for the effort:
Thinking about spring cleaning can be overwhelming. If you start with just one room, you’ll feel some accomplishment and might even move on to a second, third, or fourth room when you’re done!
A recent survey of nearly 1,000 couples who are married, engaged, or in a relationship found nearly 75% said they had gotten mad at their partner because of a financial decision they made without talking about it first. The majority of those decisions were a big-ticket purchase made without discussing it first. Other financial decisions that irked spouses were:
“You can’t have a great relationship until you can communicate and agree about money. Money is either the best or the worst area of communication in our marriages” says author and long-time financial counselor, Larry Burkett. Many finance and relationship experts agree: money arguments aren’t really over money at all, they are about our different value systems and that translates into how we spend (or save) money.
If you find you are at odds with your partner over finances more often than you would like, here are three tips to help spark meaningful conversation and get to the bottom of the problem and find solutions:
In the end, remember why you chose this person as your significant other. In the heat of the moment, you may not realize it but you need their skills, insight, and perspective—especially the ones you don’t have (and they need yours!)
Maybe you’ve applied for a loan in the past and the loan officer gives you your credit score. It may be high, it may be low, but you’ve probably wondered how exactly is it measured?
First, credit scores are usually used to differentiate the likelihood that you will pay back a loan, or not. The main consumer credit scoring models, FICO® and VantageScore®, rank consumers using a 300-to-850 score range. The lower the number the more risk a lender sees. The higher the number the less risk there is of you defaulting.
Second, how is this number calculated? FICO® Scores are calculated using several different pieces of your credit history in your credit report. This data is grouped and weighted into five categories: payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%), and credit mix (10%).
It’s important to know that your FICO® Score is calculated only from the information in your credit report. However, when you apply for a loan, loan officers may look at many things when making a decision, such as your income, how long you have worked at your current job, how long you have lived at your current address, and the kind of credit and amount of credit you are requesting.
Many members ask us “how can we improve our credit score?” Dialing that 800 number from a roadside sign promising to give you a better credit score fast is not only expensive but rarely do they work. Here are three things you can do right now that will help you earn a better score.
A low credit score won’t just potentially keep you from getting a loan, it determines the rate you pay when you do get a loan. The lower the credit score the higher your rate, which means a higher payment and more paid interest over time. A low credit score can also increase your insurance premiums and potentially keep you from renting a home.
Want to learn more about your credit score and get tips from an expert on how to improve your credit score, and ultimately your finances?
United Community wants to help. Reach out and schedule a time to meet with us. We promise we won’t judge you. Our job is to give you a proper perspective and help you achieve a better financial life.
If you’ve ever applied for a loan, there’s a good chance you’ve been asked about adding credit life or credit disability insurance to your loan. Your response? “No thanks.” In some cases, you don’t need it. But in some cases, it’s worth a second look.
Before you can decide if it’s right for you, it’s important to understand what this coverage is and how it could benefit you.
If you pass away and your claim is payable, credit life insurance will pay off or greatly reduce your eligible loan balance. This leaves less financial stress for survivors who may be left having to figure out how to pay off your loan balance.
With Credit Disability Insurance, if you’re disabled from work due to injury or illness, your monthly loan payments will be made, up to the monthly benefit maximum, until you’re no longer disabled, your loan is paid, or reach the policy maximum.
“That’ll never happen to me.” Perhaps not, but over the past year, we’ve seen a huge uptick in members who have been injured on the job and who have contracted COVID-19, leaving them
unable to work for some time. Many who opted in for insurance on their loan benefited from the protection during the time they were unable to work. Sadly, others did not opt-in and were left with just one more financial stress to navigate.
What about worker’s compensation, that should cover you, right? You’re 66% right. Keep in mind that worker’s comp only pays a portion of your paycheck. Could you cover your living expenses and pay all of your bills on just 66% of your income? You may also have short term and long-term disability coverage, but keep in mind that the waiting periods and percentages paid are similar to worker’s comp.
We’ve often seen members who have been told that these are required of their loan from other financial institutions. It’s important that know that you’re never required to purchase credit life insurance to obtain a loan. If a lender ever tells you that this extra protection is required or tries to include the cost of credit insurance in your loan without properly disclosing it to you, you should report the company to the Federal Trade Commission.
When opening a new loan, reviewing insurance products offered in conjunction with the loan you should always ask yourself “What does this product do for me?” If you have a loan and opted to not receive coverage, it may not be too late to add it. It’s only too late when you need it and don’t have it. Often you can add coverage after the loan is closed. If you still have questions about these options or if it’s right for you reach out to us at the credit union. We’ll walk you through the benefits and help determine if it’s right for you.
United Community Credit Union provides links to web sites of other organizations in order to provide visitors with certain information. A link does not constitute an endorsement of content, viewpoint, policies, products or services of that web site. Once you link to another web site not maintained by United Community Credit Union, you are subject to the terms and conditions of that web site, including but not limited to its privacy policy.
Click the link above to continue or CANCEL
