Should I Rent or Buy a Home?
Renting versus owning – how to determine which is right for you Choosing whether to own or rent a home is a big decision. The “right” answer for you will be deeply personal, based on a few key considerations that we will explore below. 1. Examine your personal values A good place to start is…
Read MoreKarina’s Story: Needs Vs. Wants
Meet Karina, a PhD student in Chemistry living in Columbus, Ohio with her young son. What did your upbringing teach you about finances? Sometimes we think we need things that we really don’t need. If you just wait, you realize that you really don’t need that thing. As a kid, when I asked my mom…
Read MoreNastassia’s Story: I See Brightness in My Future
Meet Nastassia, a mother of five and an immigrant from Jamaica who has been living in New York since 2009. What do you do? Right now I’m not working. I had an injury when I was pregnant with my last child, so I’m at home. My fiancé just started at a new job at a…
Read MoreKiara’s Story: Maybe Money Can’t Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Security
Meet Kiara, who lives in Taylor, Michigan with her 11-month-old daughter and her two young cousins. What do you do? I don’t have a job. I take care of my daughter and my two cousins because I have a kinship guardianship for them. One is my biological cousin and the other is his half-brother. Their…
Read MoreJoTerrica’s Story: Veteran, Student, and Mother
Meet JoTerrica, a disabled veteran who is working on her Master’s in Social Work. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her children and partner. What do you do? I am a full-time student, I am a mother, and I am a Recreation Aide at my local VA. I served in the military from 2005…
Read MoreHow can you balance saving with the asset limits on federal and state benefits?
“How can you help people who are going to get bumped off their subsidized food and housing because they have assets? Then the federal and state agencies say ‘Hey, all is well now.” They may be making more, but not enough yet to sustain themselves, landing them right back in poverty. I’ve seen this happen…
Read MoreMeet Your Fellow Savers
At the beginning of your journey with SaverLife, we asked you about your goals. Here’s what you and your fellow savers said! EARN Savers have big goals! YES, we do! (I’m saving too!) I’m not at all surprised that housing is at the top of our “goals” list. That makes perfect sense! Buying a home…
Read MoreHelp is out there! Resources for when the unexpected happens
Few words describe the human experience better than the quote by writer and cartoonist Allen Saunders: “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” We all know this is true, so what can you do when things don’t go according to plan? Sure, an emergency fund can give you a sense…
Read More4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Financial Abuse
Even if you are doing all you can to manage your money, we know there are some circumstances where your bank, job, or landlord may be taking advantage of you. These situations can be financial land mines, so it’s crucial to know your rights and get help if you need it. Let’s take a look…
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