blog posts Podcast: Tackling Insurance! (Part 2) Nov 3, 2021 12:00 pm6 views In episode 29 of Making Cents of Money, Tackling Insurance! (Part 2), Nikki and Jake talked with Laura Pellikan from the Illinois Department of Insurance about the basics of health insurance and ways you can get covered. Podcast: Building Wealth After Graduation Mar 25, 2024 12:00 pm7 views In episode 80 of Making Cents of Money, Building Wealth After Graduation, Donovan Sanchez returns to talk about how to navigate juggling multiple goals during the transition to life after college. Podcast: Reintroductions Jun 2, 2021 12:00 pm7 views Episode 19 of Making Cents of Money, Reintroductions, lets us learn more about one of the co-hosts, Jake Hamilton, the history behind the podcast, and what's in store for the future of this audio teaching medium. Podcast: Is Crypto the Wild West? Feb 26, 2024 12:00 pm8 views In episode 78 of Making Cents of Money, Is Crypto the Wild West?, David DeCarlo and Jake Hamilton join us to discuss what regulation does and does not exist for consumers regarding crypto. Investing Basics - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Mar 10, 2021 1:00 pm8 views Investing - it's not for the faint of heart, because investing in the stock market involves risk. Knowing and understanding terminology, fees, types of professionals, as well as investment methods can be a whirlwind of terms and confusing concepts. Learn the basics and have a better understanding on how investing works! Podcast: World Investor Week Oct 4, 2023 12:00 pm8 views In episode 71 of Making Cents of Money, World Investor Week, Andrea interviews Alan Sorcher and Anne McKinley from the US Securities & Exchange Commission in honor of World Investor Week on ways investors can learn about securities throughout the year. Podcast: Student Loan Update Oct 6, 2021 12:00 pm8 views In episode 27 of Making Cents of Money, Student Loan Update, Jake and Nikki gave a quick update on the state of federal student loans. Podcast: Gross National Happiness Feb 9, 2022 12:00 pm9 views In episode 34 of Making Cents of Money, Gross National Happiness, Jake and Nikki discuss an alternative metric to Gross Domestic Product that some countries use to help monitor the health of their economies called Gross National Happiness. Student Loan Repayment - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Apr 14, 2021 1:00 pm9 views There are 8 repayment plans for federal student loans, 10 federal student loan servicers, and an abundance of terms, tools, and tips to remember to manage federal, institutional, and private student loans. Watch our Student Loan Repayment webinar recording to learn about your options as a borrower. Podcast: Password Managers Jul 28, 2023 12:00 pm10 views In episode 66 of Making Cents of Money, Password Managers, we explore what password managers are and how they can be leveraged to protect your important information. IDFPR Webinars on Temporary Expanded PSLF Aug 19, 2022 11:45 am10 views IDFPR is hosting 4 webinars between now and October 30th on the temporarily expanded PSLF program for Public School Educators. Inflation: When Prices Rise - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Sep 28, 2022 1:00 pm10 views Learn about how inflation impacts individual consumers by watching this webinar recording from September 28 2022. Podcast: Loan Payments Resumed in October Oct 31, 2023 12:00 pm10 views In episode 73 of Making Cents of Money, Loan Payments Resumed in October, we discussed the "on-ramp" to repayment being implemented by the U.S. Department of Education as millions of borrowers started making payments on their federal loans again in October. Expect the Unexpected: Saving For Emergencies Jan 15, 2015 11:00 am12 views Planning for the unexpected can ensure that you are able to weather a financial hardship should you lose your job, have a car repair, or any other unplanned expense. By having savings set aside for emergencies, you decrease the need to rely on credit cards or loans to cover emergency situations. Your college years can be an ideal time to create and build your emergency savings. Podcast: Professional Licensure in Illinois May 19, 2021 12:00 pm12 views Episode 18 of Making Cents of Money, Professional Licensure in Illinois, helps us understand the scope of professional licensing in Illinois across many different industries and some protections in place for consumers. Student Loan Updates - Mini Webinar Series for 2023-2024 Jun 16, 2023 12:00 pm12 views SMMC & IDFPR are co-hosting a monthly webinar series between July 2023 - March 2024. Each 15-20 minute webinar will focus on a different topic related to federal student loans as repayment begins again in October 2023. Podcast: Shopping for Appliances Jul 8, 2022 12:00 pm12 views In episode 44 of Making Cents of Money, Nikki and Andrea talk about shopping for appliances, and they've focused on times when it may be a surprise shopping need! Podcast: What's a Credit Report Anyway? Aug 9, 2023 12:00 pm12 views In episode 67 of Making Cents of Money, What's a Credit Report Anyway?, Nikki and Andrea discuss what's in your credit reports and how to get them at AnnualCreditReport.com. Get $avvy - Grow Your Green $tuff Webinars for 2022-2023 Aug 22, 2022 12:00 pm12 views The 2022-2023 Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff annual webinar series schedule is out. Register today and #GetSavvy. Podcast: The Community Reinvestment Act Aug 17, 2022 12:00 pm13 views In episode 47 of Making Cents of Money, Chasse Rehwinkel joined Nikki & Andrea to discuss the Community Reinvestment Act and how it is intended to support economic equality. Podcast: Renting! Mar 30, 2022 12:00 pm14 views In episode 37 of Making Cents of Money, Renting!, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki discuss the basic steps and what to watch for when renting a place to live. #SMMCSharingIsCaring Contest Apr 5, 2021 12:00 pm14 views Share and interact with #SMMCSharingIsCaring tagged posts from SMMC on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook between April 5 - 16, 2021, to get entered to win one of 10+ financial wellness kits in honor of National Financial Capability Month. Podcast: Short-selling Mar 24, 2021 12:00 pm15 views Episode 14 of Making Cents of Money, Short-selling, allowed us to interview Chasse Rehwinkel about the investing method that's become so popular in the media over the past few months. Podcast: Technology and Your Money Oct 5, 2020 12:00 pm15 views Episode 3 of Making Cents of Money, Technology and Your Money, explores how financial technologies are evolving and what that means for keeping our money safe. Podcast: Inflation Nov 17, 2021 12:00 pm15 views In episode 30 of Making Cents of Money, Inflation, Jake, Nikki, and Andrea discuss what inflation is as one of many metrics to gauge how an economy is doing and how it impacts our spending power as consumers. Podcast: Selling a Home Jul 20, 2022 12:00 pm16 views In episode 45 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki discuss many aspects of selling a home so you can make more informed choices when it comes time to sell your own home. Talking to Family About Money During Holidays Nov 1, 2023 8:00 am16 views As the holidays are coming in, you are probably thinking of the trips, events, food, and gifts that come with it. However, this holiday, you may consider having a conversation with your family about how the pressures of this season can affect your resources (financial or otherwise). Podcast: Holiday Savings Tips and New Year's Goals Dec 17, 2020 12:00 pm16 views Episode 8 of Making Cents of Money, Holiday Savings Tips and New Year's Goals, explored tips to help prepare for a less stressful holiday season over the coming year as well as ways to set S.M.A.R.T. goals, be it financial or otherwise. Podcast: Real Estate May 5, 2021 12:00 pm17 views Episode 17 of Making Cents of Money, Real Estate, explains the world of real estate professions and what to consider when hiring professionals to help you buy or manage a home or other real estate property! Podcast: Financial Planner vs AI Jul 12, 2023 12:00 pm17 views In episode 65 of Making Cents of Money, Financial Planner vs AI, we discuss the pros and cons of using Artificial Intelligence language model, ChatGPT, to answer financial planning questions with the help of Donovan Sanchez, CFP®. Podcast: Buying a Car! Jul 21, 2021 12:00 pm17 views In episode 22 of Making Cents of Money, Buying a Car!, Nikki, Andrea, and Jake explain the true costs of car ownership as well as the terms and tools to know about before you buy your next vehicle. IOUs: There's an App for That! Oct 14, 2016 3:30 pm17 views Have you heard of Venmo? Squarecash? These are just a few of the apps that allow you to send money to anyone, anywhere, anytime. From a convenience standpoint, these advances are amazing—but what are the costs of convenience? Podcast: Tackling Insurance! (Part 1) Oct 20, 2021 12:00 pm17 views In episode 28 of Making Cents of Money, Tackling Insurance! (Part 1), Deputy Director of Consumer Education & Protection at the Illinois Department of Insurance, Patrice Dziire, talked to us about auto, home, renters, and life insurance. Podcast: Employment Feb 23, 2022 12:00 pm18 views In episode 35 of Making Cents of Money, Employment, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki continue the podcast series on economic indicators by discussing metrics related to employment. Podcast: Investing Basics Mar 9, 2021 12:00 pm18 views Episode 13 of Making Cents of Money, Investing Basics, covered common terms and concepts related to investing in the stock market in preparation for our Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff webinar, Investing Basics, on 3/10. Podcast: Cryptocurrencies Aug 18, 2021 3:00 pm19 views In episode 24 of Making Cents of Money, Cryptocurrencies, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki talk to Professor Lamont Black from DePaul University about cryptocurrencies, discussing everything from the blockchain technology behind them to their utility in the world of fintech. Podcast: Fending Off Fraud Nov 19, 2020 12:00 pm20 views Episode 6 of Making Cents of Money, Fending Off Fraud, discusses what you need to know about the different types of fraud scamers use (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, how to prevent fraud, and what to do if you become a victim. Podcast: Mortgages Apr 14, 2022 12:00 pm21 views In episode 38 of Making Cents of Money, Renting!, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki interview IDFPR's Anti-Predatory Lending Database Director, Kari Beyer, about the ins and outs of mortgages. Funding New Year's Festivities Dec 10, 2019 2:30 pm22 views The best way to manage your finances on New Year’s Eve is to plan ahead and set a defined budget you are comfortable with. Read more tips to save while celebrating. Podcast: Financial Resolutions! Dec 14, 2022 12:00 pm22 views In episode 54 of Making Cents of Money, Nikki & Andrea talk about some recent changes in setting new years resolutions and how to make finances part of your goals for 2023. Podcast: Financial Education and Financial Literacy Jan 14, 2021 12:00 pm23 views Episode 9 of Making Cents of Money, Financial Education and Financial Literacy, reviewed the state of financial literacy in the United States, programs for pre-K through high school students, and resources to help parents and teachers support learning about finances in a variety of ways. Podcast: Taxes Jan 26, 2021 12:00 pm23 views Episode 10 of Making Cents of Money, Taxes, discussed common terms, forms, and considerations for filing taxes in preparation for our Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff webinar, Tackling Taxes, on 1/27. Podcast: Estate Planning Aug 3, 2022 12:00 pm23 views In episode 46 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki explain many tools for estate planning, including wills, transfers, power of attorney, and more. Podcast: Dealing with Emergencies Oct 5, 2022 12:00 pm23 views In episode 49 of Making Cents of Money, Nikki and Andrea talk about dealing with a financial emergency, not just how to plan but how to recover once an emergency happens. Podcast: Buying a Home! Mar 16, 2022 12:00 pm24 views In episode 36 of Making Cents of Money, Buying a Home!, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki explain terminology, tools, and the basics steps of buying a home. Podcast: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Dec 22, 2021 12:00 pm24 views In episode 32 of Making Cents of Money, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Andrea, Nikki, and Jake explain Gross Domestic Product as part of an ongoing mini series on economic indicators. Podcast: Protecting Pets May 10, 2022 12:00 pm25 views In episode 39 of Making Cents of Money, Protecting Pets, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki discuss pet insurance and other ways to handle the financial risk of vet bills for our pets with Presley Fee, Digital Financial Planning Program Coordinator at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Podcast: Understanding Your Paycheck Sep 5, 2023 12:00 pm25 views In episode 69 of Making Cents of Money, Understanding Your Paycheck, Nikki and Andrea talk about something you're bound to love: your paycheck! Funding a College Education Aug 11, 2023 1:30 pm26 views Funding your education can be a daunting task, but there are many tools to help students and their families cover the cost of a college education. Decreasing Borrowing While in School Aug 14, 2023 1:30 pm26 views Student loans can be a valuable tool for increasing access to higher education, but it does come with a cost. Learn how to limit those costs while in school so you decrease future costs of compounding interest.
