blog posts 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. 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. 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. 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. 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: Financial Planner vs AI Jul 12, 2023 12:00 pm16 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: 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: 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. 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: Understanding Your Paycheck Sep 5, 2023 12:00 pm23 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! 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: Emergency Funds Sep 16, 2021 12:00 pm26 views In episode 26 of Making Cents of Money, Emergency Funds, Jake, Nikki, and Andrea discuss the value of building emergency funds and a few ways to get started. Podcast: Credit Reports Update Nov 29, 2023 12:00 pm27 views In episode 74 of Making Cents of Money, Credit Reports Update, we had a Consumer Alert! Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are allowing access to free, weekly credit reports indefinitely now. Podcast: Time to Travel! Jul 7, 2021 12:00 pm28 views In episode 21 of Making Cents of Money, Time to Travel!, Nikki, Andrea, and Jake discuss travel aspirations, goals, and tips for planning a trip to help you make your next dream vacation a reality. Podcast: The Financial Impact of Digital Illiteracy Aug 23, 2023 12:00 pm28 views In episode 68 of Making Cents of Money, The Financial Impact of Digital Illiteracy, Andrea and Nikki explore the financial implications of digital Illiteracy in our digital age. Tackling Taxes - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Jan 27, 2021 1:00 pm30 views Taxes are complicated, whether you’re a first time filer or have been filing for years. How do you know if you’re required to file? What are deductions and credits? Why are there so many forms, and what are they for? Join us as we walk you through the basics of taxes and provide resources to help you file for free. Podcast: Establishing a Vision for Your Life Jan 20, 2022 12:00 pm31 views In episode 33 of Making Cents of Money, Establishing a Vision for Your Life, Andrea, Nikki, and Jake talk to Donovan Sanchez, CFP and instructor of financial planning at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign about making meaningful money choices that allow you to live life now and make progress towards the future. Podcast: Banked or Unbanked - Choosing Financial Services for You Sep 23, 2020 12:00 pm32 views Episode 2 of Making Cents of Money, Banked or Unbanked - Choosing Financial Services for You, is all about defining unbanked/underbanked, the differences between banks & credit unions, and how to choose the right financial institution for you. Learn from Illinois' Director of Banking, Chasse Rehwinkel, and Director of Financial Institutions, Francisco Menchaca. My Account is in Collections! Now What? Jul 26, 2015 12:00 pm37 views Tips to help you cope with & resolve accounts in collections. Podcast: Understanding FAFSA Oct 18, 2023 12:00 pm37 views In episode 72 of Making Cents of Money, Understanding FAFSA, Beth Groves, Professional Development Specialist from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) talks about major changes to the FAFSA, delays, and its importance for anyone considering post-secondary education. Podcast: Becoming an Entrepreneur! Oct 19, 2022 12:00 pm38 views In episode 50 of Making Cents of Money, Steve Bob from UIC Entrepreneurial Support Program joins Andrea and Nikki to discuss what to think about when it comes to starting your own business. Podcast: Credit Scores Nov 2, 2022 12:00 pm40 views In episode 51 of Making Cents of Money, Nikki and Andrea discuss some of the ins and outs of credit scores, the credit ecosystem, and building credit to your advantage. Podcast: Wealth Building as a Balancing Act Jan 19, 2023 12:00 pm41 views In episode 55 of Making Cents of Money, Donovan Sanchez from University of Illinois' Financial Planning program talks about wealth building as a balancing act. Podcast: Investing to Reach Financial Goals Feb 15, 2023 12:00 pm41 views In episode 57 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki interviewed Alan Sorcher and Anne McKinley from the US Securities and Exchange Commission on strategic ways to approach investing to build wealth. Saving Up for a Side Hustle May 12, 2023 1:00 pm44 views To complement our Side Hustles & Small Businesses webinar from last fall, we wanted to share some tips on saving up for starting a small business. Podcast: The Anti-Predatory Lending Database Dec 3, 2020 12:00 pm44 views Episode 7 of Making Cents of Money, The Anti-Predatory Lending Database, discusses predatory lending and the Anti-Predatory Lending Database (APLD) in Illinois. Katie Liss from IDFPR Division of Banking breaks down predatory lending in mortgages and how the APLD helps mitigate some predatory lending practices. Podcast: Happy International Women's Day! Mar 8, 2023 12:00 pm45 views In episode 58 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki interviewed SMMC's very own Ramya Vaidyanathan about her experience providing financial education to women in India. Podcast: Money Personalities & Financial Well-being Aug 4, 2021 11:00 am45 views In episode 23 of Making Cents of Money, Money Personalities & Financial Well-being, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki discuss several financial personality inventories and the CFPB's financial well-being scale as tools to better understand financial values, habits, and internal feelings around money.
