SMMC News & Events Blog

This blog highlights news, events, and informative articles on personal finance from University of Illinois System's Student Money Management Center. Feel free to navigate to different categories with the list of topics on the right or search for a specific topic next to the view all link below.

In episode 106 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Kimber discuss the nuances of neurodiversity as it relates to navigating money management.

In episode 107 of Making Cents of Money, Kimber and Andrea talk about National Financial Capability Month which runs the entirety of April every year.

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.

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.

Can money really buy happiness? On this episode of Making Cents of Money, we unwrap the science behind money and joy with Donovan Sanchez who returns to discuss his primary research interest. From hedonic adaptation to pro-social spending, learn ways to boost well-being without breaking the bank. 

In episode 104 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea & Kimber discuss considerations for navigating financial management when it comes to relationships, be them romantic, familial, or with friends and roommates.

In episode 83 of Making Cents of Money, Lines of Injustice: What is Redlining?, DFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. discusses the topic of redlining and how it leads to disparities for generations. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

In episode 82 of Making Cents of Money, Free Financial Education Resources for Illinois Residents, Maggie Owen from the Illinois State Treasurer's Office joins us to discuss all the financial education programs Illinois has for residents. 

In episode 99 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Kimber discuss financial socialization, how it develops, who contributes to it, and what it means for our relationship with money.

In episode 31 of Making Cents of Money, Financial Security and Stress, Andrea, Nikki, and Jake talk about statistics related to both financial security and stress and tips to deal with them.

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®.

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.

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.

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.

In episode 98 of Making Cents of Money, Kimber and Andrea talk about the costs of car ownership and what to consider when deciding on if a vehicle is a need or a want for you. 

In episode 94 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Kimber discuss the cost of living and why it matters when comparing costs and how far your dollars will go if you relocate.

In episode 25 of Making Cents of Money, Choosing a Financial Professional, Andrea, Jake, and Nikki talk to Kathy Sweedler from University of Illinois Extension about type of financial professionals, credentials, and how to choose one that best meets your needs.

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.

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.

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.

In episode 20 of Making Cents of Money, Budgeting, Nikki, Andrea, and Jake cover a few of the most popular budgeting (or spending plan, if you prefer) methods to help you think about building a financial plan.

It’s a new year, and with that comes a slew of advice on financial topics to tie into your resolutions. But before you listen to that influencer, click that link, or even take guidance from a family member, there are important factors to consider. In this episode, Making Cents of Money dives deep into the topic of using caution before giving or receiving financial advice.

In episode 95 of Making Cents of Money, basic needs and needs security and some adjacent terms, like financial fragility, are discussed by our co-hosts, Kimber and Andrea.

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.

In episode 81 of Making Cents of Money, April 30th Student Loan Deadline, we discuss a critical deadline for FFEL, Perkins, or Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL) borrowers on income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. 

Get some idea starters on how to overcome spending temptations, just in time for the shopping season! 

Looking to establish a relationship with a financial institution? We've highlighted reasons you might need one and steps to opening a checking or savings account in the U.S.

Learn how to stretch your money, protect your mental health, and build a financial safety net during the post-graduation gap, with practical strategies for survival budgeting, bridge jobs, and managing student loans before your first payment hits.

Learn about money memes, digital assets, and more by watching this webinar recording from January 25, 2023.

Learn about new financial technologies as well as considerations and protections that may be helpful in choosing fintech for navigating your financial journey.

Discover why you keep throwing good money after bad decisions and learn the psychology-backed strategies to break free from the sunk cost trap that's costing you hundreds in subscriptions, investments, and everyday spending choices.

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?

Learn about how inflation impacts individual consumers by watching this webinar recording from September 28 2022.

If you're looking for a better understanding of how to categorize expenses in your budget or spending plan, explore the differences between fixed, flexible, and occassional costs.

Here are ways you can help support small businesses during COVID-19.

Vision impairments can complicate how people manage their money. Learn about ways that people with reduced vision or blindness can be empowered to navigate finances on their own.

There are so many things to be grateful for in this life. As we go into the holiday season, in this article we will discuss about how gratitude impacts our finances. 

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.

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.

Friday the 13th is often considered an unlucky day, but let's talk about how to improve your luck with personal finance!

As Hunger Action Month comes to a close, we're reflect on how food insecurity has looked different in 2020 than in previous years. 

Lists are helpful for all kinds of things, but how can they help you focus your spending?

Financial education influences financial literacy and financial well-being around the world. This article highlights some statistics on financial literacy around the world, financial inclusion as well as financial resilience.

Financial aid notifications, or award letters, contain valuable information that help you understand the costs of college. However, it's important to remember that Cost of Attendance is an estimate.

We aren't able to accommodate workshops by request, but we have dozens of webinar recordings on YouTube and plan new, live webinars each academic year on different financial topics. You can empower your peers or students with increased financial knowledge by throwing a webinar watch party.

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.