blog posts ESG: Investing in Values to Make the World a Better Place Oct 4, 2022 4:30 pm173 views Investing has become more than just seeking financial returns. It can be a means to support organizations, projects, and companies that align with your values. Read on to learn more about ESG and what it means to consumer influence. Know What You Owe Challenge - Fall 2021 Nov 15, 2021 12:00 pm173 views About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs November 15 - December 15, 2021. Understand Your Refund - Spring 2023 Feb 1, 2023 1:00 pm171 views Hundreds of students end up unable to register every semester because they owe money back to the university, even after receiving a refund. Learn how to avoid being one of them. Understand Your Refund - Fall 2024 Aug 29, 2024 7:00 am169 views Many students end up unable to register every semester because they owe money back to the university, even after receiving a refund. Learn answers to frequently asked questions about refunds and get entered to win one of five $50 gift cards. Top 5 Financial Reminders for International Students Jun 1, 2020 5:45 pm167 views Tuition & fees will be due before you know it, so here are the top 5 financial reminders for International Students. Job Search Due Diligence in the U.S. – Avoiding Job Scams Feb 25, 2025 10:30 am166 views In this article, Kwabena Sarfo Adjei discusses job search due diligence and how job seekers can navigate the perilous journey of landing a dream job while avoiding becoming a victim of a job scam in this digital age. Know What You Owe Challenge Apr 1, 2021 12:00 pm162 views About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs April 1 - May 1, 2021. Friday the 13th! Financial Planning to Avoid Unlucky Losses Mar 13, 2020 10:00 am148 views Friday the 13th is often considered an unlucky day, but let's talk about how to improve your luck with personal finance! Know What You Owe Challenge - Spring 2024 Apr 1, 2024 8:00 am140 views About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs April 1 - May 1, 2024. Understand Your Refund Challenge - Spring 2020 Jan 23, 2020 4:00 pm134 views Hundreds of students end up unable to register every semester because they owe money back to the university, even after receiving a refund. Learn how to avoid being one of them. Podcast Partnership Launching with Illinois Division of Financial & Professional Regulation! Aug 31, 2020 9:15 am133 views A new podcast launched today, Making Cents of Money, co-hosted by our very own Andrea Pellegrini and Illinois Division of Financial & Professional Regulation's Nikki Giancola-Shanks! Know What You Owe Challenge Dec 15, 2019 11:45 pm133 views Over half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge. UISAVES Week 1: Goal-setting Feb 16, 2020 11:30 am132 views A strong foundation to any financial plan are goals. Set a goal with #UISAVES to connect with resources to help. universityillinoissaves.org Understand Your Refund - Fall 2023 Sep 1, 2023 1:00 pm128 views Hundreds of students end up unable to register every semester because they owe money back to the university, even after receiving a refund. Learn how to avoid being one of them. Podcast: Student Loans Apr 13, 2021 12:00 pm124 views Episode 16 of Making Cents of Money, Student Loans, lays out some student loan statistics, considerations, and protections for borrowers in preparation for our webinar on Student Loan Repayment tomorrow! 6 Considerations for Finding Funding During COVID-19 Oct 2, 2020 4:45 pm122 views Finding money for your education, especially grad school, can be more difficult now. Read the 6 considerations for finding funding during COVID-19 to learn about searching for fellowships. Get $avvy - Grow Your Green $tuff Webinar Series (Spring 2020) Jan 29, 2020 8:00 am120 views The Spring 2020 Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff webinar series schedule is out. Register today and #GetSavvy. Podcast: Paying for College with Scholarships Nov 18, 2022 12:00 pm120 views In episode 52 of Making Cents of Money, Nikki and Andrea talk to special guest, Kara Holloway, Director of Scholarships at UIC, about paying for college with scholarships. Know What You Owe Challenge Nov 15, 2020 12:00 pm119 views About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge. Podcast: Budgeting Jun 17, 2021 12:00 pm118 views 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. Gratitude & Personal Finances Nov 18, 2022 3:45 pm117 views 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. Spring 2019 Understand Your Refund Quiz Jan 15, 2019 9:45 am115 views Hundreds of students end up unable to register every semester because they owe money back to the university, even after receiving a refund. Learn how to avoid being one of them. Discover Hidden Treasures: Reclaim Your Unclaimed Property Today! Feb 19, 2025 8:00 am114 views The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office holds over $5 billion in unclaimed property, and through the I-Cash program, residents can easily search for and reclaim forgotten assets, with nearly $299 million returned in 2024. Get $avvy - Grow Your Green $tuff Webinars for 2021-2022 Jun 29, 2021 12:00 pm112 views The 2021-2022 Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff annual webinar series schedule is out. Register today and #GetSavvy. Understand Your Refund - Spring 2024 Feb 1, 2024 7:00 am109 views Many students end up unable to register every semester because they owe money back to the university, even after receiving a refund. Learn answers to frequently asked questions about refunds. UISAVES 2020 runs February 16 - March 7! Feb 13, 2020 12:15 pm109 views The overall goal of UISAVES is to create a culture of savings at our three universities – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, and University of Illinois at Springfield. Read on to learn what we're doing for the 2020 campaign! Podcast: Understanding Credit Nov 10, 2020 12:00 pm107 views Episode 5 of Making Cents of Money, Understanding Credit, explores the complicated world of credit to help demystify things like scores, reports, and credit management. Know What You Owe Challenge Jun 15, 2019 11:45 pm100 views Over half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge. Publications & Resources Addressing Consumer Needs in U.S. During COVID-19 Apr 7, 2020 2:00 pm99 views We've compiled a list of federal websites & resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic that may be helpful in addressing some of your financial questions. Podcast: Unclaimed Property in Illinois Jan 22, 2025 12:00 pm95 views In episode 102 of Making Cents of Money, Treasurer Michael Frerichs joined as a guest to discuss the state of Illinois' process for getting unclaimed property back to the owners. Travel Planning Templates Jul 6, 2021 3:45 pm94 views Getting excited to travel? You can use these templates to help get your planning started for your next trip! UISAVES Week 2: Small Amounts Add Up Feb 22, 2020 11:30 am92 views An important part of building a savings habit is understanding how small amounts add up. Podcast: Money Personalities & Financial Well-being Aug 4, 2021 11:00 am88 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. Podcast: Financial Security and Stress Dec 8, 2021 12:00 pm87 views 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. How the Rule of 72 Can Help You Build Wealth—Or Sink Deeper Into Debt Feb 6, 2025 12:30 pm85 views Whether you are saving for a goal or dealing with debt, the Rule of 72 offers a simple, yet effective way to estimate the time it takes for money to grow or for debt to balloon due to compound interest. Podcast: Preventing Identity Theft Oct 22, 2020 12:00 pm85 views Episode 4 of Making Cents of Money, Preventing Identity Theft, looks at identity theft and fraud statistics as well as how we can protect our money from potential theft. Podcast: Setting & Prioritizing Financial Goals Dec 20, 2023 12:00 pm85 views In episode 75 of Making Cents of Money, Setting & Prioritizing Financial Goals, Nikki and Andrea discussed several strategies for setting, prioritizing, and re-prioritizing financial goals... just in time for the new year! Podcast: Building Wealth After Graduation Mar 25, 2024 12:00 pm84 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. Get $avvy - Grow Your Green $tuff Webinars Jul 2, 2020 12:00 pm84 views The 2020-2021 Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff annual webinar series schedule is out. Register today and #GetSavvy. Podcast: Financial Wellness Concepts Jul 29, 2024 12:00 pm84 views In episode 88 of Making Cents of Money, Financial Wellness Concepts, Nikki and Andrea discuss several terms that are often used interchangeably related to financial wellness and their definitions. Credit Cards and Travel Apr 7, 2023 1:00 pm83 views Travel credit cards have become very popular, offering a wide range of benefits if you use them wisely. Read on to learn about the pros and cons of using credit cards during travel and strategies for responsible credit card use. Podcast: Credit Scores Nov 2, 2022 12:00 pm82 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: Lines of Injustice: What is Redlining? May 6, 2024 12:00 pm81 views 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. Summer 2020 #UIMoney Tweet Chat Series Jun 2, 2020 12:30 pm81 views SMMC is hosting several tweet chats this summer to help our students, alumni, and friends prepare for a variety of financial transitions during a time filled with uncertainty. Saving Up for a Side Hustle May 12, 2023 1:00 pm79 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: Conscious Consumerism Mar 13, 2023 12:00 pm78 views In episode 59 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki discuss the meaning of conscious consumerism and how aligning your spending with your values can make an impact. Podcast: Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Sep 21, 2022 12:00 pm77 views In episode 48 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki talk about the differences between the federal student loan cancellation in Biden-Harris Administration's Student Debt Relief Plan and the temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver that has a quickly approaching deadline of October 31st. Podcast: Revisiting Travel Nov 23, 2022 12:00 pm75 views In episode 53 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea & Nikki discuss a few updates to consider when traveling before re-airing the Time to Travel podcast from July 2021. Podcast: Wealth Building as a Balancing Act Jan 19, 2023 12:00 pm74 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. Know What You Owe Challenge - Spring 2022 Apr 1, 2022 12:00 pm72 views About half of students at the University of Illinois take out loans to fund their degrees. Make sure you're not surprised by the amount of student loans you have taken out when you graduate by taking the Know What You Owe Challenge which runs April 1 - May 1, 2022.