blog posts Expect the Unexpected: Saving For Emergencies Jan 15, 2015 11:00 am21 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. Friday the 13th! Financial Planning to Avoid Unlucky Losses Mar 13, 2020 10:00 am155 views Friday the 13th is often considered an unlucky day, but let's talk about how to improve your luck with personal finance! Coronavirus Challenges Our Financial Security Mar 18, 2020 11:45 am394 views We have defined a few financial terms to make it easier to stay up-to-date on how COVID-19 is impacting our finances. Podcast: Preventing Identity Theft Oct 22, 2020 12:00 pm96 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. Setting Goals for Your Well-being Nov 6, 2020 9:00 am4302 views Explore how Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the dimensions of well-being can help you set, prioritize, and manage your SMART goals. Podcast: Fending Off Fraud Nov 19, 2020 12:00 pm44 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: The Anti-Predatory Lending Database Dec 3, 2020 12:00 pm67 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: Holiday Savings Tips and New Year's Goals Dec 17, 2020 12:00 pm32 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: Financial Education and Financial Literacy Jan 14, 2021 12:00 pm33 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 pm38 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: Investing Basics Mar 9, 2021 12:00 pm32 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. Creating Your Own Financial Education Plan Apr 19, 2021 4:00 pm49 views Use this guide to identify what modules in the University of Illinois Financial Literacy Badges Program align with your financial education needs and make a learning plan for yourself! Podcast: Real Estate May 5, 2021 12:00 pm28 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: Professional Licensure in Illinois May 19, 2021 12:00 pm25 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. Identity Theft & Fraud - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Sep 16, 2021 1:00 pm11 views Find out how to protect yourself from fraud, recognize identity theft, and what to do if you're affected with this webinar recording from September 15, 2021. Podcast: Tackling Insurance! (Part 1) Oct 20, 2021 12:00 pm40 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: Tackling Insurance! (Part 2) Nov 3, 2021 12:00 pm22 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: Inflation Nov 17, 2021 12:00 pm24 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 Security and Stress Dec 8, 2021 12:00 pm91 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. Planning for the Unforeseen - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Dec 8, 2021 1:00 pm7 views Learn about tools you can use in estate planning, like power of attorney, wills, and more, from this webinar recording from December 8, 2021. Financial Emergency Preparedness - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Mar 30, 2022 1:00 pm8 views Discover tools to help you prepare for dealing with potential financial emergencies by watching this webinar recording from March 30, 2022. Podcast: Protecting Pets May 10, 2022 12:00 pm36 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: Farewell, Jake! May 13, 2022 12:00 pm15 views In episode 40 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea and Nikki bid farewell to long time co-host, Jake, as he transitions off the podcast and on to the next step in his career! Podcast: Estate Planning Aug 3, 2022 12:00 pm58 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 pm38 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. Memes & Money: What are the Facts? - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Jan 25, 2023 1:00 pm5 views Learn about money memes, digital assets, and more by watching this webinar recording from January 25, 2023. Podcast: Fintech and Digital Assets Feb 1, 2023 12:00 pm65 views In episode 56 of Making Cents of Money, David DeCarlo, IDFPR's Regulatory Innovation Officer, discussed what consumers should know about digital assets and regulation in this new era of fintech. Investing Risks & Rewards - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Feb 8, 2023 1:00 pm7 views Discover investing risks & rewards by watching this webinar recording from February 8, 2023. Podcast: Investing to Reach Financial Goals Feb 15, 2023 12:00 pm55 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. How Your Spending Can Change the World - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Mar 29, 2023 1:00 pm5 views Explore how your spending can change the world by watching this webinar recording from March 29, 2023. Health Insurance Dissected - Get Savvy Webinar Recording Apr 12, 2023 1:00 pm6 views Dissect the ins and outs of health insurance by watching this webinar recording from April 12, 2023. How I Avoided a Phone Call Scam in My First Week in the United States Jul 25, 2023 3:30 pm227 views This article is meant to put people, particularly first-time travellers in the United States (US), on alert on the activities of phone call scammers. Podcast: Password Managers Jul 28, 2023 12:00 pm45 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. Podcast: What's a Credit Report Anyway? Aug 9, 2023 12:00 pm66 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 Financial Impact of Digital Illiteracy Aug 23, 2023 12:00 pm55 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. Webinar Recording: Don't Get Phished Nov 8, 2023 1:00 pm6 views Stay one step ahead of scams and fraud! Learn ways to protect yourself, recognize identity theft, and take action if affected. Variable Insurance: Protection Product or Security? Apr 26, 2024 3:45 pm341 views Learn about how variable insurance differs from traditional whole and term life insurance policies and what to keep in mind if you are considering variable insurance. Executing a Power of Attorney in Illinois May 16, 2024 3:45 pm2246 views A power of attorney (POA) is a tool to enable someone else to make decisions on your behalf. There are several types of POAs and their functions differ. Read this article to find answers to many questions about POAs. Facilitator Guide - How to Throw a Webinar Watch Party Jun 11, 2024 10:00 am26 views 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. Financial Regulation Authorities that Support Consumers in the U.S. and Illinois Jun 13, 2024 8:00 am27 views Learn about the many government entities in the United States and in the state of Illinois that regulate financial industries and support consumers. Experience a Scam or Discrimination? Here's How to File a Complaint Jun 14, 2024 8:00 am22 views Whether you experience scams, fraud, or discrimination, you can file complaints with the appropriate agencies. Read the steps you can take to resolve a consumer issue or file a complaint if necessary. Ethics & Economics of "Informed Consent" for Medical Treatment in the U.S. Jul 23, 2024 10:00 am216 views "Informed consent" is an important aspect of medical care. Learn what it means, why costs are a required component of it, and your options if a medical professional has not provided informed consent prior to administering services. What Are Out-of-Pocket Costs? Apr 29, 2025 8:15 pm85 views When it comes to healthcare, it's hard to keep track of out-of-pocket costs and how it can impact our overall healthcare expenses in a given year. This article sheds light on this complicated topic so you can make more informed choices for your overall wellbeing and your wallet. 13 Ways to Avoid Unlucky Losses in 2025 Jun 13, 2025 8:00 am19 views Friday the 13th is often considered an unlucky day, but let's talk about how to improve your luck with 13 financial planning tips!
