blog posts

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  Setting Goals for Your Well-being

  Nov 6, 2020 9:00 am4230 views

  Explore how Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the dimensions of well-being can help you set, prioritize, and manage your SMART goals.

• Factors Influencing Financial Knowledge

  Apr 22, 2022 10:45 pm3761 views

  This article highlights some of the factors that influence financial knowledge, factors that affect one's appreciation of financial concepts, habits, and decisions.

• Fall 2019 Understand Your Refund Quiz

  Aug 30, 2019 4:00 pm2800 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.

• Executing a Power of Attorney in Illinois

  May 16, 2024 3:45 pm1468 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.

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  The Power of Financial Education: A Key to Success for College Students

  Sep 25, 2024 12:30 pm1345 views

  Financial education is essential for college students, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to make informed financial decisions that will not only enhance their college experience but also pave the way for long-term success.

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  SMMC Grad Hourly Job Openings at UIUC

  Mar 9, 2023 10:00 am1323 views

  Are you looking for an opportunity to enhance your professional skills while in school as well as your knowledge of personal finance? University Bursar's Student Money Management Center has two job openings at Urbana!

  Apply to be an SMMC Support Specialist!

• Completing the FAFSA

  Nov 1, 2019 12:30 pm1209 views

  The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, otherwise known as FAFSA, is “the largest source of financial aid to pay for college”. Read about important dates, tips & reminders for filing.

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  Understand Your Refund - Fall 2021

  Sep 1, 2021 1:00 pm1115 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.

• Mutual Funds vs Exchange Traded Funds

  May 29, 2024 9:00 am975 views

  Curious about automatically diversified investment options? Learn the key differences between Mutual Funds and ETFs, and find out which might be the best fit for your situation and financial goals.

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  SMMC Grad Hourly Job Opening at UIUC

  Apr 20, 2021 5:00 pm799 views

  Are you looking for an opportunity to enhance your professional skills while in school as well as your knowledge of personal finance? University Bursar's Student Money Management Center has an open position at Urbana!

  Apply to be an SMMC Support Specialist!

• Tax Filing 101: Forms & Facts You Need to Know

  Mar 10, 2023 5:00 pm739 views

  As we get closer to the tax filing deadline for the United States, it is important to knwo the intricacies and important forms for filing taxes.

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  Understand Your Refund - Fall 2020

  Aug 28, 2020 1:00 pm719 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.

• Breaking a Rental Lease in Illinois

  Sep 1, 2023 5:15 pm707 views

  Kwabena Sarfo Adjei, SMMC Support Specialist and LLM student at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's College of Law, describes how he was able to get out of his rental lease after finding the rental property did not meet his expectations.

• How to Add Digital Badges to LinkedIn

  Sep 13, 2019 2:00 pm654 views

  If you have a digital badge from the University of Illinois Digital Badges Program, you may have noticed that there's a new backpack system to use. Since the transition from Mozilla Backpack to Badgr Backpack, there's a new way to create collections that can be placed on LinkedIn. 

  We created a tutorial to help you display your badges on LinkedIn after you've transitioned to using Badgr.

• Identifying Expenses: Fixed, Flexible, or Occasional?

  Aug 7, 2023 1:30 pm637 views

  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.

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  How do people with vision impairments manage money?

  Jun 16, 2020 12:45 pm624 views

  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.

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  Overcoming Spending Temptations

  Nov 16, 2020 3:30 pm575 views

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

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  Defeat the Debt Monster

  Oct 29, 2018 4:00 pm569 views

  Students across the University of Illinois System are needed to Defeat the Debt Monster between October 1 – October 29 for a chance to win one of three $25 gift cards.

  Discover ways to defeat your personal debt monster!

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  Seasonal Themes: Get More Done with a Mindset Shift

  Jan 29, 2021 11:00 am567 views

  Has Your New Year's Resolution Failed? Try a Seasonal Theme!

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  Shrinkflation

  Sep 19, 2022 4:15 pm489 views

  As we get ready for our first Get Savvy webinar of fall 2022, Inflation: When Prices Rise, we wanted to share a little bit about shrinkflation - what it is and how to cope with it as a consumer.

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  Podcast: Saving for College with a 529 Savings Plan

  Feb 10, 2021 12:00 pm452 views

  Episode 11 of Making Cents of Money, Saving for College with a 529 Savings Plan, explored 529 plans, including how they function, a bit on their history, and how they differ from other savings vehicles. Listen to special guests, Fernando Diaz and John Mitchell, from the Illinois Treasurer's Office to learn more about options in Illinois.

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  Budgeting for a Week: A Realistic Approach

  Nov 8, 2024 4:00 pm406 views

  Budgeting empowers you to work toward reasonable financial goals, keeping you from overspending and accruing debt. Explore steps you can take this week to start building a budgeting habit.

• SMMC Grad Hourly Job Openings at UIUC

  Feb 26, 2024 8:00 am391 views

  Are you looking for an opportunity to enhance your professional skills while in school as well as your knowledge of personal finance? University Bursar's Student Money Management Center has two job openings at Urbana!

  Apply to be an SMMC Support Specialist!

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  Coronavirus Challenges Our Financial Security

  Mar 18, 2020 11:45 am390 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.

• Refinancing an International Education Loan in the United States

  Sep 28, 2023 10:00 am367 views

  Suhas Vetri Annamalai, SMMC Support Specialist and student at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Gies College of Business, discusses multiple factors to consider when deciding if refinancing your international student loan in the U.S. is the right choice for you.

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  Know What You Owe Challenge - Spring 2023

  Apr 1, 2023 8:00 am346 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, 2023.

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  Banking Locations Near Each University

  Jun 14, 2023 9:30 am345 views

  Looking for a financial institution on campus? Explore our Google Map for locations on or close to each campus in the University of Illinois System.

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  Focus Your Spending with Lists

  Nov 18, 2020 4:00 pm325 views

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

• Good Food, Good Mood

  Sep 19, 2019 12:30 pm324 views

  Is having to find consistent, affordable food always putting you in a bad mood?  Read our article about ways to fight food insecurity to learn of resources that can help.

• Mobile Wallets: Know the Risks & Rewards

  Dec 15, 2017 1:45 pm315 views

  Mobile wallets are a digital way to keep your financial tools and resources in your mobile device. Learn more about the risks & rewards of mobile wallets so you can best protect your hard-earned money.

• Know What You Owe Challenge - Fall 2023

  Nov 14, 2023 8:00 am281 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 14 - December 15, 2023.

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  Understand Your Refund - Spring 2021

  Jan 28, 2021 3:30 pm278 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.

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  Know What You Owe Challenge - Fall 2024

  Nov 15, 2024 8:00 am274 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, 2024.

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  Virtual Financial Education

  Mar 18, 2020 1:00 pm266 views

  We put together a list of ways you can enhance your financial knowledge through virtual means as well as a few tips if you're teaching online for the first time.

• International Student Financial Wellness Survey

  Nov 1, 2018 10:00 pm265 views

  The University of Illinois Student Money Management Center developed a survey specifically for international students to learn about your unique financial struggles and habits because of how important you are to the community and enriching diversity for all three of our universities in the University of Illinois System. 

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  Biden Student Loan Cancellation & PSLF Limited Waiver

  Sep 15, 2022 1:00 pm261 views

  Not all federal student loan forgiveness programs are the same. We want to draw your attention to an upcoming deadline to be aware of if you work in public service and will still have a balance after the Biden student loan cancellations are processed.

• Top Tips for Tax-Filing

  Mar 1, 2017 8:00 am260 views
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  Practicing Self-Advocacy in Your Financial, Professional and Social Life

  Mar 29, 2021 4:30 pm253 views

  Self-advocacy is an important skill to practice, particularly right now. Whether it's getting the resources you need to succeed in school or setting boundaries with your loved ones so you can focus on your own well-being, it's important to communicate with others about your needs, wants, and struggles throughout your life.

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  SMMC Grad Hourly Job Opening at UIUC

  May 13, 2022 3:00 pm252 views

  Are you looking for an opportunity to enhance your professional skills while in school as well as your knowledge of personal finance? University Bursar's Student Money Management Center has an open position at Urbana!

  Apply to be an SMMC Support Specialist!

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  Changes to Financial Coaching

  Jun 15, 2020 2:45 pm247 views

  We're restructuring our services to better meet the needs of our stakeholders: students, their families, and employees across the University of Illinois System. Read about what that means for financial coaching!

• Financial Socialization and Influences of K-12 Financial Education on Adult Financial Decisions

  Apr 8, 2022 11:30 am235 views

  Financial socialization, as well as formal financial education in the early stages of life, do influence adult attitudes, habits, and decisions concerning money. Looking at what state legislation exists in promoting K-12 financial education as well as resources for policymakers and parents in providing spaces for early exposure to financial education may help.

• Variable Insurance: Protection Product or Security?

  Apr 26, 2024 3:45 pm232 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.

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  Understand Your Refund - Spring 2025

  Jan 29, 2025 10:00 am229 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.

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  Understand Your Refund - Fall 2022

  Sep 1, 2022 1:00 pm224 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.

• How I Avoided a Phone Call Scam in My First Week in the United States

  Jul 25, 2023 3:30 pm206 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. 

• Get $avvy - Grow Your Green $tuff Webinar Series

  Aug 14, 2018 8:00 am206 views

  The 2018-2019 Get Savvy: Grow Your Green Stuff annual webinar series schedule is out. Register today and #GetSavvy.

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  The 5 C's: A Guide to Self-Care on a Budget

  Sep 18, 2020 12:00 pm202 views

  We put together a few tips in an effort to add to your ideas and/or motivate you to start practicing self-care/self-love on a budget! 

• Ethics & Economics of "Informed Consent" for Medical Treatment in the U.S.

  Jul 23, 2024 10:00 am181 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.

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  How to Support Wellness While Virtual

  Mar 18, 2020 4:15 pm172 views

  Learn ways to enhance your overall wellness in a virtual environment. 

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  Behavioral Economics: Five Ways to Shift Your Habits

  Nov 8, 2023 4:00 pm172 views

  When considering decision-making in terms of your finances, it’s important to understand behavioral economics so we can develop healthier spending habits and save money along the way.