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.

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 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.

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. 

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

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

This is the final article in the series for Financial Literacy Month. The article focuses on how cultural influences (socialization) affect financial literacy and habits.

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. 

In this post, we cover financial foundations you need before investing—emergency savings, managing high-interest debt, and setting clear goals. Plus: how diversification and time horizons work, understanding the risk-return spectrum, and red flags to watch for.

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.

When it comes to retirement-focused investing, understanding the tax treatment and rules of different accounts is essential for long-term financial planning. In the U.S., these typically fall into two main categories: Traditional and Roth accounts.

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.

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

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

There are more things to consider with a job offer than salary. Read this article to learn how to evaluate the true value of a job position. 

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.

We have defined a few financial terms to make it easier to stay up-to-date on how COVID-19 is impacting our finances.

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

In episode 116 of Making Cents of Money, Mark Smith from Gies College of Business who teaches Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign discusses what to consider when buying a business.

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.   

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.

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.

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.

In episode 118 of Making Cents of Money, Andrea & Kimber summarize the last 5 years of student loan policy shifts and highlight recent changes impacting borrowers' options for managing their federal (and private) student loans.

In episode 117 of Making Cents of Money, IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. joins Kimber & Andrea to explain the importance of regulatory initatives that protect consumers and how Illinois is leading the nation in instituting and enhancing consumer protections.

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.

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.

Whether we mean to or not, we all do it at some point in our lives--give or take financial advice that may be ill-informed. Read what to watch for when taking financial advice and what risks exist for giving financial advice.

Tuition & fees will be due before you know it, so here are the top 5 financial reminders for International Students.

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.

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 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 110 of Making Cents of Money, Brad Fletcher joins Kimber & Andrea again to discuss the US Department of Education's resumption of involuntary debt collection on defaulted federal student loans.

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. 

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! 

In episode 111 of Making Cents of Money, we're celebrating 529 day with the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer who manages two nationally acclaimed 529 qualified tuition programs: Bright Start & Bright Directions.

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!

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.

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.

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.

A strong foundation to any financial plan are goals. Set a goal with #UISAVES to connect with resources to help. universityillinoissaves.org

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

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.

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!

Financial Aid Notifications or Award Letters can be difficult to compare. Read about what to keep in mind while reviewing them and learn about the CFPB's tool to compare them when planning out how to fund your degree.

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.

In episode 70 of Making Cents of Money, The Impact of Compound Interest, Andrea and Nikki explore the complicated relationship we can have with compound interest when it comes to accomplishing financial goals.

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.

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.

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.