ISN'T THAT RICH PODCAST | Farmers State Bank of Alto Pass | Illinois

A Month of Tracking Our Spending

On a recent episode of the Isn't that Rich Podcast we talked about the financial "B" word, otherwise known as budgeting, and one thing we realized was neither one of us knew exactly where our money went each month. In order for us to set up a budget we could stick to, we had to do the leg work ourselves to figure out how much we were spending and whether or not our purchases aligned with our values. So we challenged each other to a month long of tracking our spending! This week we talk through all the purchases we made in a months time, no matter how embarrassing they were to admit! Needless to say this exercise was extremely enlightening and we discovered some major spending habits we weren't aware of before taking this challenge. We hope this episode encourages you to take your own spending tracker challenge so you can see first-hand how easy it is to get off track when you don't pay attention to where your money really goes.

Prevent Check Fraud with Positive Pay

Today, we are once again talking about one of our favorite topics of conversation: Fraud! And fraud itself is not our favorite topic. Honestly, we wish it didn't exist. But rather, we love sharing real stories of fraud happening in our area so, as listeners, you know what to look out for to prevent it from happening to you. The specific kind of fraud we talk about today is known as Check Fraud. Although check usage isn't what it used to be thanks to new banking technologies, fraud continues to threaten businesses and banks. But the good news is there are ways you can ensure your account remains protected. Today we are talking with guest, Taylor Shanks, about the newest way Farmers State Bank helps companies prevent check fraud with a new product called Positive Pay.

The Financial "B" Word: Budgeting

Today we are talking about the financial "B" word: Budgeting! If we are completely honest, most people hate the concept of budgeting, and for good reason! When people sit down and plan their budget, it starts with good intentions. They want to save more money, get control over their spending, and plan for their future. But the truth is setting a strict budget can actually set you up for failure. Because budgets feel so restrictive, they often don't work! Although we don't believe in strict budgeting, we do believe that understanding how much money you earn and how much you spend every month is really important to achieving financial security. Today we are going to talk about some guidelines you can follow to help you make sure you're spending and saving in a way that works for you that isn't oppressive or overly prescriptive.

College Planning Timeline for Students

It's back-to-school season, parents! And if you have a high school senior in your household, than this episode is for you. Senior year can be stressful! Not only is your student working hard to graduate on time, but they have the added pressure of completing their college applications so they can be accepted to the school of their dreams. We all know how exhausting (and expensive) the college application process can be and it seems impossible to keep track of all the deadlines and important dates throughout the year. In this episode, we will walk you through everything your student needs to do to stay on track during their senior year of high school.

Foreclosure: Bargain or Bust?

You've seen it on the HGTV shows a million times. A crummy house on the corner goes up for auction and the gorgeous realtor couple puts in an all-cash offer and completely renovates the house in 30 minutes including commercials. This is what most people think of when they hear about the foreclosure process but there is far more to it than that? Sold to the person in the back!? Biding on a foreclosed property can be one of the riskiest investments in the real estate world and it's hard to know exactly what you're getting in to before the county clerk strikes the gavel! In this episode, you will learn why properties go into foreclosure, how the bidding process works, and if a foreclosed property is a bargain or a bust. Thank you to our Chief Mortgage Officer, John Streuter, for answering all our foreclosure questions!