CONSIDER THIS: College graduates are finishing school with high hopes, bright futures—and decades’ worth of student debt.

Student Loan Hero estimates the average 2016 college graduate has $37,172 in student loans. All that money can take a decade or more to pay off. The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau considers a standard payment term on a student loan to be about 10 years, although borrowers with more than $30,000 in federal student debt could be eligible for payment plans up to 25 years. A Pew Research Center survey found 16 percent of adults report having outstanding student loan debt left over from funding their own education. Of those respondents, 22 percent are between the ages of 30 and 44. Another 7 percent are ages 45 to 59. Overall, Americans owe more than $1.48 trillion in student loan debt, according to Student Loan Hero.

Financial experts frequently advise people to set aside in an emergency fund enough money to pay for between six and nine months of living expenses.

Recent surveys show many Americans don’t have an emergency fund of even $400. What if this is you and you’re broke and in debt? What do you then? Here a few tips that may help:

Recent surveys found that Americans’ biggest financial fear is never being able to retire, and that 56% of Americans have less than $10,000 saved for retirement. Working for a company that doesn’t offer a retirement plan (such as a 401(k)), not being able to save money after the bills are paid, and/or simply procrastinating on getting started are commonly cited as reasons by those that are falling short or feeling financially insecure.

Basic money management skills are crucial to daily success but financial education isn’t commonly offered in schools. To help bridge the gap, Greater Nevada partners with organizations like EverFi, Balance, and the Richard Myles Johnson Foundation. Together with Greater Nevada Credit Union, these organizations provide financial education to students of all ages from elementary school to college.

CONSIDER THIS: The government’s Consumer Price Index estimates prices for groceries will rise by 1 to 2 percent in 2018. For some products, prices could go even higher. For example, the prices for chicken and avocados are expected to go up.

So how do consumers put food on the table without breaking the bank?

Below are some tips for finding the best deals on groceries:

Millions of people take out pay day loans (also known as cash advance and check loans) every year in the United States. Most of these loans are relatively small (i.e. $500) but charge high interest rates and fees. For example, a typical two-week payday loan with a $15 per $100 fee would have an annual percentage rate (APR) of almost 400%. Borrowers usually promise to repay the loan with their next paycheck, though sometimes the payments are made over a longer period of time.

Are you having trouble paying your bills, getting notices from creditors or worrying about losing your home or vehicle? Many people face some type of financial challenge at some point, whether it’s related to a health crisis, job loss or other factors. However, help is out there, though you need to proceed with caution. Let’s take a look at some of these options.

Now that your holiday spending is winding down, does it feel like you’ve overspent once again? If so, this is a perfect time to get back on track and even prepare for a more affordable season next year. Let’s get started!

The holidays are here and we all know that they can cause some extra stress. Here are some tips that can help you during this season.
 

When it comes to personal and business banking, credit unions aren’t always top of mind. Sometimes misunderstood in terms of who can join, what they provide, and even how advanced their services are, these member-owned financial cooperatives are gems for those who discover them. Greater Nevada Credit Union, here for everyone in Nevada, is a good example of how beneficial membership can be.