用迈克的话来说, “我很清楚该怎么做, but in a much more real sense I had no idea what to do." We hope that you're not in the same boat as him! If you've made your way to this page, you've likely recently attended our Money with Michael workshop at your workplace or online. 在元素, we focus on financial education, so we are here with additional resources, statistics 和 downloads to exp和 on the topics covered in this workshop.
预算和信用卡
The best way to begin building your budget is tracking your purchases. Categorize items in your checking account 和 credit card history from the previous month 和 or keep your receipts for everything you spend during a 2-week timeframe. Make sure that you pick a "normal" month when reviewing your spending. It’s easy to organize your expenses into these three categories:
- FIXED amounts do not change monthly
- VARIABLE amounts typically do change monthly
- PERIODIC quarterly, semi-annual, 和 annual payments
整体, budgeting might be a sacrifice in the short-term, but it will lead you to more successful financial habits in the future.
管理债务
There are two highly popular debt repayment strategies we talk about with members. Both focus on one major bill at a time, so your debt is easier to manage.
债务雪球：从小处开始
用这种方法, you focus on eliminating the smallest balance you owe first, while also making minimum payments on all your other debts. 通过专注于较小的债务, you will see success sooner when you remove an entire line item from your chart, 和 it will mentally motivate you to knock out other progressively larger balances the same way.
债务雪崩：高起点
This method tackles your highest interest rate first, 不考虑平衡, then progresses to your lowest interest rate. This can save you some money in the long run because you’ve eliminated your higher priced debt first your lesser interest rates will be okay sitting for longer.
投资你的未来
Whether you’re getting started or you’re a seasoned investor, 元素 财富管理 has the tools to assist you on your journey. There are no account minimums, so this division is here to support all levels of investors. 元素 财富管理's purpose is to build lifelong relationships, which impact our client’s financial success.
按揭及再融资
Before finding your dream home or visiting an open house, it’s important to begin by analyzing your financial situation. No one likes to be disappointed when they find the perfect home, but it’s out of their price range. Start the process by completing a mortgage application which helps your lender learn more about you 和 your assets 和 what you can afford.
After submitting your application, your lender can offer you a pre-approval document. This will tell you the maximum amount they will offer you via a loan for your home. After receiving the pre-approval, you'll need to consider multiple types of loans 和 shop for your house. Finding the right home 和 the right loan is the most important 和 time-consuming part of the process! 一旦你找到你的家, you’ll make an offer 和 then work with the seller to settle on a mutually agreeable price.
After your offer is accepted, an appraisal, title work, 和 flood certification will be ordered. Once these services are completed, an underwriter will clear you to close on your new home.
数字工具
Gone are the days of having to visit a physical branch location to complete all of your banking transactions. As technology continues to improve, so does the user experience for consumers looking to h和le their banking via the internet. According to the US Federal Reserve, online banking is used by 71% of consumers 和 mobile banking by 38%. 元素 is here to enhance your banking experience, including with best-in-class online 和 mobile banking services. Our eCommerce team is dedicated to continually updating our digital platforms, so watch our website for news of updates that will make banking better for you.
为什么元素? Here's a few of our favorite features from our mobile app:
- Check your balances, make loan payments, 和 transfer money between accounts
- Pay your bills online 24/7/365 from anywhere
- Pay friends 和 family conveniently with Zelle®
- Have on-the-go access with the 元素 Mobile app for 安卓 和 苹果 设备
