Tag Archives: save

7 Ways To Save On Your Energy Bill

With winter at full force, heating bills will begin to skyrocket. The typical family spends an average of $2,200 per year on utilities, according to the Energy Department. To cut costs and crush your saving goals, Iowa State Bank of Fairfield offers some simple ways to save on your energy bill.

Wash Clothes On Cold

About 90% of the energy the washing machine uses goes towards heating the water. Not only will your clothes still get clean when washing them in cold water, but they’ll have less shrinkage and fade. If you wash 4 out of 5 loads of your laundry in cold water, you could cut out 864 pounds of CO2 emissions in a year. That’s equivalent to planting .37 acres of U.S. forest. This is because the cost of the hot/warm rinse setting for a load is $0.68 while cold/cold is only $0.04 – which also means less electrical output.

Update the Showerhead

An energy efficient showerhead can reduce your water usage by 2,700 gallons per year – just look for one with the WaterSense label. This means the showerhead is certified to meet efficiency criteria set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Seal Up Your Home

Plastic to cover your windows and weather stripping around doors will cause fewer drafts and leaks, keeping your home from working too hard to stay warm. According to Lowe’s, an insulating window film can help retain up to 55 percent of your home’s heat in the winter, so it’s worth a shot to help you save!

Change the Thermostat

When away from home or asleep under your warm covers, knock your thermostat back 10 degrees. That seems cold, but it’ll help you save as you don’t need the warmth during those times. Doing so for eight hours can lower your annual heating and cooling costs by around 10 percent. You can also invest in a programmable thermostat, which will do the work for you.

Adjust Your Fridge and Freezer

Your food will still stay fresh with this tip! Set your fridge to 38 degrees and your freezer to 5 degrees to save BIG.

Turn Down the Hot Water

Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees. This can help reduce heating costs by 10 percent!

Switch to CFL Bulbs

Switching to compact fluorescent or LED bulbs that bear the Energy Star label, will help save you more than you think. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This can save you up to $35 in electric costs over the lifetime of each bulb.

We hope you implement a few of these strategies to allow your money to stay in your pocket. If you’re looking for a safe home to keep your funds, our savings account options are the perfect place! Learn more about all the financial benefits our banking solutions have to offer you – then contact us for more information. Stay warm!

Back to School Savings Tips

Back to school shopping can be dreadful. Trying to buy new school supplies for your kids or yourself can be crazy expensive. Luckily, these 5 saving tips might just be the key to school supply shopping success.

Do a Closet and Supply Sweep

Don’t be alarmed, but there may be school supplies lying around your house! Before rushing to the store to buy brand new school supplies, you may want to check in between your couch cushions and in desk drawers. By doing this, you may find school supplies that were bought years prior that have not been used. Finding previous school supplies that are on that list will help you save money by not having to buy brand new products. You may have most supplies already!

To avoid forgetting that you may have school supplies lying somewhere around the house, start collecting the items that you already have and put them in a central location. This will allow you to keep track of what you already have, so you don’t end up wasting time or money!

Hit up the Dollar/Thrift Store

You don’t have to buy everything here, but for items such as: loose leaf paper, staplers, erasers, pencils, rulers and clothes, you sure could get a deal. Buying such items at the Dollar Store or Thrift Store will help save you money before going straight to the major department stores. Shop at these places first for basic supplies and then go to the main stores to find the rest of what you need! This may take some planning ahead, but you can score some amazing bargains.

Use Coupons

When school starts approaching, you may want to look at your Sunday paper or online for coupons! Sites like RetailMeNot have a special section on their site for school supplies. Also, keep in mind that stores, like Walmart, offer price matching. Check ads every week, and keep an eye out for sales! Doing these things should help maximize your savings.

Start Early!

You can start early, but not too early. As soon as you see school supplies go on sale, begin shopping. If you wait too long, you might miss out on those bargain deals or the opportunity to have the best notebook and pencils! Getting a jump-start gives you time to shop around and compare deals. With shopping early, you have the option to buy in bulk. That way during the school year, you’ll have back-ups at home when it’s time to re-stock.

Hold off on buying the ‘popular’ gear

The only good thing about going back to school might be the new clothes, gear and school supplies, but that does not mean you have to spend hundreds every year. Most of the time the ‘popular items’ will be very expensive and then become not so ‘popular’ after the first month of school, so hold off on buying those and try to invest in the quality of items. You want to be able to get the best bang for your buck!

We hope these 5 tips will grant you success when shopping for school supplies! We wish you and your family the best for this school year!

6 Ways to Save on Your Study Abroad

study abroad

Are you or your child dreaming of learning of abroad, perhaps on the coasts of Spain, or the mountains of Italy? As a young adult now is a perfect time broaden those horizons, and explore new lands while continuing an education. Unfortunately, all of these great experiences don’t come for free! If you’re searching for some innovative ways to scrimp and save to make a potential study abroad a reality, we have a few strategies to help you make it happen.

Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships. Whether it’s through a prospective program, current university, or perhaps even an area Amvets organization, make it a dedicated part-time job to apply to any and every study abroad application that is relative to your upcoming study abroad. You can save anywhere from a couple hundred dollars up to the entire cost of your travel and tuition through a combination of various scholarship programs.
Work study. This is a fantastic opportunity many foreign programs offer. In exchange for a small amount of work during the week, such as AV management or library maintenance, you can reduce your educational costs by thousands! Be sure to apply for these early as they’re typically capped at a specific number of students.
Plan your own excursions. Many study abroad opportunities also offer pre-planned excursions to go to neighboring cities or countries. Instead of footing an inflated travel bill, plan your own excursions with a group of friends and split the costs. You may find yourself having a better time than the official itinerary attendees!
Pay with cash. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, continue your savings journey, by only taking the amount of cash you need for your planned purchases. It does help to have an international credit card such as Mastercard or Visa for emergencies, but when shopping day-to-day, spend less and pay with cash.
Pack your staples and buy your conveniences. When packing for several months, it helps to include clothes which can be combined for multiple outfits. Couple this with versatile shoes and accessories, and a two-week wardrobe can easily last you a whole semester! Other amenities such as toiletries, snacks, and basic school supplies can be much easier to purchase once you arrive.
Use apps to call home instead of expensive calling cards. Helpful apps like WhatsApp, Skype, and Facetime make it simple to connect with loved ones back home without having to pay costly fees. If you can find a local wifi hotspot, or happen to have internet where you’re staying, there’s no need to pay for an international cell phone or expensive cell phone fees. If you plan to use your regular U.S. based cell phone while abroad, just be sure to keep it on airplane mode to avoid astronomical roaming charges.

No matter where you or your child are planning to study abroad, the key is to enjoy it! Iowa State Bank can help you set-up a dedicated savings account, all we ask is you make the most of your time and explore as much as you can! We’ll help you take care of the rest.

The DO’s and DON’TS of Using Credit Cards

creditcard

Using a credit card is a great stepping stone to help boost your personal credit history. By proactively managing your ongoing finances, you can showcase to potential lenders that you know how to fulfill your repayment promises. What many people don’t know, is that simply having a credit card does not automatically indicate an increase in your credit score. To help you succeed with your credit, Iowa State Bank has put together our most commonly asked do’s and don’ts of using credit cards.

DO: Pay your balance in FULL every month or every two weeks.

DON’T: Keep a balance even if the interest rate is low

While keeping a balance less than 30 percent won’t drastically harm your credit score, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. We recommend never spending more than you can pay off each and every month. By keeping yourself to this standard you can make certain to never become a victim of expensive credit card debt.

DO: Choose a card that will compliment your lifestyle.

DON’T: Pick your credit card based of mail or TV offers.

There are countless websites and app centered around helping you find the ideal credit card. Instead of signing up for a credit card through the mail, start perusing sites like NerdWallet to discover which card fits not only your spending but your rewards preferences too! Before you start applying, remember to only apply for a credit card if you need one If you plan on using more than one, wait six months or more before applying for a new line of credit. This will help to keep your credit score on track and assist in preventing any unwanted dips.

DO: Use reward points to save money.

DON’T: Spend more just to get additional points.

While some credit card options certainly do offer some great sign-on rewards, remember that added debt and expenses are never worth the hike in points. The money you manage is yours, and it’s real! While the points are truly a great perk, never let them outweigh the tangible money you currently have in your individual accounts. If you allow this to happen you may find yourself with a mountain of debt, the equivalent of half the vacation you can no longer afford to take.

DO: Have more than one card when you can pay them all off on time.

DON’T: Cancel a credit card without researching its history.

There are certain cards that boast the best rewards when utilized for specific industries, and others that can add extra perks for those all-encompassing purchases. To make the most of these various benefits, we recommend using multiple credit cards for your household’s purchases, only once you’ve maintained a zero balance on one for more than six months. If you feel confident in managing multiple credit cards, you’ll find great advantages of using the rewards behind the various programs and their associated bonus structures. However, if you close a card, always check and see if that card holds your longest history of a credit line. Should that be the case, you may not want to cancel it, as it could create a slight dip in your credit score.

Did you know Iowa State Bank offers credit cards too? If you’re looking to boost your credit, or want to begin building your history with a local institution, our dedicated staff would love to help you get started. Simply stop by your nearest location, and we’ll help find the perfect fit for you and your spending.

Saving for Tuition 18 Years in Advance

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After you get to see those little eyes open, it’s like a whole new world has unfolded before you. When you’re elbows deep in changing diapers, cleaning up whoopsies, and trying to sleep more than four hours a night, the last thing on your mind is college savings. At Iowa State Bank we understand the chaos which ensues with each new addition to your family. To help you prepare for this upcoming transition, we’d like to help you find the best educational savings account for your little bundle of joy before he or she arrives!

There are two primary types of accounts when it comes to saving for your child’s ongoing education. Similar to retirement savings accounts, both of these options do require various stipulations when it comes to distributing the saved funds. Here we’ll show you the pro’s and con’s to each option, to help you better determine which option will suit you and your needs best.

The Coverdell Savings Account: This account option utilizes after tax dollars, which means there are no taxes on distributions when the funds used for education. The account does have a nationwide $2,000 a year contribution limit, in addition to various income restrictions. While you and your spouse may manage and contribute to the fund, once the child turns eighteen, he or she will own the account and all the funds within it. However, once the child is of age, he or she may only use the funds for education related expenses without incurring an additional distribution tax.

The 529 Savings Account: This account option also utilizes after tax dollars, which again indicates no future taxes on distributions if the funds are used for education. The account does not have income limitations, however, each state stipulates their own yearly contribution limit, typically ranging from $100,000 to $350,000 per year. For this account type, the physical savings account, and the funds within it remain yours, only designated toward a specific beneficiary (which you can change up to once per year.)

Let’s compare the two when looking at national average college costs across the U.S.

If you choose to save using the Coverdell account option, suppose you save $2,000 per year for eighteen years, yielding a total of $36,000 of total out-of-pocket contributions. Add in the compound interest of those eighteen years, and you’ll find yourself with approximately $80,983 in total educational savings. Fun Fact: The national average for a year of in-state public college in the U.S. is $20,090 or $80,360 for a four-year degree.

Alternatively, if you choose to save with a 529 account, you can save more than $2,000 per year, say $3,500 per year instead. Multiply those contributions by eighteen years, and you’ll have $63,000 in total out-of-pocket contributions. After calculating your compound interest into the equation, you’ve grown up to $141,562 in total educational savings. Fun Fact: The national average for a year of any college in the U.S. is $35,370, or $141,480 for a four-year degree.

As you can see, both of these accounts allow you to make much more through the benefit of time and compound interest. Just like your retirement savings, the sooner you start contributing, the more interest you can earn. While the Coverdell allows you to give the account to your child, the 529 shows better savings opportunities, allowing you to maximize your potential interest.

If you’d like to learn how you can start saving for your upcoming chick-a-doo, stop by and speak with one of our dedicated personal bankers at Iowa State Bank today! We’d love to help your family continue to grow!

Eat This Not That

eatthis

Like many Generation X’ers, we grew into adulthood alongside this viral diet book, which showcased the epitome of dieting in the late 2000’s. Now a decade or two later, there are still some relevant tips and tricks we’re excited to share here. See how Iowa State Bank can help you switch up your spending, by eating THIS instead of THAT, to put some extra bang in your buck.

EAT Dried Beans NOT Canned Beans: While many Americans are used canned beans as a pantry staple, you can save more than 50 percent when you take the time to cook with dried beans instead. According to the Bean Institute, dried beans typically run about $0.15 per serving, with canned store brands bean coming in at $0.34 per serving, and your national brand of canned beans costing approximately $0.48 per serving. Additionally, if you cook your beans in a stock you can add additional flavor to your dish for only pennies per serving.
EAT Bulk Sized Snacks NOT Pre-packaged Portions: When trying to pack a child’s lunch, or meal prepping for yourself, it can be easy to turn to those pre-packed time savers. However, if you’re looking to lessen your grocery spending for the month, we recommend buying your family’s go-to snacks in bulk. Great retailers such as Sam’s Club, Costco, and Amazon offer great bulk pricing to help your household reduce their monthly expenses.
BUY Store Brand NOT Name Brand: Speaking of name brand, forget your brand loyalty and seek out the options that truly stretch your dollar the farthest. Great pantry staples like canned tomatoes, sugar, flour, stock, etc are consistently less costly than their national brand counterparts. Enjoy those extra dollars somewhere else in your budget, and see how much you can save off your grocery bill using this simple switch.
EAT Bread & Butter Roast NOT Flank Steak: Although these two cuts come from differents parts of the cow, they do offer very similar tastes. The bread and butter roast runs typically a few dollar less, but is still just as tender and buttery when sliced thin. Both options offer a great beef taste, however, when shopping for the entire family, this bread and butter alternative could save you several dollars per person!
EAT Ground Pork NOT Ground Beef: Many people are familiar with ground pork when it comes to meatballs or brats, however, did you know you can supplement ground pork for beef in many other recipes? Something as simple as Hamburger Helper can be used just as easily with this more affordable alternative. If you purchase the ground pork unseasoned you can ensure it only has the flavors you and your family want, compared to its spicy Italian sausage counterpart.
EAT Frozen Pizza NOT Delivery Pizza: Often you can find a frozen pizza at your local discount grocer for approximately $3.33 each. However, if you choose to purchase from a national chain you could be paying as much as $10.99 for a medium pizza depending on your brand. An added benefit of frozen pizzas is the sales cycle of many chains. If you wait until this frozen entree goes on sale you could snag them for as little as $2.50 each or less!
EAT Frozen Fruits and Vegetables NOT Canned Fruits and Vegetables: Not only do these frigid foods save you money but calories too! While the canned items can offer more convenience, they typically contain syrup or oil to help keep the produce fresh. Avoid these extra calories and costs by purchasing the frozen option instead.
EAT Whole Chicken NOT Rotisserie Chicken: This change-up is purely time-related. You can cut the cost of your meal in half or more by taking the time to roast your own whole chicken at home instead of purchasing one which has already been prepared. While you may need additional ingredients such as olive oil, herbs, and spices, they come at a fraction of the cost and can be used for countless other dishes in your kitchen. Not to mention you can make your own stock with the scraps!

We love cooking, and we can’t wait to hear how these tips and tricks can help your family succeed! Be sure to share your favorite success stories and recipes on Iowa State Bank’s Facebook page. We’d love to see which hacks have helped your household the most.

7 Absolutely FREE Activities for the Kids

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Whether it’s during the summer or after school, keeping your children occupied takes a truly creative mind! This season, Iowa State Bank is excited to share some of our favorite and affordable activities for all of your little ones to enjoy!

Take advantage of your local library and their summer and afterschool programs. Even if it’s only an hour a day, this simple strategy can keep your child learning while they play, saving you some green along the way. To bring that fun home, register your child for a library card, and show them how to check out books and take them back. ! Extra tip: If you make a game out of reading, such as who can finish a new book first, you may even instill a passion in them for reading and learning.
Setup camp in your backyard, tent and all. There’s nothing like the great outdoors, except when the indoors are just steps away! Ease your little ones into the wilderness by creating a camp in your own backyard. You can complete the evening with a s’more roast, campfire stories, and stargazing to make the most of the nighttime.
Bike around town, and enjoy a pit stop at the park. Set a route for a bike ride, and see if you can end at a park close to your home. The bike ride can allow your kids to explore the town, and burn some extra energy before winding down with some playtime outdoors.
Head out for a swim at your local state park and enjoy the cool water or beach. Every state has some unique local parks, many with their own watering hole! Instead of paying the fee to visit your local pool, consider making a day trip to enjoy the warm sand and cool waters of your nearby rivers or lakes. For extra savings, pack a lunch and cooler to make the most of your day without having to spend a dime on admission or food.
Create a fun scavenger hunt around your home or neighborhood. A scavenger hunt can be as simple or as complex as you make it. For some of the younger kids, it may be beneficial to keep it around your home. However, if you have pre-teens to keep occupied, creating a neighborhood or town-wide scavenger hunt could be the perfect afternoon activity. Setting up the scavenger hunt ahead of time, will help you plan your route, and determine the best prize for those who finish it.
Bring some grub, and have a picnic at the park. You can do this fun-filled activity for lunch, dinner, or both! Pack a bag or cooler with some great bites to eat, and find a table or bench at your nearby park. The kids can run and play for a bit, and then come enjoy a delicious homemade meal before diving back in for round two. If you want to really make this activity sweet, pack some of these individual cherry pies for dessert!
Volunteer for local organizations and give back to your community. Keeping busy isn’t always about entertaining your children or yourself. Sometimes, it can be about something greater, like helping others. Organizations such as The Salvation Army, your local Food Bank, and the county Humane Society, are always looking for helping hands to assist in their day-to-day activities. Let your little ones choose which one they want to be a part of, and see if volunteering once or several times a week can fit into their schedule!

We love getting children involved in personal finance at an early age. If you’re searching for more affordable activities for your little one to enjoy, consider some of these fun-filled games to help them understand the basics of personal finance! Everything from mobile apps to hands-on activities can help them grow their own financial education.

When to SAVE and When to SPLURGE

savesplurge

When you and your sweetheart set your budget each month, there are a variety of factors at play. Where can you get the best deals for groceries? How many date nights will you have each week? Do the kids have any sporting activities that require new equipment? At Iowa State Bank we recognize that everyone’s budget is different. No matter which categories you enjoy most, we’d love to showcase some great examples to help you find extra ways to save, and better identify which costs are worth the splurge.

SAVE: The best areas to find savings.

Weekly Groceries: If you don’t need the atmosphere, or the free samples, there are numerous discount grocers which can save you BIG for weekly grocery runs. Coupling those savings with a pre-planned menu, and sale scanning, can further reduce your overall food costs.
Kids Activities: During both the summer months, and those after school hours, you may find yourself searching for activities to keep your children occupied. Whether that’s going to the pool, attending various summer camps, or finding an after school caretaker, keeping your kiddos active can be easier said than done. To help reduce these costs, we recommend season passes to recurring parks/activities, along with fun and affordable activities at home, which you can do with a number of household supplies.
Exercise: If you have ever purchased a gym membership you didn’t use, you are not alone! Many Americans see a gym membership as automatic attendance, when truly, it may be easier for you to workout at home. With so many new callisthenic exercises, yoga, and free-weight routines, there are a variety of tools out there to help you stay in shape without having to pay that monthly membership fee.
Travel: Searching “travel savings” on Google will inevitably leave you with pages of results. One fantastic tip we’ve found, is purchasing travel through membership programs such as Costco, even if there’s not one in your area! There are countless reports of happy customers who not only saved money, but had a much better experience when compared to booking it themselves.

SPLURGE: The expenditures worth the extra cost.

Budgeted Special Occasions: Occasions like your child’s birthday, or you and your spouse’s 30th anniversary deserve a special treat. While we do recommend saving for these outings in advance, as long as the funds are budgeted for, feel no regret in celebrating your family’s happiness.
Childcare: Raising a child is no simple task, and for most parents the number one expense after a mortgage is childcare. We recognize that there are certainly savings opportunities to be had, however, in the long you’ll find that a friendly and reliable caretaker can make the world of difference on your child’s happiness, and your sanity, for years to come.
Healthcare: Your health, and the health of your family members is paramount to everything else in life. Whether you’re looking to find a reliable family practice physician, or are seeking long-term care treatment, now is not the time to scrimp and save. Making sure that your family is well taken care of and continues to live a happy and healthy life means you’ll have plenty of time to save for nearly everything else life throws your way.
Toiletries: Toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.; these are items you use every day. If you’re using poor quality products to save a few cents you may find yourself with dry skin or poor hygiene. While it’s not necessary to purchase the most expensive option available, know that spending the extra dollar or two is well worth the cost to avoid potential problems.

Whether you’re looking for a place to store your savings, or budget your spending, Iowa State Bank has the perfect solutions for you. Stop by your nearest branch today and learn about our personal savings and checking services.