Education

It’s July, and while Santa may have his toes in the sand, you can bet he’s already planning for the busy season, as should you! We know, it’s crazy to think about Christmas already; I mean we really just started enjoying Summer – but we suggest thinking about it now, to help prevent any stress, crisis, or lack of funds when Summer fades and then, suddenly, it’s holiday time.

Continue reading to learn 5 things you can do to tidy up your...

Get the most out of your CSE membership by knowing the answers to our top frequently asked questions, and a few important FYI’s all in one place. If you’re ever looking for other answers to your questions, check out our full FAQ list on our website. If you can’t find answers to your questions in this blog or throughout our FAQs we’re always happy to assist you with those questions, simply give us a call!

What is CSE’s Routing...

Credit score isn’t one of those topics you bring up during dinner, but maybe it should be. Many people don’t realize how important credit actually is and the impact your credit score makes in the grand scheme of your finances. Think of your credit score like a report card, your financial report card - one that will follow you through your entire life. You are the one in control of your credit, so make sure you are doing the best things possible to improve your score...

You spend your time on social media, watching Netflix, scrolling TikTok, and a number of other relaxing, yet frivolous things. Those are all great, however, we want to remind you that you need to save some time to actively managing your finances. Generally, we are more likely to keep tabs on our physical and mental health but studies have shown your finances can make a huge impact on your stress levels which eventually impacts your health. Digging into those financial matters...

As exhilarating as the idea is that you should ‘treat yourself’ on vacation, sometimes, it is probably not the right choice to make. If you don’t want to come home with sickening credit card bills, or a cash deficiency we encourage you to consider budgeting for your vacation.

Saving for a vacation doesn’t happen overnight. The best place to start is with a little account that we call a Vacation Club. This is a sub-account attached to your membership...

Technology within the banking industry is ever-changing, so we thought we would take a deep dive into our online and mobile services. Don’t worry you won’t need a breathing apparatus for this deep dive – we just want to remind you of these great convenient services which are available at your fingertips!

To start – there is the obvious and most convenient of our services, Online Banking & Mobile Banking with eBranch and CSE’s mobile app....

A credit score is a number that is used by financial institutions and/or credit card companies to determine the level of risk for a person when issuing a loan or credit card. A person’s credit score may influence the limit of credit available to them, as well as the term, length, and interest rate of a loan.

One of the first items that you (or a potential creditor) will see when looking at a credit report is your credit score: a number between 350 to 850. Generally,...

Refinancing a loan is a fairly common practice for consumers, and refinancing debt can be beneficial if done right. “Essentially, refinancing replaces an old loan with a new one with terms that are better for your situation.” (BANZAI) There are multiple reasons why someone would consider refinancing a loan, so let’s start by evaluating what those reasons might be.

Here are a few reasons some people choose to refinance a loan:

To save...

Purchasing a home can be one of the most exciting, while being equally one of the most stressful times of your life. The housing market has been on fire in recent years, so when you see a house that you’d like to explore buying, you’ve got to be prepared. To help provide some clarity, we want to provide some insight on some of the most common mortgage myths that consumers may question.

Myth #1 | You need 20% for a down payment....

Just the thought of retirement can be both exciting and terrifying at the same time. It’s what you’ve worked towards for your entire life, but it comes with many unknowns. You’re sure to be wondering if you’ve saved enough, can afford your expenses moving forward, and whether you’re truly ready to move into the next stage of your life.

The reality is that when it comes to retirement, many are unprepared due to a combination of increasing...