The Financially Free Blog

The Financial Gym Team The Financial Gym Team

4 Myths You're Telling Yourself About Your Finances

Finances are among the leading stressors of modern-day life so it's important to get a clear understanding of how it guides our decisions. You may have been telling yourself the same scripts about your capabilities when it comes to your finances. The thing is — these beliefs may not be reality. Here are a few common money myths people tell themselves.

Read More
The Financial Gym Team The Financial Gym Team

How to Prioritize Between Savings vs. Investing Goals

If you’re trying to set financial goals, one of the most immediate decisions you’ll probably be confronted with is deciding between savings vs. investing. There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there when it comes to how to prioritize your money. The truth is, you can do both saving and investing at the same time, but you’ll want to do so strategically so that you have your money available when you need it.

Here are some scenarios to help you get an idea about whether to put your money in a savings or investment account.

Read More
Becca Andrews, A Certified Financial Trainer Becca Andrews, A Certified Financial Trainer

Student Loans: Consolidating vs. Refinancing

There are many different reasons you might be looking to re-evaluate the terms of your student loans. Are you looking to lower your monthly payment to help manage cash flow? Are you looking to lower your interest rate? Maybe you are even looking to reconfigure your loans so your co-signer can be taken off the bill. No matter what’s led you to the decision to rethink your student loans, you’ve probably come to the same fork in the road: debt consolidation versus refinancing.

Read More
Becca Andrews, A Certified Financial Trainer Becca Andrews, A Certified Financial Trainer

3 Ways Teachers Can Prepare Financially for Summer

The summer should be an opportunity for teachers, and other school employees, to relax! No more grading papers and tests, no more lesson plans to write, and thankfully, no more asking students to turn on their cameras for Zoom class. But as much as you were looking forward to the last day of school, if you aren’t financially prepared for the summer, you’ll just as quickly start counting down days until the first day of school! So if you’re a teacher, what can you do financially to prepare for the summer to make sure you get the break you deserve?

Read More
Jennifer Calonia Jennifer Calonia

5 Money Moves to Make When You Get a Raise

New year, new salary! According to the Economic Policy Institute, nearly seven million people are starting 2020 with a raise. The rise comes from a higher minimum wage across 22 states nationwide.

If you’re starting the year with a bigger paycheck — congrats! Before getting too late into the year, it’s smart to set yourself up for financial growth success throughout the year by taking a few simple steps. Here are a few ideas on what to do after getting a raise at work.

Read More
Jennifer Calonia Jennifer Calonia

7 Your Money Mantra Quotes From The Financial Gym Trainers

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on your finances and you’ve interacted with money — whether in healthy or unhealthy ways. To help you define your 2020 money mantra, the team at The Gym offered their top suggestions going into the new year.

Read More
The Financial Gym Team The Financial Gym Team

Why Interest Rates are Dropping and What You Should Do About It

Interest rates today are lower than in the recent past. This could spell good news if you’re looking to borrow money but might not be as great for your savings. A lower interest rate could mean slower growth for your personal savings, which can negatively affect your financial planning timeline. 

When navigating changes in interest rates, many people look for new and different ways to save. You’ve worked hard for your money, so don’t let dropping interest rates stop you from making the most of it. Not sure how to save money with interest rates today? You’ve got options.

Before we get started, let’s clear up what exactly federal interest rates are and how they affect high-yield savings accounts. 

Read More
Olga Lurye, FinGym Intern Olga Lurye, FinGym Intern

5 Tips to Save Money in College

Every year in the United States, about 2.2 million people go to college. College for many people signifies the beginning of a journey of firsts: the first time living away from home and all the responsibilities that come with that, going on college spring break, joining Greek life, etc. 

For many people, all these experiences are what make up their college careers, however, all of these things come with a big price tag. Here are five tips to help you make the most of your college years without going broke.

Read More
Caitlin Lyttle Caitlin Lyttle

Is Your New Year’s Resolution to Get Financially Fit? Try these Saving Calculators

Using these five savings account calculators you can see just how much you need to save to reach your goals. Whether it’s saving for a vacay to Cabo or preparing for a baby, paying off debt or saving for a down payment, these simple savings calculators can help you understand where you’re at and what you need to do to reach your goals.

Read More