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Ways to Save More Money: Tips to find extra funds to save and cut your monthly expenses

If it seems like every news article you read drags you down, and every trip to the gas station and grocery store makes your budget cry, then you’re not alone. Yes, prices are rising. Sometimes it seems like they’re rising daily, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to save more of your hard-earned money. It just means that, at least in today’s market, you sometimes might need to get a little more creative about how you go about saving money. Although this list isn’t all-inclusive, here are several tips to get you started.

5 Tips for Maximizing Your New Year’s Resolutions

With inflation beginning to cool, this year might be an excellent time to set your resolutions for meeting your financial goals. After all, we could all use more money in our pockets and bank accounts. To maximize your chances for success, we have some tips to get you started, and you can begin by creating smart goals.

Ten Steps to Financial Wellness for Women

This comprehensive checklist covers key areas and provides a roadmap for women to manage finances effectively. Each step contributes to building a strong financial foundation, fostering empowerment, and securing a stable future.

Dorm Room on a Dime: How to Get the Look for Less

When you are budget-savvy and looking for stylish living solutions, finding the look for less is top of the to-do list. That’s why we’re digging in to offer hacks and solutions that won’t break the bank.

Maximizing Your Meal Plan: How to Stretch Your College Food Budget

Creativity and mindful spending can help you maximize your college meal plan and food budget. And it can also help you save money for other things you might need throughout the school year. The tips above will help maximize your food budget and stretch your resources further without compromising your nutritional needs.

Spring Cleaning Your Finances

Just as you declutter your closets and tidy up your living space, now is the perfect time to give your financial situation a thorough once-over. At Extraco Banks, we understand the importance of keeping your financial house in order, which is why we've put together 10 simple, yet effective, tips and tricks to help you freshen up your finances.

What to Know Before Launching a New Business in 2023

Are you thinking about launching a new business in 2023? We like to think of starting a new business as a journey. Launching a business is a big step and one with the potential to help you realize your dreams. Taking your time and launching your business the right way is wise. So, having patience and discernment will prime your business for growth and success.

ICYMI– Bank & Brews Temple | Business Plans

A solid business plan is essential for all businesses. Jason Ehler of the Small Business Development Center and Brian Reinhardt of Extraco hosted a great session on what to include in your business plan (as well as what NOT to include), how often to revisit your plan after the COVID-19 pandemic, and resources that all business-owners should be utilizing.

ICYMI– Best Practices for Business Finances

The importance of well-organized business finances cannot be overstated. Keeping accurate and well-organized financial data is critical for knowing the status of your business, tax season, and especially when seeking financing.

Virtual Assistants in Banking: Get Fast Answers to Banking Questions

You’re already familiar with the concept of a virtual assistant. Chat bots and virtual assistants have been around for a while, but they aren’t always as helpful as we’d like them to be. Newer technology, however, has improved this to provide you with the best answers to some of the most common questions we receive. You may have a question that falls outside the norm. Never fear! Our brand new chat feature also helps you to reach a real Extraco Relationship Banker to streamline the process from question to solution.

Our commitment to the Gatesville community

Extraco's long-standing presence in the Gatesville community has allowed us to build meaningful relationships with our customers and become a trusted partner in their financial journeys. We are excited to open our new branch in fall 2023.

Your Complete Moving Checklist

There is so much to do when you’re getting ready to move — especially if you’re moving to a new city. This checklist won’t reduce your to-do list, but it can make it easier to avoid forgetting important tasks.

ICYMI– Bank & Brews Waco | A Deep Dive into Google Analytics

After wrapping up a three-part series around the Startup Waco and Public Improvement District Marketing Skills Toolkit, we thought it was time to take a deep dive into some of the essential tools that all businesses should be utilizing. For our June Bank & Brews workshop, Extraco’s own Digital Marketing Specialist, Carina Yebra, walked attendees through what she considers to be an essential, and often underutilized, tool for all businesses– Google Analytics. 

Calculating Your Debt-to-Income Ratios

Learn how to calculate your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) to estimate how much you can afford on your next mortgage. In addition to your credit score, your debt-to-income (DTI) ratios are looked at by closely by mortgage lenders when you apply for a loan. This ratio is extremely important in determining the risk associated with approval.

ICYMI: November Bank & Brews | Digital Marketing 101

The November edition of our Bank & Brews virtual workshop series was all about Digital Marketing in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. The workshop was led by Gordon Law, President of Swimming Duck, a marketing agency based out of Dallas. Gordon is also a professor at SMU where he teaches marketing and digital media. He has over 40 years of marketing and advertising experience and is a great friend of Extraco Banks. We were thrilled to have him lead our final virtual workshop of 2020. 

Bill Pay And Voice Pay

Bill Pay is an online service which allows you to pay a person and/or a company through your online bank account. You determine who you want to pay, when you want to make the payment, how often you want to send the payment, and which account you want the payment to come from. It's safe, secure and easy to use.

Money Mentor vs. Financial Planner vs. Financial Advisor: Which is Best?

The new year brings a unique chance to change your future and financial situation. According to a recent survey by intelliflo, a cloud-based technology platform for financial advisors, 71% of Gen Z (ages 18-25) and 72% of Millennials (ages 26-41) say they want financial advice but don't know how to get it.

Tips on How Student Loan Forgiveness and Refinancing Works

With a federal student loan moratorium scheduled to expire soon and more talk about student loan forgiveness, now is a great time to decide how to proceed if you carry student loan debt. The weight of any student loan, especially a large one, can feel like a drag, but it doesn’t have to end that way. There are ways to reduce your loan term, lower your interest, or lower your monthly payment. You might even eliminate all or part of your student loan. However, knowing the difference between student loan forgiveness and refinancing is vital before beginning.

Understanding Escrow Accounts and Escrow Analysis

An escrow account helps simplify homeownership by spreading out property tax and insurance costs through your monthly mortgage payment. Each year, an escrow analysis reviews these expenses to ensure enough funds are available, which may result in a shortage or surplus and cause your payment to change. Understanding how escrow works can help you plan ahead and avoid surprises.

Can You Spot a Phishing Scam? 🕵️‍♀️

Every day, scammers trick people into giving away personal information through emails, texts, and phone calls disguised as their bank. With more of us relying on online and mobile banking, these scams are on the rise. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans lost a shocking $10 billion to phishing scams and fraud in 2023—a 13.6% increase over 2022.

Bank & Brews Waco | Utilizing Google Web Tools in Your Small Business Marketing Strategy

Take a deep dive into some of the essential (and free) Google website tools that all businesses should be utilizing. For our August Bank & Brews workshop, Extraco’s own Digital Marketing Specialist, Carina Yebra, walked attendees through what she considers to be essential, and often underutilized, tools for all businesses– Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Search Console, and Google My Business. 

The Role Title Plays When Purchasing a Home

The purpose of the title company is to make sure the title to the home is lawfully given to the buyer. Once the title company has completed its verification, it will support that guarantee with title insurance. Title insurance protects the bank and the owner if someone were to make a claim to the property.

Boost Your Savings Strategy with Extraco

Are you ready to accelerate your savings growth? At Extraco Banks, we understand the importance of making your money work for you and offer powerful financial tools designed to maximize your money. From Certificates of Deposit (CDs) to Money Market accounts, we have the solutions you need to achieve your financial goals.

Extraco Banks - Who We Are

Read our latest blog to learn more about what sets Extraco Banks apart from other central Texas banks. When you bank with Extraco, you bank with the best

Are You Ready to Buy a Home?

Buying a home is still a big part of the American dream and, for many, an important milestone in life. However, whether you’re a first-time home buyer or looking for your next home, knowing when to buy is key to getting the best rates. That’s especially important today with a hot housing market and rising interest rates. There are a few things you can do to maximize your chances of landing a good deal on your mortgage, which could save you thousands of dollars over the term of your home loan.

Borrower Responsibilities

When you take out a loan, you enter into a legal contract with the lender. This contract makes you liable to repay the obligation as set forth in your loan agreement.

Reviewing Loan Applications

When you apply for a loan at Extraco, we review your application information to help determine your credit worthiness. Key considerations: 1. Your credit score tells us your past performance in meeting your financial obligations. 2. Your credit report shows stability as well as borrowing behaviors.