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7 Festive Ways to Save Money Christmas Shopping

It’s that time of year again, and if you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, now is the time to do it. However, shopping for gifts can be challenging during economic uncertainty, especially when you’re looking to save money. Budgets are tighter, and the things you want and need cost more. Yet, this doesn’t mean you can’t have a great holiday. We devised a plan to make your holiday shopping and gift-giving easier. Here are 7 festive ways to save money while Christmas shopping.

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.

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.

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.

6 Tips for How to Pay for a Major Medical Expense


This year, the Susan G. Komen Foundation predicts there will be 287,850 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women and 2,710 new cases of male breast cancer. While early detection and prevention are essential, cancer care and treatment costs can be astronomical. So how do you pay for these and other major medical expenses?

Tax Refunds: Frequently Asked Questions

At the beginning of each year, you’ll start to receive tax information in the mail. After using these forms to file your taxes, you might expect a tax refund. While you can choose to have it deposited to your bank account, the IRS controls the entire processing and transaction process.

The Magic of Compounding Interest: How It Can Supercharge Your Savings

When most people think of compounding interest, credit cards, mortgages, and personal loans come to mind. Whether your goal is to build your net worth or save for retirement, compounding interest is a powerful tool to supercharge your savings, allowing your money to work harder for you.

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.

Inflation and Managing Your Investments

Inflation erodes the purchasing power of your dollars. When excessive it can be a significant setback to your portfolio’s performance. It is something we always need to consider in our long-term planning; our expectations for inflation help drive what we need our investments to achieve to lift us to our goals.

How Extraco Empowers Entrepreneurs to Manage Multiple Ventures

Extraco empowers entrepreneurs by providing the essential tools and support needed to manage multiple ventures effectively. From streamlining operations and simplifying financial management to offering strategic planning assistance, we are committed to supporting entrepreneurs so they can thrive without being held back.

When Is it Time to Increase Your Team?

Growing your team can be nerve-wracking and exciting bundled together. On the one hand, it means you’re hitting important milestones and expanding your business. Yet, it also means you need to grow your team and perhaps even hire new types of talent to accommodate your increasing need. Finding the sweet spot and knowing when to hire and when to hold off is key. Thankfully, there are a few simple ways to tell when it’s time to increase your team.

Money Steps You Should Take Now

Higher prices for goods and services also translate to less money in your bank account and less to budget with each month. Fortunately, there are smart money moves you can and should make right now to protect your future, and it all begins with a budget.

Tips to Keep Your Business Secure Online

Consider Yahoo, Marriott International, Adult Friend Finder, Anthem, and Target. What do these companies have in common? They’ve all experienced some of the largest data breaches in history. The scary thing is that you can’t protect all your data all the time, but there are many things you can do to guard against a cyber-attack.

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.

How to Make the Most of Merchant Services

Despite the reasons behind the rise of touchless payments, the need for well-rounded merchant services to address and manage these payments has also increased. Thankfully, banks that work with local businesses are helping businesses level up their game by providing various merchant service options to meet consumer payment needs and how to make the most of these services.

How Insurance Premiums are Calculated

There isn't a "one size fits all" formula to calculate a premium or price for each person who wants to cover risks on something valuable to them. Insurers refer to known data when they make these decisions. Insurers also look at age, sex and claims history.

7 Ways to Save Big on Your Thanksgiving Meal

Thanksgiving is almost here. Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and an assortment of other dishes and desserts are on everyone's mind and menu, as well as the number of guests you plan to serve. For some, this might mean hosting a small number of guests, but for a larger gathering, you could have several. This can lead to another pressing issue: how to host a Thanksgiving meal that won't break your budget, despite currently higher prices.

Is a VA loan right for you?

Extraco Mortgage wants to help our Veterans, Active Duty Military and Surviving Spouses get the mortgage loan they have earned. A VA loan is a mortgage loan that is guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. It is different from a Conventional loan and a FHA loan in several ways.

How Mobile Banking Can Ease Your Back-to-School Stress

Mobile banking is a great way to complement a hectic schedule and keep your finances on track without adding stress. By leveraging the features mentioned above, you can keep track of your money and bank accounts and focus more on what truly matters — supporting your child throughout the new school year.

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– 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. 

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.

How Can You Save Money With Home Insurance?

Need home insurance but could use some help figuring out where to start? We can help! Homeowner's insurance is essential to protecting your home and property. Your home is your biggest investment. So, you'll want to ensure it is well-protected should something happen that causes damage or liability concerns. And homeowner's insurance protects your home against loss or damage.

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.

Extraco Banks® to Sell Downtown Temple Financial Center and Build New Branch

Today, Extraco Banks® closed on the sale of its downtown Temple financial center to Austin investors, Redeem Investments, who plan to renovate the 10-story building that makes up part of the iconic Temple skyline. Extraco will build a new financial center across the street where its current motor bank is located today.

How to Protect Older Adults and Loved Ones from Fraud

As autumn draws near, it’s time to consider the holiday season ahead. Although fraud can happen to anyone anytime, it’s especially concerning during the holidays. Older adults and loved ones often feel the brunt of these attacks. The FBI reported Americans aged 60 and older lost nearly $1.7 billion in 2020, with fraud claiming over 92,000 victims that year.

Credit Card Debt: How to Know When You’re in Over Your Head

It’s best to avoid going too deep into credit card debt, and the way to do that is with careful planning and by creating a solid budget that you can live with. Knowing what you can reasonably afford and when you’ve reached that point is half the battle to preventing debt.

Is It Time to Refinance Your Auto Loan? Key Factors to Consider

Refinancing your auto loan can help you save money, lower your monthly payments, or pay off your car faster—but timing is everything. This blog breaks down the key factors to consider, including interest rates, credit score improvements and loan balance. Learn when refinancing makes sense, when it doesn’t, and how to determine if it’s the right move for you.

Why Investing in the Stock Market Should Be Your Next Money Move

It's the perfect time to reflect on our financial goals and set ourselves up for success. This year, why not make investing in the stock market your top resolution? Extraco gives you access to a digital investment solution, EasyInvest, directly via our digital banking platform. This way, you can invest like the top 1%, starting from as little as $10.

Managing seasonal demand

Managing seasonal demand. Extraco Banks is committed to building businesses throughout Central Texas. Whether you're a startup or looking to create a succession plan for your business, we have the resources to help you achieve your business goals.