Big Picture Loans Blog

Achieving and maintaining financial fitness starts with having the right information. It is important to understand the key components of a healthy financial outlook and how to optimize them to your advantage.

Saving money can be a challenge for most people, but it's not impossible. Yet, if you were suddenly hit with an unexpected bill or emergency, would you have the cash to cover it? According to a recent report by CNN Money, nearly 40% of Americans don't have enough savings to cover a $400 unplanned expense. Living paycheck to paycheck can be stressful, but there are ways to set something aside each month for savings and retirement. Here are six strategies to start saving more money, even when funds are limited.

It can happen to anyone at any time - you’re navigating along through life just fine when, without warning, an unexpected expense comes out of nowhere. You may not have enough funds saved to cover the cost, so now you need money and you need it fast. The question you ask yourself is, "where do I turn to get money for my financial emergency?"

Around August 1st every year the newspapers and television are filled with Back to School ads. It’s a reminder that summer is almost over, and the kids will be going back to school soon. Back to School shopping can turn into a money pit for parents who are not mindful of all the items that need to be purchased for school.

A 2018 Identity Fraud Reportⁱ produced by Javelin Strategy & Research, shows the number of identity theft victims increased to 16.7 million in the U.S. This is an 8% increase from the previous year. Despite industry efforts to prevent identity fraud, the study shows that identity thieves stole from 1.3 million more victims in 2018 and the amount stolen increased to $16.8 billion. The types of identity fraud continued to move online and away from physical stores due to embedded chip cards. It was reported that fraud is getting more complicated, meaning identity fraud criminals are opening more new accounts to compromise accounts consumers already have.

You may have noticed recently that your grocery bill is climbing. Food costs are increasing in America, and it can take a big bite out of your monthly budget. However, everyone must eat!

The current generation of young adults could be facing the most uncertain economic future of any group since the Great Depression. Crushing student loan debt, stagnant wages, growing economic disparity and the after-effects of the 2008 market crash are just a few of the burdens young adults must carry as they try to manage their financial situation.

You may have a plan in place for a natural disaster or certain emergencies, but do you have a plan for a financial emergency? In the event, you find yourself or someone in your household with an unexpected injury or you have damage to a car or your home, you may incur costs that could push the limits of your bank account.

Emergency loans offer an easy way out when you’re struggling with unexpected bills or income problems. Some financial experts suggest you should have three to six months’ worth of funds in an emergency savings account to cover emergency expenses. However, we know that’s not always practical or easy to accomplish. If you don’t have an emergency fund, enough savings or enough credit on your credit card to cover your expenses due to a financial emergency, you may need an emergency loan to help with your financial situation.

When you need money fast, you might consider payday loans to be a good source to get you through a difficult financial situation. Payday loans are easy to get because they don’t require any credit check, and this makes them more accessible than other loan types. However, it’s important to know a few things. They main takeaway is payday loans can end up costing you more money than other types of loans.