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Rising prices and increasing interest rates are putting the squeeze on family budgets as the school year ramps up. Lets try to take the stress out of back to school shopping.

Tips to rock out at Musikfest without rocking your wallet!

Deciding where to get your college banking account as a student is a hard decision. You already have exams, friends, and getting locked out of your dorm to worry about, the last thing you want (or care about) is who’s going to handle your money. But locking in a student checking account with a long tenured establishment could pay off long past your senior year. When deciding between a bank vs. a credit union, there’s plenty of advantages of going with a credit union with over 50 years of experience vs. a Bank.

Neo Banks Vs. Traditional Banking | What to Know

As meal prepping continues to grow in popularity, we’ve identified some key ingredients that are delicious and nutritious, and the devices you need to start you on your meal budget journey.

How to Finance Your Boat, RV, Motorcycle & Powersport

How to Lock In the Lowest Mortgage Rate

Looking at debt consolidation pros and cons can help you figure out if debt consolidation is a good option for your goals.

Tax season is here again, and if you're looking to get the biggest refund possible, don't miss these important steps while filing. 

Building Credit is difficult, but it doesn't have to be with our simple guide on how you can build your credit score. 

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, love is in the air! It’s a time when people celebrate the special relationships in their lives by giving gifts or sentimental gestures to make their significant other feel loved and appreciated. But among all the romantic dinners, chocolates and roses, there’s a very important relationship that often goes uncelebrated—your relationship with yourself.

Scams are not exclusive to major cities or in the middle of nowhere. Today we take a look at five scams in the Lehigh Valley, and how we can avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

A well-written business plan can measure your results easily against your plans and projections and help you make the needed adjustments to ensure growth going forward.

The Visa Signature Empower Card Powers Up with added benefits from Shipt, Skillshare, and SoFar.  All these benefits, combined with cashback rewards, travel and cellphone protection, make the Visa Empower Card worthy for your wallet. 

Many Americans struggle financially, living paycheck to paycheck, hoping they have enough to cover all their bills at the end of the month. Life is easier if you have a cash cushion or an emergency fund, but how do you save when there is not much fat in your budget?

The new year is the perfect time to make a resolution to set your help your budget. These five free tools from FCFCU will help you optimize your budget and savings in 2022.

The 2021 Holiday shopping season is here in full force. After a less than stellar 2020, you may be convinced to spend big on your family this holiday season. Before you head to the store and max out your credit cards, check out these holiday spending tips.

Whether you’re transitioning from junker to a hotrod or helping someone do the same, follow these tips to save yourself time, money, and a migraine when you buy your first car, especially with low or no credit

Depending on your credit card, you could be earning significant cashback when paying your bills. Let's take a look at each option more in-depth, to see how to get the most cash back while avoiding unnecessary fees.

Greenpath's takes a swipe at detecting early warning signs of credit card debt

Every car buyer has asked themselves the question: should I buy or lease my new car? Buying a car often comes with perks that you won't find with leasing, and vice versa. While getting an auto loan means you're paying towards the eventual ownership of the car, leasing means you'll never be stuck with a lemon. It may sound like leasing is the best way stay current with vehicle trends, but you'll often be limited in what you can do with a car that you’re essentially renting.

Before choosing the option that’s best for you, it is important to understand the differences buying vs. leasing a car.

Managing cashflow and payments can be a 24/7 process. As noticed during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the difficulty of this is exacerbated for companies that rely solely on paper-intensive processes. Now, more than 18 months later, it’s time for businesses to take a critical look at the challenges they face with paper payments, and how a switch to digital can reduce costs and increase efficiency. With businessFirst and Digital Banking, you’ll have more time to manage your business and not your payment strategies.  

Take the time to make a general assessment of your business and make sure you’re aligned with your short-term and long-term goals. With the new tax season starting, now is the time to form new habits that will make the next tax season less stressful. Follow these tips to make your business’s tax time for the coming year easier.

Are you planning your next vacation? There are ways to experience the trip of your dreams without crippling your savings account, just read our article to find out how.

Are you gearing up for a summer vacation with your family? There’s no doubt that a family vacation can be lots of fun, but it can also cost a lot of money. If you want to help your family save cash while you travel, try to incorporate these tips and tricks into summer adventure!

The new year is here – making it a great time to strengthen your savings and boost your bottom line! Just try out the exercises below, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving financial fitness.  

With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to make a resolution to save more money. These five tips will help you trim spending, beef up savings, and reduce stress.

Some people are experts at the Holiday shopping. They start shopping for Christmas at the beginning of the New Year, searching for deals year-round. They squirrel away gifts in closets and attics, to have them ready for the holidays well in advance.

On the other extreme, there are those who do not enjoy shopping. They wake up a week before Christmas, realize they have nothing for their sweetheart, and go into panic mode. If you usually find yourself in this camp, we have a few tips to help you.

You may have lost your job already, or it's something you're concerned about. Either way, the keys to surviving a job loss financially are to plan ahead, take stock of your income, and cut your expenses.

Cyber-criminals are counting on us to be distracted and let our guard down. If we do, they can trick us into handing over our personal or financial information using one of their favorite tactics – phishing.

Check out these common forms of phishing that you might encounter and the warning signs to look out for.

A tax basis can be important when deciding whether to make gifts now or transfer property at your death. This is because the tax basis of the person receiving the property depends on whether the transfer is by gift or at death. This, in turn, affects the amount of taxable gain subject to income tax when the person sells the property.

Living paycheck to paycheck is not ideal, but it is a reality for many people. Establishing a saving regimen, no matter how large or small, is essential.

At First Commonwealth, we offer competitive rates and top-of-the-line protection. Our Home Equity Loans help you repair, remodel, or consolidate for turning your house into your dream home. Our home equity lending options have low, monthly payments.

For most people, buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions they will ever make. So, where do you start? Find out by taking our free online course!

Is buying a house on your list of goals for this year? Check out these 5 practical tips to consider when thinking about buying a home.

We all know the term "retail therapy" but the reality is that those emotional spending habits are harmful to your financial health. Here are 5 ways to stop emotional spending.

All month long, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union will be highlighting a female business entrepreneur from our Select Employer Group (SEG), in our new social segment: Women's Business Spotlight. 

We believe your financial health and your physical health go hand-in-hand. Adjusting your financial habits can actually help you stay safe and avoid germs. Here are 5 healthy habits that you might not have thought of...

Buying a home can be an exciting milestone in your life, and it’s important to educate yourself on the financial implications of homeownership before you make an offer. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a current owner looking to sell or refinance, there are a few key questions that should ask yourself. 

Getting a college degree is a great investment, but it does come at a significant cost.  Be sure to plan ahead, so you and your student will be in a better position to handle this list of expenses.

Kids - check out these scenarios and try to determine which options give you the better deal!

Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can have a tremendous impact in helping small businesses reach potential customers.

The dawn of a new decade is a time for powerful new beginnings. Are you ready for a powerful New Year’s resolution?

Eliminating debt, learning new spending habits, or building savings are choices that can change your life. They can affect your entire wellbeing – from stress levels, to physical and mental health. The new year and new decade is a great time to commit to your financial health.

Now that the holidays are a wrap, there’s no time like the present to start those post-holiday to-dos!

A recent survey found that more than half of retirees have retirement planning regrets. Unfortunately, many of these retirees had to cut back on their lifestyle to
compensate for financial shortfalls.¹ Considering their most common regrets may help you avoid making the same mistakes.

Let’s face it – shopping for gifts is tough when you’re not old enough to have a job and earn money. So let’s brainstorm some gift ideas that don’t require cash! 

All of our annual seasonal celebrations cost money – lots of money. This year, help your family spend less by incorporating these ideas into your holiday budget plan. 

Learn about the different types of ownership structures to see what may be right for you. 

Check out these six tips to learn how to use social media in a smart and safe way. 

Ensuring your account security is a top priority for us. Working together, we can help keep you and your account information safer.

Life insurance is a way to protect your loved ones financially after you die and your income stops. The answer to whether you need life insurance depends on your personal and financial circumstances.

Now is the time to think about saving money on the upcoming school year! Here are 8 money saving back to school tips:

Looking for a fun activity to put your smarts to the test? Check out the financial puzzle below! First, read the clues. Then look at the scrambled letters and write your answers in the blank spaces. If you need a little help, ask a parent or older sibling for assistance.

These loans can be used for a variety of needs, including consolidating high-interest debt, financing a college education, buying a new car or taking a dream vacation.

Getting a college degree is a great investment, but it does come at a significant cost.  Be sure to plan ahead, so you and your student will be in a better position to handle this list of expenses.

Need some simple ways to cool down your expenses? 

Whether you or your advisor designs your portfolio, consider a few of these well-recognized guidelines.

While pets can bring a lot of joy to their owners, they also come with a number of responsibilities, such as feeding, cleaning, walking and grooming.

You may find yourself wondering if you should buy generic or pay more for the name brand. The decision is about more than just whether you have the money or not.

Getting a college degree is a great investment, but it does come at a significant cost.

 Saving money is necessary if you ever want to be able to make a larger purchase, like a bike or computer (or, later in life, a car or home).

Wants are items you would like that aren’t necessary for your survival. Needs, on the other hand, are items that you absolutely must have in order to live comfortably.

Luckily, there are some basic financial principles you can implement now to make life easier later. Just follow these tips!

Tax filing season is here again. If you haven't done so already, you'll want to start pulling things together – that includes getting your hands on a copy of your 2017 tax return and gathering W-2s, 1099s and deduction records. 

When starting the home-buying process, use this simple “to-do” list to ensure you have the knowledge and information necessary to experience a smooth journey to homeownership.

There’s no doubt about it – the long, grueling winter months can be hard on our homes and lawns. To keep your property in tip-top shape and prepare for the warmer seasons ahead, complete the task list below:

Think long and hard about what expansion would mean for you, your team and your profits. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your decision:

It’s no secret that the Internet has drastically changed the ways in which people locate and purchase used vehicles. Sure, it’s still possible to shop for a car using the traditional methods. But taking advantage of the Internet to pinpoint vehicle and pricing information – and even to secure financing – could help set you up for a much better deal.

For many getting organized and decluttering is in their top 5 resolutions. With so many documents to look after, you may feel confused about which ones to keep and for how long. We'll help you take the guesswork out of filing and organize your important records with these simple tips.

Keeping your business running smoothly requires periodic monitoring, adjusting, tweaking and planning.

Ready to make the big leap into the land of credit?

Have fun with your friends while learning some important money lessons.

Keeping your finances safe is now a big part of our everyday lives.