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(Jessica) Welcome to Money Matters on the Southern Bank Financial Wellness Network. I’m Jessica.

(John) And I’m John! And we’re talking about what to do when your budget gets out of whack and just doesn’t add up.

(Jessica) Is budgeting a four-letter word? I mean … it seems difficult to me.

(John) It can be daunting at first, but if you keep it simple, it’s easier to stay on track. Divide your expenses into three categories, and use the 50-30-20 rule. Fifty percent of your income should ...

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(Jessica) Welcome to Money Matters on the Southern Bank Financial Wellness Network. I’m Jessica.

(John) And I’m John!

(Jessica) And today we’re talking about the debt avalanche approach to debt repayment! John, how does the debt avalanche strategy work?

(John) Well, Jessica, this is a great approach to debt repayment when facing high-interest rates. You order your debts by interest rate from highest to lowest. The plan is to pay off the highest-interest-rate debt first while maintaining the minimum on your other debts.

(Jessica) Right, and once that debt ...

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(Jessica) Welcome to Money Matters on the Southern Bank Financial Wellness Network. I’m Jessica.

(John) And I’m John!

(Jessica) And today we’re talking about how to avoid overspending on credit cards.

(John) You know, Jessica, credit cards can be helpful tools and a great way to manage your money when used wisely, but it’s easy to reach for them a little too often and get buried in credit card debts and fees. A great way to avoid overspending is to treat purchases as if you’re paying with ...

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(Jessica) Welcome to Money Matters on the Southern Bank Financial Wellness Network. I’m Jessica.

(John) And I’m John!

(Jessica) Today, we’re talking about financial wellness, which is a whole-picture view of an individual’s financial health. So John, what does it mean to be financially well, and how do we get there?

(John) Well, Jessica, basically financial wellness means that you are in control of your money rather than your money being in control of you. It means you match your spending to your priorities and your goals ...

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(Jessica) Welcome to Money Matters on the Southern Bank Financial Wellness Network. I’m Jessica.

(John) And I’m John!

(Jessica) So, you wake up one day and realize your budget is blown. It’s a mess.

(John) Look, Jessica, it happens. So, first, stay calm and assess the situation! What caused your plan to get off track?

(Jessica) Sometimes those things are out of your control.

(John) Exactly. The next step is to act on the things you can control. Take an honest look at your budget. Is it realistic? Are you living ...