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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 resetting your finances.

(John) That’s right, Jessica. You know, this is a great habit to get into. A financial reset is a regular appointment where you sit down and check in on how your budget is working for you.

(Jessica) What should you look at during these check-ins?

(John) Well, essentially, you want to see where you’re meeting or exceeding your goals. Are you spending more ...

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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 dealing with finances after a natural disaster strikes.

(John) That’s right, Jessica. You know there are a few key steps that you will want to take as quickly as possible. The first is to replace any important documents that may have been lost and ensure your identity is protected from theft.

(Jessica) Next, file with insurance. Make sure to record your claim number, date the ...

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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 all-important emergency fund.

(John) Isn’t that the truth! As you may know, an emergency fund is just that – money you’ve stashed away for a rainy day. But how much should you actually have saved in case of an emergency?

(Jessica) At the minimum, it’s a good idea to set aside $1,000 as a place to start.

(John) Once you ...

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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 prepare your finances for a recession.

(John) Yeah, you know there are four important steps to help you prepare. Step one, don’t panic. Be aware of possibilities, but focus on the things you can control.

(Jessica) That’s right. Step two, dig into where your finances stand. Review any investments, savings, your emergency fund, income, and any debt.

(John) That’s right. Now, step three is you ...

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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 budgets and how to survive a busted budget.

(John) Jessica, the best way to survive a busted budget is to be prepared.

(Jessica) What if there’s a spike in gas prices or your car needs major repairs?

(John) Exactly. Those are things you have no control over. They just happen, and you have to adjust quickly.

(Jessica) How do we do that?

(John) Two words, Jessica: emergency fund. If you can ...

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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 credit card debt. Hmm. That’s a tricky one, John.

(John) It can be. Particularly if you have multiple credit cards with significant balances.

(Jessica) Is it a good idea to consolidate all the cards into one debt, one payment?

(John) Consolidation can be helpful if used wisely. If you have multiple debts with varying interest rates, bundling them together has two notable benefits. The first is that ...

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(Jessica) Welcome to Money Matters on the Southern Bank Financial Wellness Network. Today, we’re talking to employers on how to help your employees deal with financial stress.

(John) Well, Jessica, with prices on everything going up, everyone is feeling the squeeze. That can affect job performance, productivity, job satisfaction, and overall physical and mental health.

(Jessica) So, what can an employer do to help relieve the stress?

(John) Well, the first step is to have a conversation to determine if there even is a problem. Second, offer ...

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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 ...