Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Six Tips to Spruce up Your Finances This Summer

Summer is in full swing here in the Midwest. With it comes a flurry of activities that can take up your time and eat up your finances.  Don’t let the busyness of summer take a bite out of your financial plans. Take some time to implement some (or all) of these tips to help keep your finances healthy.
    Finances
  • Pay off debts – Lingering debt can wreak havoc on your financial outlook. Summer is the perfect time to create a debt reduction plan so that your finances are in good shape for the end of the year. Additionally, consider contacting your creditors to inquire about lowering your interest rate. 
  • Examine and update your budget – Your financial outlook is not a stagnant thing, and your budget should not be either. Review your budget and determine where updates should be made to meet your current financial situation.
  • Go mobile – Mobile banking has revolutionized the way we interact with financial institutions. McHenry Savings Bank offers customers an easy to use mobile banking app that puts your finances right at your fingertips. Download the app to your Smartphone here or contact us for more information.
  • Set-up direct deposit – Many employers offer their employees the convenience of direct check deposits. This eliminates trips to the bank or even lost or stolen checks.
  •  Review your credit report – With the onslaught of data breaches and credit scams, now, more than ever, it is imperative to review your credit annually (at least).  You are allowed one free report each year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Review your reports carefully and follow-up on any errors or inconsistencies. These could have a detrimental impact on your credit score and make it difficult to obtain a loan.
  • Go electronic – McHenry Savings Bank offers its customers the simplicity of e-statements as well as automatic bill paying services. E-statements eliminate the clutter and mess of paper statements and keep your financial information right at the tip of your fingers. Automatic bill-paying services ensure that you are never late on a payment. Set-up amount and date of withdrawal and rest easy knowing that your payments will be on time every month.



Are you looking for more ways to get your finances in order this summer? Contact a personal banker at McHenry Savings Bank for more great ideas. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Secure Your Mobile Device With These 7 Tips

7 TipsAccording to Digital Trends, the average American uses their mobile device 4.7 hours over the course of a day and checks their social media accounts (often via smartphone) upwards to 17 times a day.  With the increasing use of smartphones, it’s no wonder why cyber criminals are targeting the devices that know so much about us.

Luckily, securing your smartphone is an easy and efficient way to keep your information safe. Here are 7 essential tips for protecting your mobile device:

Secure Your Phone
Most of you probably already use a password, code or fingerprint scan to screen lock your phone.  The best way to secure your phone from strangers if it is ever lost or stolen is to choose a discreet password.

Don’t Forget To Log Out
If you are logged onto mobile banking sessions or other websites that hold your private information, log out after you finish.  Better safe than sorry!

Update Your Device
Keeping your phone up-to-date with the latest security software and app updates can help prevent malicious software or malware.

Only Download From Secure Sources
When you download apps and files online, make sure they are from a trusted source.  If not, you might be downloading malware and viruses with the capability to steal your personal information.

Do Not Store Personal Information
Do NOT use your smartphone to store important information like passwords and pin numbers.  If your phone does get stolen, you won’t want sensitive information in the wrong hands.

Be Weary of Public Networks
While everyone loves free Wi-Fi, it’s important to be weary of what wireless networks you are connecting to.  If you are on a public network, try to avoid banking transactions.

Wipe Your Mobile Device
If you are trading, selling or donating your phone, don’t forget to wipe your device completely.  A simple factory reset still has the opportunity to recover personal information.

If you believe your private banking information might be at risk, contact your bank right away.  At McHenry Savings Bank, we take the personal information of our customers very seriously.  Our mobile banking app is a safe and easy way to securely check your banking when you need to.  Any questions?  Give us a call at 815-385-3000.