Monthly Archives: December 2018

7 Ways To Save On Your Energy Bill

With winter at full force, heating bills will begin to skyrocket. The typical family spends an average of $2,200 per year on utilities, according to the Energy Department. To cut costs and crush your saving goals, Heartland Bank offers some simple ways to save on your energy bill.

Wash Clothes On Cold

About 90% of the energy the washing machine uses goes towards heating the water. Not only will your clothes still get clean when washing them in cold water, but they’ll have less shrinkage and fade. If you wash 4 out of 5 loads of your laundry in cold water, you could cut out 864 pounds of CO2 emissions in a year. That’s equivalent to planting .37 acres of U.S. forest. This is because the cost of the hot/warm rinse setting for a load is $0.68 while cold/cold is only $0.04 – which also means less electrical output.

Update the Showerhead

An energy efficient showerhead can reduce your water usage by 2,700 gallons per year – just look for one with the WaterSense label. This means the showerhead is certified to meet efficiency criteria set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Seal Up Your Home

Plastic to cover your windows and weather stripping around doors will cause fewer drafts and leaks, keeping your home from working too hard to stay warm. According to Lowe’s, an insulating window film can help retain up to 55 percent of your home’s heat in the winter, so it’s worth a shot to help you save!

Change the Thermostat

When away from home or asleep under your warm covers, knock your thermostat back 10 degrees. That seems cold, but it’ll help you save as you don’t need the warmth during those times. Doing so for eight hours can lower your annual heating and cooling costs by around 10 percent. You can also invest in a programmable thermostat, which will do the work for you.

Adjust Your Fridge and Freezer

Your food will still stay fresh with this tip! Set your fridge to 38 degrees and your freezer to 5 degrees to save BIG.

Turn Down the Hot Water

Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees. This can help reduce heating costs by 10 percent!

Switch to CFL Bulbs

Switching to compact fluorescent or LED bulbs that bear the Energy Star label, will help save you more than you think. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This can save you up to $35 in electric costs over the lifetime of each bulb.

We hope you implement a few of these strategies to allow your money to stay in your pocket. If you’re looking for a safe home to keep your funds, our savings account options are the perfect place! Learn

Stay Secure While Staying Connected: Top Myths of Security

It’s nearly unavoidable to have some semblance of a social life if you are not using technology to connect with the outside world. From social media and texting to phone applications, we are always connected. Many are uninformed of how to maintain this social connection while at the same time protecting themselves from the most basic security threats. We are combating this by busting the most common notions or myths about cybersecurity.

MYTH: Hackers aren’t interested in what I have.

If you have a social security number, hackers are interested in you. Even if you feel like your personal wealth is not very high, your social security number is incredibly valuable. With your number, they can conduct financial theft by applying for loans and credit cards in your name. They could also use your number to incur their healthcare costs or even legal obligations. In an even darker scenario, your identity can be sold to other hackers to use over and over again. Thereby creating a tumultuous problem. Realize that you have something worth protecting!

MYTH: My email application blocks all of the spam for me.

It only takes one accidental or wrong click to open yourself up to malware. And as great as some email applications are, they aren’t able to block every suspicious email from entering your inbox. Did you know that 1.5 percent of spam emails are malicious? Considering how many you likely get in a day, you are at risk every time you click. There are many ways to add additional filters to your email, but the best line of defense is actually you. If you have even the slightest suspicion about an email, report it. Only communicate with those you know without a doubt are secure sources.

MYTH: I’d be safer to go off the grid.

While it may sound alluring to some nomads, unplugging from digital connection can put you in a position of higher risk. This is because there is less day to day monitoring of your accounts. This makes your accounts a terrific target for hackers to attack and go by unnoticed.

MYTH: I have cybersecurity software, so I am not at risk.

If you’ve invested in anti-virus software, good for you for taking steps to protect yourself! However, hackers are becoming more advanced and finding ways to bypass hundreds of protective measures every day. Also, they can still attack you from other sources such as social media. A great way to combat this is to never click on unfamiliar links and to limit the information you put on social media, including your birthdate.

Stay safe while staying connected with these great tips. Remember, we offer safe and secure banking products to keep your information protected. For maximum security, you need cutting-edge identity management services that monitor a full range of credit and non-credit information that are used to perpetrate fraud. Heartland Bank offers LifeStages and FraudScout® Identity Monitoring Services.

Money Management for College Students

If you’re fortunate, your parents may have taught you how to save your allowance or a certain percentage of each paycheck. If not, we are here to help you at the beginning of your financial journey as an adult! Stay tuned for some simple tips you can start doing now to strengthen your current and future financial habits.

Create a Budget

Most adults who have been managing their money for years have yet to figure out how to stick to a budget. You have the opportunity to stay ahead of the curve by building the right habits now. This will help you to control your spending and saving.

You first need to decide what amount you want to put into savings every month. Next, determine how much money you need to spend on rent, food and other bills. You can make as many categories as you like. Don’t forget to include a category for fun. Use it as you please, but when it is gone, it’s gone. You are making a promise to yourself that your financial security is more important than a splurge.

Buy Used, Not New

Unfortunately, the cost of new textbooks is astronomical. As a college student, it is most often going to be wiser to buy used than new. With a used textbook, you will pay significantly less and may even be lucky to see the former owner’s notes. Think about what other purchases you need to make and if it would be better to buy them used. The answer will most often be yes.

Be Smart With Your Credit

It is a great idea to start building up your credit history. However, if you aren’t paying off what is due at the end of every month, a credit card may not be the right choice for you. Deep credit card debt burdens many because they made purchases that they could simply not afford. Be sure to use the card for needed items and not sudden splurges.

Take Advantage of Free Entertainment

One great part of being a college student is all of the free activities that your campus has to offer! There’s no reason you need to spend money going to a big movie theater when most college campuses have their own movie showings free for students every weekend. Check out your campus Student Activities Board to see what free fun you can get in on!

Use Cash

This is a great rule for anyone, not only college students. However, we believe it is a helpful habit to start now. If you have a problem with impulse purchases, we recommend using the “fun money” portion of your budget as cash only.

If you go out to have fun with friends for the night, you know the exact amount of money you have to spend. No more, no less. For some reason, it is much harder to spend cash than it is to make a purchase on a card. This will help you to control your spending when you’re having fun.

We have plenty of savings options available for college students looking to grow their funds! Take a look to see what option best fits your needs.