Southern Blog
October is Financial Exploitation Awareness Month
By Charlestien Harris Let me start by saying that when you work hard for your money and someone works just as hard to steal it, it’s incredibly frustrating! Financial exploitation is commonly defined as the illegal or improper use of another person's money or property...
Financial Benefits of Applying for Medicare at 65
By Charlestien Harris I am turning 65 this month, and I am excited about the benefits that come with it – Medicare being just one of them! For those who may not know, Medicare is the federal health insurance program for anyone age 65 and older, as well as for some...
Data Breaches Happen: How to Protect Your Personal Information
By Charlestien Harris With the increase in major data breaches lately, I thought it would be a great time to discuss some ways you, as a consumer, can help protect your sensitive personal information. It’s never a good day when you receive an alert that your personal...
Five Financial Moves to Make in Your Sixties
By Charlestien Harris Well, it’s about to be official! I’ll be turning 65 on my upcoming birthday – yay for me! I like to call myself a “seasoned citizen” instead of a senior citizen, mostly because it just sounds better. But there are some very important financial...
Budgeting for School Activities
By Charlestien Harris Football, basketball, track, band, tennis – you name it, your child could potentially participate in any number of extracurricular activities. As a loving and supportive parent, you may not have considered how much money you’re spending on items...
Getting a Handle on College Tuition Bills
By Charlestien Harris Whew! You’ve gotten them through high school, and now college tuition is on your horizon. If you or your child is entering college this semester, the tuition bill will arrive soon – if you haven’t received it already! Paying for your child’s...
Pros and Cons of Paying for School Lunches Online
By Charlestien Harris Over 95,000 schools and institutions serve lunches to 28.6 million students each day, including 19 million free lunches, 1.1 million at reduced price, and 8.5 million at full price. Nearly 4.7 billion lunches are served annually, according to...
Money Tips for College Students
By Charlestien Harris Congratulations! You have graduated from high school and are off to college! Your college financial plans might seem bigger than your wallet. If so, you are among the countless students who need advice and tips to save money in college....
Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safe Online
By Charlestien Harris It's back-to-school time, and using technology is definitely the order of the day! Getting back into the swing of the school routine can be one of the most stressful times of the year, but it does not have to be. While it may be easy for kids to...
SAVE: Updated Information for Student Loan Repayment Plan
By Charlestien Harris When you saw the title, you probably thought, "How many ways can she talk about saving?" Well, this article is indeed about saving, but it focuses on the new details of the S.A.V.E. student loan repayment option. The good news is that the new...