Southern Blog
Tackling Financial Debt in February
By: Charlestien Harris I know we are only two months into the year, but February is a fabulous time to start working on paying down your current debt. Statistics reported by Experian indicate that the average American has a debt amount of $96,371. That can be quite...
Heart to Heart: Being Smart With Your Heart and Your Money
By: Charlestien Harris February is known as the month for matters of the heart. When you think about it, your heart is an organ that keeps you alive and is the very life-sustaining organ that pumps the blood necessary to keep your body functioning properly. Your heart...
Is My Social Security Taxable?
By: Charlestien Harris During tax season is when I get the most questions about what income is taxable or nontaxable. One of the biggest concerns I get from my audience is: Why is my Social Security income taxable?The common myth about Social Security income is that...
Money Moves to Make During a Recession
By: Charlestien Harris The state of the economy has been a “hot” topic as of late and financial experts have long been talking about a possible recession. Questions you might be asking are: What is a recession and how could it affect me? And, how can I protect myself...
How to Spot (and Avoid) Scammers
By: Charlestien Harris The year has barely started and already there are scammers trying to take your hard earned money out of your wallet! Scammers target vulnerable and unsuspecting victims by getting them to fall for a dishonest scheme with the intent to defraud or...
Spending Habits You Need to Develop in 2023
By: Charlestien Harris It is quite rare that a financial counselor would advise you to develop spending habits! Usually, we tend to just give our advice on how to save, invest, or manage your money more efficiently to enjoy a healthy financial lifestyle. But this...
Southern Bancorp to Host MLK Event at Philander Smith College
Nationally recognized speaker, BerThaddaeus Bailey, will perform a reenactment ofDr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech On Friday, January 13th, Southern Bancorp will host “Dreams & Opportunities,” an event celebrating the legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King...
What To Do After a Holiday Financial Binge
By: Charlestien Harris Well, we’ve done it – we spent way too much for the holidays. Now, it’s time to “fix it,” so to speak. While you may not be able to get back all of what you spent this year, don’t worry – there are some steps you can take to improve your...
Alternative Ways to Pay (and Save) for Holiday Festivities
By: Charlestien Harris ‘Twas the week before Christmas, and when all was said and done, not a credit card was sliding – not even for those last-minute items we feel are necessary to have a happy holiday! It takes careful planning and creative thinking to come up with...
10 Last-Minute Gift Ideas on a Budget
By: Charlestien Harris There’s nothing worse than realizing you forgot to buy a Christmas gift for someone on your list. But don’t feel bad – having to buy presents last minute is common, and happens to the best of us. Sometimes, we just miss the shipping deadline, or...