Making Money Personal

Summer is an exciting time, and for many, the perfect time to get out and do some traveling. While you're enjoying the fun of planning, searching, and packing, remember that identity thieves and scammers are still out there plotting ways to trip you up and gain access to your personal information. Links: Learn more about the identity protection benefits with a Better Checking account Check out TCU University for financial education tips and resources! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union Transcript: Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. Summer travel season is upon us, and it can come with a lot of excitement and a lot of distractions. That’s exactly when people slip up with their personal information without realizing it. A few simple habits can make a big difference in keeping your identity safe while you’re preparing to head out on the road. Don’t let identity thieves ruin your summer plans. Before you pack, post, or travel, review these guidelines to help protect your identity against scammers and identity thieves. Be careful what you share online It’s easy to overshare without meaning to. Posting your travel plans gives scammers more information than you think. Be mindful of what you share on social media. Sharing details like birthdays, travel plans, or even pet names can give scammers the clues they need to guess passwords or impersonate you. A few extra seconds of caution can help protect your accounts and your identity. Even a photo of a boarding pass can expose details someone can use to get into your accounts. Share the moment, not the specifics. Avoid logging into sensitive accounts on public Wi‑Fi Airports, hotels, and coffee shops are convenient, but the Wi‑Fi is often wide open. Open networks are convenient, but they’re also easier for criminals to intercept. Anyone on the same network can try to snoop. If you need to check something important (banking, email, anything with personal information), use your phone’s hotspot or wait until you’re on a secure connection. Keep your devices locked down Travel days can be chaotic. Phones get left on seats, laptops get forgotten at security, and backpacks get unzipped without anyone noticing. A strong passcode, a biometric (face or fingerprint) lock, and “find my device” turned on can save you a lot of stress if something goes missing. Watch out for “urgent” messages Travelers have been known to get fake vacation deals, fake airline alerts, fake hotel confirmations, and fake texts about “suspicious activity.” If a message pressures you to “act now” or “click immediately,” or threatens that your account will be closed or reservation will be cancelled, pause and take a moment before you take action. Go directly to the official website or app instead of engaging with these “urgent” messages. And remember, Triangle Credit Union will never pressure you with “urgent” messages demanding immediate action. Don’t carry every document with you When you’re traveling, leave things like your Social Security card, passport (unless you need it), and birth certificate at home. The fewer important documents you have on you, the less you can lose. Shred anything with personal details Travel planning can often bring a pile of mail filled with offers, pre-approvals, and random “welcome” packets. As you evaluate what to keep and what to discard, remember that anything with your name, address, or financial information should be shredded before you add it to the recycling or trash can. It sounds small, but dumpster diving for personal information is still a thing. Use strong, unique passwords If you’re new to traveling, you’re probably creating new accounts. Use passwords that are long, unique, and hard to guess; think of a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols rather than personal details like birthdays or names. At the same time, avoid recycling the same password across multiple accounts

Medical costs and insurance premiums keep going up. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to minimize the effects of rising costs. This tip will discuss how Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can help you manage some of those expenses and save money. Links: Learn more about Tringle's Health Savings Accounts Check out TCU University for financial education tips and resources! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union Transcript: Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. Let’s start by explaining what an HSA is. HSA stands for Health Savings Account and is very similar to a personal savings account, but money saved in the account must be used to pay for health care expenses (there is an exception to that, which will be covered in a bit). The good news is this is your money, so you get to control how the funds are spent and for which medical expenses. You can open an HSA if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). You can’t if you’re on Medicare, TRICARE, TRICARE for Life, or are listed as someone else’s dependent for taxes. If you’re self-employed and have an HDHP, you can get an HSA. If you switch jobs, your HSA stays with you. Since we've discussed high-deductible health plans, let’s define an HDHP. In 2026, the IRS sets the minimum deductible at $1,700 for individuals or $3,400 for families. The total yearly out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles, copays, and coinsurance, cannot exceed $8,500 for individuals or $17,000 for families. There are many benefits to having an HSA. One of the most notable is the tax savings. HSA contributions are made before taxes, so they’re deducted from your total income when it comes time to file. In 2026, the IRS lets you put in $4,400 for individual coverage or $8,750 for family coverage. If you’re 55 or older, you can add an extra $1,000 each year until you turn 65 or enroll in Medicare. This extra amount is called a catch-up contribution. Money you take out of your HSA is tax-free if you use it for qualified medical expenses, no matter your age. Plus, any money your HSA earns is also tax-free. With an HSA, you also save on premiums. Most high-deductible health plans have lower premiums, so you can put your savings into your HSA. Use your HSA to pay for any medical expense, including coinsurance, copays, and your deductible. Your HSA is your money. You own all the money in your HSA, even if your employer contributed, and you keep it if you change jobs, lose coverage, or retire. Your balance rolls over yearly and never expires. If you are 65 or older or disabled, you can withdraw funds for non-medical use without penalty. Using your HSA is easy. Open one at a bank or credit union to get a debit card. Use it to pay for expenses like copays, deductibles, and prescriptions. If you’re interested in getting started with your own HSA, there are multiple ways to contribute. For a list of ways you can contribute and a transcript of this money tip, check out "Helpful Hints about HSAs at triangleuniversity.org. If there are any other tips or topics you'd like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. Also, remember to like and follow our Making Money Personal Facebook and Instagram to share your thoughts. Finally, remember to look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union, on Facebook and LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to today's Money Tip Tuesday. Check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast. Eligibility and contribution limits are set by the IRS and may change. This information is for educational purposes and isn’t tax advice—please consult a qualified tax professional. Insured by the NCUA.

Every day there are stories and alerts shared of new scams reminding us that the fraud landscape changes quickly. To stay safe, it’s important to build good habits, improve your digital security, and use helpful tools to avoid, report, and recover from scams. Links: Explore more resources for Consumer Protection Week Report scams at Identitytheft.gov Know your rights as a consumer when recovering from identity theft Explorer Triangle's Better Checking account with ID Protect Check out TCU University for financial education tips and resources! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union **Note: Better Checking is not an insurance product. Transcript: Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. It’s National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a time of year devoted to maintaining personal security and fighting fraud. Hosted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), this important awareness week was established to help people better understand their consumer rights and take proactive steps to protect themselves. This year, the FTC’s message is clear: Avoid. Report. Recover. Practicing these three steps regularly can make you much more resilient to today’s fraud tactics. In this tip, we’ll explain more about how you can “stay faster than fraud” by putting these actions into practice. The first action, Avoid, is a reminder to help spot the fraud before it causes you to act. Scammers rely on urgency. They want you to react fast instead of thinking things through. To avoid scams, try making small changes, like pausing before clicking a link, checking if a request is real, and seeing urgency as a warning sign. These quick pauses can help you avoid falling for scams. Another way to avoid fraud is to learn about the types of scams that target consumers. Scams are always changing, so it’s important to stay up to date. Common scams include identity theft, impostor scams, job scams, and phishing. They also use current events to make their tricks seem more believable. Looking ahead, experts warn that in 2026, scammers are expected to use new hooks tailored to economic anxiety, like relief‑payment scams, bogus job offers, and highly personalized AI‑powered impersonation schemes. Knowing these patterns and warning signs ahead of time helps protect you and others from becoming the next victim. Keep in mind that fraudsters also take advantage of digital weaknesses, so it’s important to strengthen your security. Use strong, unique passwords with a trusted password manager, turn on multi-factor authentication when you can, keep your devices and software updated, and avoid doing financial transactions on public Wi-Fi. These steps greatly lower your risk of account takeovers and data theft. And of course, it’s important not to share too much personal information on social media or respond to unexpected requests for details. Scammers may send emails or texts that look like they’re from people or organizations you trust. Being careful and a bit skeptical helps keep your information safe. The next part of the FTC’s action plan is to report any scams you encounter. Many people don’t report scams because they think it won’t help. But the FTC says the opposite is true. Reporting scams helps spot trends, guide enforcement, and warn others about new threats. Sharing your experience helps the fight against fraud. For identity theft cases, the FTC offers a dedicated resource website: IdentityTheft.gov. This one‑stop site hosts a collection of resources for consumers to use to report fraud. The site can help you generate an official FTC Identity Theft Report and provides a customized recovery plan, both of which are extremely useful when working with companies to dispute fraudulent activity. Experts say that many fraud cases go unreported and scams are getting more advanced. Reporting scams not only helps you take back control, it also raises awareness and protects

Is saving more money one of your New Year's resolutions this year? If so, beginning to save money can be overwhelming if you’re not sure where to start. Take the pressure off your financial goals by making saving fun with one of our savings challenges. Links: Roll the Dice Savings Tracker template: https://triangleuniversity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Roll-the-Dice-Savings-Challenge.pdf Check out TCU University for financial education tips and resources! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union Transcript: Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. Savings challenges are great for building consistent saving habits while also growing your savings accounts. If you’re ready to crush your savings goals this year, these challenges are the perfect way to get it done! Here are four savings challenges you can start in 2026: 52 Week Envelope Challenge This savings challenge combines the 52-week challenge with the 100-envelope challenge. Instead of saving money chronologically (week 1 - $1, week 2 - $2, etc.) and depositing that amount into your savings account, you will fill out 52 envelopes—each with a dollar amount that corresponds with each week of the year. Once you have your envelopes labeled, give them a quick shuffle to randomize them, then place them back in the box (or set them aside). Each week, pull a random envelope from its place and save that amount. For example, if you pulled an envelope labeled $39, you would save $39 dollars that week. If you are using cash, place the $39 in that envelope until the end of the year, or head to your local bank or credit union to deposit it. If you are completing this challenge with an online savings account, make sure to transfer the appropriate amount each week. Pause Your Subscriptions Streaming services, food delivery services, and product boxes are monthly subscriptions that most American consumers pay for; some people have multiple subscriptions for the same service-- for example, some consumers subscribe to both DoorDash’s DashPass and Uber Eats’ Uber One. Too often, one signs up for a free trial with the intent to cancel before the free trial ends, only to forget and be charged for the service. If you’re not keeping an eye on your finances and tracking all your expenses diligently, you may be paying for subscriptions without even realizing it. Take some time to review your bank accounts and credit card statements from the past few months and highlight any recurring charges. Then analyze the charges and decide which subscriptions could be paused or canceled temporarily. Maybe you subscribed to a streaming service to watch one show a few months but haven’t watched anything on that platform since; maybe you’ve decided to stop getting food delivered anyway, so you no longer need those subscriptions. Pause or cancel any subscription you’re not currently using and put that money in your savings account or investments instead. You may even find that after a few months, you don’t miss those subscriptions anyway! Roll-the-dice Challenge Gamifying savings is a great way to turn something that might be stressful or scary into something entertaining and enjoyable! This challenge is flexible and can be done daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your goals and financial situation. Simply roll a die and set aside the cash or transfer that amount to your savings account. For example, if you roll a 1, save $1; if you roll a 6, save $6, etc. Looking to save a little more each time? Roll a pair of dice (or one die twice) and save that amount. Make sure you record your rolls and track your progress on our Roll-The-Dice savings tracker. made especially for this challenge. Link will be in the show notes Create Your Own Savings Challenge This challenge is great if any of the other savings' challenges don’t pique your interest OR if you are savi

We’re always looking for ways to save you all money, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s so easy to go over budget, that is, if you even had one anyway. For those trying to dial back a little on spending this year, we’re sharing a few ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day without having to take out that credit card. Links: Check out TCU University for financial education tips and resources! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union Transcript: Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. Valentine’s Day often comes with a lot of pressure—lavish dinners, expensive gifts, and grand gestures that can leave your wallet feeling less than romantic. But here’s the truth: love doesn’t have to come with a price tag. In fact, some of the most meaningful ways to show you care cost absolutely nothing. If you’re looking to celebrate without swiping your credit card or maybe minimizing its use, here are five heartfelt ideas that prove thoughtfulness beats extravagance every time. The Power of Personal Touch Nothing says “I love you” quite like words straight from the heart. Instead of buying a pricey card, write a heartfelt letter or even a poem. Share your favorite memories, what you appreciate most about your partner, and your hopes for the future. Often it’s easy to splurge on candies or flowers, but if you’re cutting back on buying things this year, making something from the heart can be just as nice. Trying something like a handwritten note feels personal and timeless—something they can treasure for years. Besides a handwritten letter or note, crafting something unique from scratch can be just as meaningful. For the creative folks, browse through ideas online from a site like Pinterest where you’ll find plenty of thoughtful homemade Valentine's crafts and gifts for your special someone. Quality Time Over Price Tags Sometimes, the best gift is your undivided attention. Plan a tech-free evening where you both disconnect from screens and focus on each other. Screens are often distractions from the present moment, robbing us of the true value that comes with being together. Make the holiday more special by offering your undivided attention and just spending time together. If you’re unsure what to do, try an idea like cooking a meal together using what you already have in the pantry. You could also take a walk under the stars and talk about your dreams, or you might enjoy dusting off a board game or card deck for some friendly competition. Quality time strengthens emotional bonds and creates lasting memories—no receipt required. Acts of Service Speak Volumes Love isn’t just about words; it’s about actions. Doing something that makes your partner’s life easier can be incredibly romantic. There are many times in life when acts of service are the perfect gift. For those who are busy and don’t have time to tackle common daily tasks, they can build up and cause much uneasiness or stress. For many loved ones this Valentine’s Day, something simple like an act of service might just be the perfect gift they’d been hoping for. One idea could be to make your significant other breakfast in bed. You could tackle a chore they’ve been dreading or even organize a space they use often, like their desk or closet. To up the stakes and gain points, pick one task the night before and surprise them by morning. Acts of service are beautiful gifts because they show thoughtfulness and effort, which often means more than any store-bought gift. Create Something Together Shared creativity can be a powerful bonding experience. Instead of buying something, make something together. If you know your significant other is crafty and values building or creating, this may be the perfect Valentine's Day gift. You could curate a playlist of songs that remind you of each other. You might enjoy baking cookies or trying a new recipe together or