Spooky Financial Habits To Avoid This Fall

Don’t let spooky spending habits creep into your finances this fall. It can be easy to get carried away with apple picking and pumpkin spice lattes, but it’s important to be mindful of your money habits so you don’t get stuck in a financial horror story.

Financial Habits to Avoid

1. Not sticking to a budget. Don’t ghost your budget. Keeping an eye on your spending can help you stay in control of your finances and avoid surprises, especially during the busy holiday season.
2. Overusing credit cards. Paying interest is no treat, so don’t trick yourself by spending more than you can afford. Try to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid unnecessary charges.
3. Not building savings. Having emergency savings can help save you from unexpected financial frights.
4. Impulsive spending. Don’t let your past purchases haunt you. Track your spending and think before purchasing to make sure you’re spending wisely.
5. Neglecting savings accounts. Don’t let your savings vanish. Utilize high-yield savings accounts to watch your money grow.

How To Escape These Financial Tricks

• Create a budget. Try a budgeting calculator, app, or digital planner to find a method that works best for you!
• Identify needs vs. wants. Take a day or two to think before purchasing something you don’t necessarily need. Oftentimes when we put space between desire and action, the impulse passes.
• Seek financial literacy resources. The first step to building positive financial habits is understanding your own finances. There are plenty of resources available to help you assess your financial health, like BCU’s Financial Checkup!
• Watch out for phantom subscriptions. Make sure there’s no forgotten or duplicate subscriptions draining your bank account.

Being mindful of your finances and intentional with your spending can help you banish bad habits and feel the benefits of financial freedom. Try these tips out today!

Fall Activities That Don’t Break The Bank

There are plenty of activities to enjoy this time of year while keeping your finances in mind. Here’s a few that won’t make your wallet scream!

• Carve pumpkins
• Try out fall recipes at home — make a homemade PSL or bake some pumpkin-flavored treats!
• Take a walk and enjoy the crisp fall air
• Find free local events near you
• DIY your Halloween costume
• Curl up and watch a classic Halloween movie

While you’re having fun this spooky season, consider your finances (after all, Thanksgiving and Christmas are not too far behind!) and kick these scary financial habits.

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About BCU: BCU is a not-for-profit, member-owned credit union that is fiercely dedicated to Empowering People To Discover Financial Freedom. With over $6B in assets, BCU is committed to providing a fast, easy, and secure banking experience along with extraordinary service to more than 360,000 members. The BCU field of membership includes employees and their families from Fortune 100 companies across the US and Puerto Rico. Membership is also open to individuals who live or work in Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico, as well as subscribers of BCU’s wholly owned Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO), Life. Money. You.^®. All BCU members enjoy lifetime access to financial services and well-being programs that inspire confidence through the brand promise “Here Today For Your Tomorrow.”

To learn more about how we can help you realize your financial dreams, visit BCU.org. For media inquiries, visit BCU.org/About-Us/Media-Relations.