BECU Blog

Your source for stories and information to help you reach your financial health goals.

Two young college-aged students sitting at a table inside located in front of large windows. Trees are in the background outside. The two students are looking together at the screen of a laptop that's in front of one of the students, who is typing on the laptop keyboard. The other student not in front of the laptop is holding a pen in one hand and has a book in their other hand resting on the table, open to a page.

Student Loan Payment Tips

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Advancing Equity | Budgeting | Credit & Debt | Spending & Shopping | Mortgages & Home | Security, Scams & Fraud | Hear From Our CEO | Taxes | BECU Spotlight | Jobs & Income

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Celebrating Latinx Communities and Contributions

A large group of BECU's Latinx Employee Resource Group (ERG) are gathered together inside at an employee event. The group is standing in front of a screen posing for a photo. There are balloons and decorations in the background.

CEO Beverly Anderson celebrates Latinx culture and community contributions.

Personal Finance Tips for New College Grads

Three college students laugh as they walk away from a building on campus together.

Learn how to navigate your financial life after college.

Back-to-School Savings Tips

Young girl sporting a light blue backpack smiles as she stands in front of her smiling mother, who has placed her left hand on the young girl's shoulder, a showing of support as the young girl readies to leave through the front door of their home to go back to school.

Use these simple tips to budget for back-to-school shopping and save money.

Most Recent

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How To Budget for a Vacation

A man holds a child standing up on driftwood at a Washington beach. They're wearing sweatshirts and the sky is cloudy. Ocean mist drifts across the evergreen trees in the background.

Get tips for planning and saving for your next vacation.

Do You Need Travel Insurance?

A smiling woman wearing sunglasses and a green top lies in a hammock while looking at her phone. A sandy beach, blue ocean and bright blue sky are in the background. The Consumers' Checkbook logo is in the upper right corner.

Get tips to help you decide if insurance makes sense for your trip.

The Cost and Benefits of Caregiving

Young girl in a wheelchair smiles as she looks back at four other members of her family, who are surrounding the young girl on all sides while posing and smiling for the photo.

Learn about financial challenges caregivers face and resources that can help.

Advancing Equity

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SVP Values Diversity of Asian Experiences

Balaji Ponnuswamy with his daughters, Varsha (left), Priyanka (center right) and his wife, Gayathri (right).

Statistics hide the range of inequity and different experiences of Asian people.

Path to Equity: A Woman VP's Perspective

BECU's Vice President of Servicing and ATM Operations Shawna Thompson.

How the workplace has changed for women in Shawna Thompson's 30 years with BECU.

Coming Together Over Black Coffee

Three women standing together in front of a green, leaf-covered wall with a neon sign that says "Coffee" on it. The woman on the left is Intentionalist CEO and founder Laura Clise, wearing a Seattle Sonics hat. The woman in the middle is Seattle Storm Center Mercedes Russell, wearing a sweatshirt that says "Seattle." The woman on the right is Black Coffee Northwest co-owner DarNesha Weary, wearing a "Black Coffee Northwest" t-shirt.

Learn how Black Coffee Northwest is leading the conversation on racial equity.

Budgeting

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30 Tips To Get Financially Fit

Illustration of a man wearing a blue headband and blue athletic shorts holding a dumbbell. On his left is a yellow bicycle and on his right is a wall calendar and a potted plant.

Get a month's worth of daily tips to build your money-managing muscles.

5 Banking Tips for Kids and Parents

A mother and her teen daughter stand together in their kitchen facing the camera for a photo. The mom has her arm around the teen and is resting her cheek against her daughter's head.

Get tips to help kids start banking and building good financial habits.

Emergency Funds: Your Financial Safety Net

Emergency Funds - Your Financial Bestie

Learn what an emergency fund is, why you need one and how much you should save.

Credit & Debt

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How To Pay off Credit Card Debt

Two smiling men sit shoulder-to-shoulder in front of a laptop and look over a paper document together.

Get tips for paying off debt and saving for the future.

Why Did My Credit Score Drop?

Illustration of a credit score gauge. A person is sweating from the effort of pulling on the indicator needle, like it's a lever, to move their credit score up.

Learn about these common credit-score setbacks and how to improve your score.

Things To Know About Credit Scores

Illustration of a person sitting next to a white dog, looking at a smart phone; a thought bubble shows a credit score gauge with the needle pointed at green to represent a good score.

Learn how to raise your score and improve your financial health.

Spending & Shopping

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How To Get a Fair Deal on Auto Repair

A woman happily driving a car. White text says Consumers' Checkbook in the lower right corner.

Tips for shopping for an auto mechanic.

Buying Your Leased Car Could Save You Money Now

Couple standing inside an auto dealership reviewing materials on a digital tablet with an auto dealership employee. Consumers' Checkbook logo in the lower right of the image.

With inventory problems driving up auto prices, buying your vehicle as it comes off lease could result in a windfall.

‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Pros and Cons for Travel

Parents stand smiling with their two young children on a sunny, sandy beach with bright blue water behind them. A logo says Consumers' Checkbook on the lower right.

Find out if putting off payment for your upcoming trip is right for you.

Mortgages & Home

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How Credit Debt Could Affect Your Mortgage

Image of a young, smiling couple standing in front of a brick home with one of the individuals holding house keys in their hand.

Find out if credit card debt affects whether you qualify for a home loan.

Is DIY Home Improvement Right for You?

A woman smiles as she paints a white wall gray using a roller brush.

Save time and money and increase your home value by doing your homework.

5 Upgrades To Increase Home Value in 2022

Photo of a modern house with stone veneer along the bottom, vinyl-framed windows, and a four-panel garage door with windows across the top.

How to make the most of your home improvement dollars.

Security, Scams & Fraud

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Password Phishing: How To Avoid Scams

Computer screen with password typed in has a sticky note in the top right corner with a fishing hook going through it.

Protect your personal and financial information from online attacks.

How To Wipe Your Data From Computers and Phones

Illustration of a computer monitor and cell phone that show a loading symbol. A spray bottle full of liquid, labeled with the settings gear icon, sits next to the computer monitor. Text in the lower right corner says "Consumers' Checkbook."

Remove data before getting rid of unwanted digital devices.

Protect Your Child From Identity Theft

Two smiling young children, sitting side by side, looking down at a digital tablet they are holding together. Consumers' Checkbook logo in bottom right of image.

Learn the warning signs and take steps to protect your kids.

Taxes

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2023 Tax Extension: Deadline, Rules, How To File

A man sits in his kitchen looking at papers he's holding in his right hand and punching buttons on a calculator with his left hand. A laptop is open on the table in front of him.

Need more time for your taxes? Learn about getting an extension in 2023.

2022 Income Taxes: What You Need To Know

Two men sitting close together on a gray couch. The man on the left is wearing a blue shirt and glasses and is pointing at a tablet in other man's hand. Man on right is wearing a gray shirt. Consumers' Checkbook logo in upper right corner.

Learn how changes to tax laws might affect your 2022 tax return.

Guide to 2021 Child Tax Credit: Amounts, Eligibility

A toddler squats in the grass, looking at a clover held by her smiling mother.

Find out how advance payments might affect your tax return.