Does a Home’s Value Go Up With a Bathroom Renovation? Deciding what home improvement projects to invest in can be tricky. You don’t want to pour money into a renovation or remodel that won’t pay off when you go to sell. If you’re eager to increase your home’s value, consider starting in a small, but...

Deposit Your Next Check With Your Phone Making a deposit with your phone is an easy process and will save you a trip to the bank. But, if you have never done this before it may be a bit intimidating. At Citywide Banks, a division of HTLF Bank, we want to make this process as easy as possible for you - it's as simple as...

Money Saving Tips to Fund Your Higher Education If you’re considering going back to college to boost your credentials, you’re probably on the lookout for money-saving strategies. Here are dollar-stretching tips to keep you at the top of your class. Fill Out FAFSA If you’re looking to continue your...

Avoid Using Your Savings For the Unneeded Things Sometimes there’s not enough room in the budget for extras. Perhaps you have your eye on a new pair of shoes, are eager to upgrade your living room with a new couch or you have to be the first in your friend group to possess the latest gadget. If you...

Make the Home Improvements You Want With The Equity In Your Home You found your dream home and settled down, so now what? Ready to tackle some of those honey-do wish list improvement projects? Why not use the equity you have built in your home to check some of those items off your list and...

Practices that reduce your spending and save you money The foundation of successfully managing your finances is budgeting, and a pillar of budgeting is learning to distinguish your needs from your wants. If you can’t differentiate those, you could wind up overspending on luxuries that you can’t...

Learn More About Direct Deposit It’s easy to take conveniences like direct deposit for granted without fully understanding how it works or why you should use it. You may have questions concerning direct deposit, so we want to make sure you fully understand the system. How Does Direct Deposit Work...

Teach your kids about saving money Money management is a complicated subject even adults have trouble mastering. So, it’s understandable that the prospect of teaching your kids about money might not be your favorite parental to-do. Start simply with a simple savings account to teach your kids the...

Best Coupon Sites to Help Your Family Save Money Making ends meet while having money for extracurricular activities is a challenge for most families. If you’re looking for ways to stretch your family’s dollar, it’s time to get creative with a tried-and-true savings tool — coupons. The following...

Protect your most important valuables We all have things that we want to keep safe. While we all hope that our homes are an ideal place for that, sometimes it’s a good idea to keep important items in another location. That’s where safe deposit boxes come in handy. What Are Safe Deposit Boxes? We...

How Paying Bills on Time Can Improve Your Life Paying your bills on time is one of the key aspects of taking charge of your financial life. Not only does paying bills on time help you avoid a number of nasty repercussions, but it can also have lots of short and long-term positive side effects....

Tips to start your first mortgage on the right foot Home ownership is an exciting achievement, but it’s also a huge responsibility. Entering into home ownership when you’re ready is more important than doing so right away. Starting off on the right foot can positively impact future home-buying...