Education Articles

What To Know About ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’

They’re so easy to use, they almost seem too good to be true. Is there a catch? With Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, you can walk away with that expensive exercise bike, entertainment system, sectional sofa, or anything else that catches your eye, even if you can’t cover the costs in the moment. And in return, retailers can make more sales b...

Demystifying Mortgage Terms, Part II

Now that some of the  common loan-approval terms  are embedded in your brain, it’s time to explore other head-scratchers that come up over the life of a mortgage. The following is a short list of terms describing anything from mortgage insurance to the various types of loans. By the time you wade through this list, you’ll be good and ready to bu...

Demystifying Mortgage Terms, Part I

Here’s an understatement: The financial industry is full of confusing terms. The mortgage world, especially, is saturated with head-scratching  words and acronyms . What’s an LTV, for example? You’d be forgiven if your first thought went to some sort of off-road vehicle. If you’re buying a home for the first time, a lot of terms will be thrown a...

Looking to Consolidate Debt? Try a HELOC.

What would you rather have—several hundred dollars in monthly payments spread across all your credit cards or one smaller payment over a set number of years? If you’re a homeowner, a home equity line of credit (HELOC) may be what you need to reel in debt. A HELOC can be more than just a means of improving or renovating your home—it’s also a...

Driving for Uber or Lyft? Make Sure You’re Insured

Popular rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are now available in larger cities across Oregon, including Eugene. And for many people, becoming a driver is an attractive way to pick up a little extra spending money. You’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for the associated costs, and that you and your customers are protected, to make it a smoo...

5 Steps to Getting a Small Business Loan

If it’s time for your startup to start going up, a small-business loan may just be what you need. The process of applying for a small-business loan can be confusing, but we’re here to help guide you through the process. Below are five manageable steps to securing funding for your business needs—whether that’s for expansion or handling the...

Crypto May Be Hot, But These Investment Options Are Safer

If you haven’t heard, cryptocurrency is the flavor of the month in the investment world. More than 20 million Americans own some form of  cryptocurrency . With Bitcoin leading the way, the  global market capitalization  of crypto is hovering around $2 trillion. El Salvador became the first country to  adopt Bitcoin as legal tender . Crypto was...

This Fall, Don’t Fall: Passwords and Phishing and Romance, Oh My!

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a fantastic time to review a few long-standing threats to the safety of your personal and financial information online. Let’s get started! The perils of repurposing passwords Passwords are now used to protect access to an unprecedented number of websites. The average person uses between 80 to 100 passwords; reusi...

SELCO Digital Access: Secure, Quick, and Simple

Now's the time to take advantage of SELCO Digital Banking. SELCO offers numerous user-friendly, one-stop-shop tools for securely managing your accounts without leaving the house. In fact, our online and mobile resources are like a virtual branch—you can do most everything online that you’re accustomed to at a branch. It's more important than eve...

5 Misconceptions About CDs

A certificate of deposit (CD), similar to a certificate at credit unions, is a safe way to invest money for a fixed period of time at a specified interest rate. There’s a lot CDs have to offer (and not only for those with money to burn). Interest rates have been on the rise as of late, so there’s no time like now to consider this investment...