Financially healthy customers are good banking customers — and banks offer financial health products strategically to attract and retain them. But for those products to be useful, customers must use them. Do they?

Since 2018, the Financial Health Network has conducted the Financial Health PulseⓇ research initiative to identify national financial health trends.

Consumers have been feeling the brunt of inflation since it started surging in mid-2021. The Federal Reserve has been trying to combat inflation by raising interest rates. And while that's helped, living costs are still elevated as of early 2024.

I keep thinking about this column from Alex Johnson last month around financial health and savings. To me, one of the biggest disappointments around the past decade of fintech innovation is how little we are moving the needle for the financial health of consumers.

Learn to steer clear of these loans, which are great for the lender but horrible for your wallet.

People often fake it. We fake our physical ailments, we fake our emotional stability, and we fake our level of happiness. We nod along when asked. We put a smile on our face even if it doesn’t reflect what we’re feeling inside.

This October, I’m thrilled to be joining the incredibly talented team of Mitchell Stankovic & Associates for The Underground Collision, “Grimm Fairy Tales or Happily Ever After” on October 21st in Vegas. So, it’s fully appropriate that this article refers to the infamous quote from Snow White & the Seven Dwarves.

Economic challenges have affected individuals nationwide this year. Economic growth has stayed consistently low, and inflation, although declining, has dropped due to drastic rate hikes, pushing the cost of living to new levels. All consumers have felt the pinch.

When the unexpected happens — whether fire, hail, or human error — renters insurance can provide much-needed stability. But many choose not to purchase coverage, including in places most frequently and hardest hit by natural disasters, new research shows.