Melissa L. Larson, CFP, CLU, ChFC

02/25/2026

Have you heard of the SMART method when it comes to setting goals? It stands for – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-limited. This article walks through how to set SMART goals to make it possible to reach your financial goals!
https://www.firsttechfed.com/articles/smart-budgeting-set-financial-goals #:~:text=SMART%20stands%20for%20Specific%2C%20Measurable,deadline%20to%20achieve%20those%20goals.

02/20/2026

Even if you’ve managed to recreate Fort Knox with your home cyber security system, you’ll eventually have to leave home. Traveling brings with it a whole new ballgame of cyber security risks you’ll want to prepare for. Here's how.
https://it.nc.gov/resources/cybersecurity-risk-management/cybersecurenc/tips/travel

02/18/2026

Crush your money goals! It doesn’t matter where you are in your budgeting journey, setting solid financial goals and sticking with them can help you reach the finish line. These tips can help you get there!

Revitalize your finances in the New Year with our 9-step guide. Discover practical strategies for budgeting, saving, and debt management to achieve your financial goals.

02/13/2026

As the digital world continues to grow, so does the number of cyber criminals lurking in the corners of the Internet. While you can’t get rid of them, you can make it harder for them to get to you. Safeguard yourself with these steps.

These days, every bit of info about you is for sale: your identity, your passwords, your browsing habits, even your address and phone number. These tips can easily help you take back control and keep your data safe.

02/11/2026

We live in a digital age and digital budgeting apps are the name of the game! There are tons of apps out there that you can use to follow your spending, view your recurring expenses, and help you manage your money. Check out the best of the best!

The best budget apps are user-approved and typically sync with banks to track and categorize spending. YNAB, PocketGuard and Monarch Money all make our list.

02/09/2026

You can save tons of money getting a degree online, but not all programs are created equal! Here’s a list of the top online colleges.

We ranked online colleges for their flexibility, affordability, and student outcomes. Discover our top picks for 2026, plus resources for selecting a program.

02/06/2026

If someone asked if you’d like to double-up the cyber security for your online accounts you’d say yes, right? That’s what two-factor authentication does! If you know you should enable it but aren’t quite sure how this will get you all caught up.

2FA is an important step in preventing your account from being accessed by unauthorized users.

02/04/2026

People who budget get out of debt faster, achieve savings goals over time & practice thrifty spending. No matter what your finances look like, it only takes a few easy tweaks to your money routine to implement good budgeting habits. These tips can help!

Use these budgeting tips to set principles for tracking your spending, savings and debt. Having a plan can pay dividends for years to come.

02/02/2026

Wanting to enjoy the outdoors while away at college? Check out this list of 50 affordable colleges all lovers of the outdoors should consider.
https://www.greatvaluecolleges.net/affordable/outdoor-enthusiasts/

01/30/2026

Whether you’ve heard about passphrases or you’re hearing the term for the first time, time to make the switch! Passphrases officially have more strength and are easier to remember than passwords. Here's how to create them!
https://www.okta.com/identity-101/password-vs-passphrase

01/28/2026

These budgeting tips provide ideas of how to live within your means and stick with that budget so you can reach your financial goals. Our tried and true is never grocery shopping hungry! We'd love to see your best budgeting tips in the comments!

it's easier than you think, we promise.