Herring Bank

Are you juggling multiple high-interest credit card debts? 😣 If you're there, then you might want to take a good hard look into personal loans. A personal loan could let you: 💸 Lower your overall interest rate, saving big on finance charges! 🗓️ Make one predictable monthly payment instead of juggling multiple dates. 💪 Pay off debt faster by focusing all payments in one place. Don't stay stuck in debt!

Christmas. It's only about 10 weeks away. Seriously! So here is our friendly reminder... Each year, about half of Americans go into debt over holiday purchases. And it's not just because of the gifts. Travel, which is rarely put into the holiday budget, can push you over the edge. Planning holiday travel? Purchase tickets early and ASAP to save big! 💸 As it gets closer to your travel dates, flight and hotel prices often skyrocket due to demand.

Did you know that mortgage interest rates hit 18.45% back in 1981?! Rates averaged that year around 16.63% The 90's averaged around 8-10% 5-7% would have been a DREAM back then. No, it's not the 2-3% rates of 2020, but rates are still below the historical average. If you're thinking about buying but are worried about today's rates. Don't be. Curious to learn more? We're here to help whenever you're ready.

Scammers are getting craftier, but protecting yourself from phishing isn't complicated. Follow these three steps to stay safe. 1. Watch for and recognize: – Urgent language or threats of consequences – Requests for personal/financial info – Suspicious URLs or email addresses Note: AI has improved scammers' grammar, so focus on other red flags. 2. Resist – Don't click links or attachments in suspicious emails. – Report the phish using available options near the sender's address or in your email toolbar. 3. Delete – Remove the message entirely. – Avoid replying, clicking attachments, or using "unsubscribe" links. One, two, three.

What's better than a local pumpkin patch on an Sunday? A FREE pumpkin patch! Our very own Sandy Shook at the Colorado Springs Branch and realtor Suzanne Hogan had 40 pumpkins to give away in the Falcon’s Nest neighborhood. We met a lot of great folks in the neighborhood! Thank you all who came out!

We had a blast yesterday with over 60 members of the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Springs. Our very own Sandy Shook was able to present 2024's Mortgage Lending Basics. Then again to another 30+ business owners through two separate networking groups. If you're in the Springs area, Sandy at our branch is a joy to meet and know. We couldn't be more proud of her, the Colorado Springs branch, and the community members we get to engage with. We hope to see you at the next one!

When someone starts thinking about buying a new house, they always have the same questions... 1. What type of loan should I get? 2. How much can I borrow? 3. What are the interest rates? 4. How much do I need for a down payment? 5. What documents do I need to provide? To help, we created this handy, and in-depth, first time home buyer's guide. We think it'll help, and if you still have questions, we're only a phone call away! https://lnkd.in/dwT_SRd5

Today, your personal identity is under more threat than ever. A great way to help better your odds of staying safe online... Use STRONG passwords! A strong password follows these 3 these tips. 1. Make them long, at least 16 characters. 2. Use a random string of mixed-case letters, numbers, and symbols, or, create a memorable phrase (passphrase) of 4 – 7 unrelated words. For example: cXmnZK65rf*&DaaD Yuc8$RikA34%ZoPPao98t For example: Good: HorsePurpleHatRun Great: HorsePurpleHatRunBay Amazing: HorsePurpleHatRunBayLifting 3. Use a different strong password for each account. For example: Bank: k8dfh8c$Pfv0gB2 Email account: legal tiny facility freehand probable enamel Social media account: e246gs%mFs#3tv6 4. PRO TIP: use a password manager! #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth

We love our communities and recently had two great events over the past weekend in Colorado Springs! We helped sponsor the first Putts for Pups Tournament for Nordic Analytical. It brought awareness for Rezdawg Rescue. We also participated in a fundraiser just a little north of the Springs in Palmer Lake. The Palmer Lake .5K run/walk. This event is a fundraiser to keep the lake filled for the residents in Palmer Lake and surrounding areas to enjoy. The fundraiser was created by a local business (O’Malley’s Pub & Grill) to be sure we can continue to enjoy the beauty of the area. Herring Bank was at the finish line cheering all those that participated (over 1,000) as they enjoyed donuts they received at the half-way mark. Fun was had by all!

When you shop online... DO NOT make these two mistakes!!! 1. NEVER use your credit card on public Wi-Fi Public Wi-Fi makes it easy for your information to be stolen, especially if the host for the Wi-Fi is compromised in some way. Identity thieves can configure their own public Wi-Fi hotspots, often where you would expect to find a legitimate public Wi-Fi source. 2. Make sure the website is HTTPS Sites which communicate using HTTPS are encrypting your information, which makes them far more secure. You’ll be able to tell whether a site is secured with HTTPS by looking at the address bar on your browser. The site URL will begin with: https:// instead of http://