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Budgeting is an important and valuable financial tool to use when managing your money. The long- and short-term benefits of budgeting also make it a popular tool for those setting goals, both small and large.

Budgeting is only as effective as you make it.  While it doesn’t have to be overly complicated, there are some important steps that can cause blunders rather than benefits.

Those who don’t...

As we quickly shift into Springtime, this time of year motivates many to participate in spring cleaning.

But Spring cleaning doesn’t have to stop with your old clothes, shoes, and emptying out that junk closet. Often overlooked, your finances should be added to your spring cleaning to-do list to ensure you’re on track with your goals and making life easier for yourself.

How do you spring clean your finances? Let’s take a look!

Savings can be difficult, and nothing reminds us of this more than when the holiday season hits or we’re trying to save for a well-deserved vacation.

While intentions are always good, making sure to set aside the money can be the challenging. Not to mention the length of time it may take you to reach your savings goal.

At Home State Bank, we understand these challenges and wanted to make it easier for you to save. That’s why we created the Christmas and...

The rise in technological advances have unfortunately also brought on the rise of scams. While scams are not new by any means, the ways in which scammers can attempt to compromise your assets or identity have grown significantly with the use of technology.

Here are some common scams to look out for and ways to avoid them.

Social Media

From Marketplace to messenger and even new friend requests, social media allows scammers to learn enough about...

When it comes to financial literacy, Home State Bank is dedicated to bringing awareness and hands-on experience all year round to our customers and our whole community. While Home State Bank offers financial literacy support within our walls to our customers, we also want to

ensure everyone in our community has the opportunity to learn lifelong financial skills, such as how to manage, save, budget, and invest their money wisely.

Progress Through Partnerships

We’re...

Hello, it's ME?

AI can and is being used to increase the efficiency of security measures; however, it is also being used to create harmful, targeted, and more sophisticated cyber threats. AI threats are not just behind screens; they are in your ear. Malicious actors are utilizing not only SPAM emails and other digital attacks but also spoofing customers' voices to gather personal information and approve the transfer of funds.[1]

Joana Stern of The Wall Street Journal...

It is hard not to be concerned when you come across headlines like, “Global Banking Crisis” and not worry about your financial assets and bank.

When it comes to protecting our customers and their financial assets, Home State Bank doesn’t cut any corners. Our customers are always at the forefront of our business decisions, ensuring we never put them or our bank in any risky situations.

And rest assured, you won’t need to worry about headlines...

Tax time is upon us, a sign that phishing season has begun.

The IRS states that scams may differ in themes, but generally, they have two traits:

Criminals continue to make aggressive...

You’ve likely heard of an escrow account, especially if you have a home mortgage. But if you don’t have a home mortgage, or you don’t quite fully understand your current escrow, we’ve put together the following to help you better understand the ins and outs of it.

What is a mortgage escrow account?

When you own a home, you're responsible for additional home-related expenses like property taxes and insurance. Escrow accounts help you plan...

You’ve likely seen the FDIC logo and heard of it but what is it actually and how does it work?

FDIC stands for Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC is an independent agency of the U.S. government that protects depositors (that’s you) against loss if an FDIC-insured bank should fail or close. While it is not common, it can happen. Understanding how FDIC insurance works is important.

It’s an added security for your money should something happen to...