West Suburban Bank Unlike any other bank. College Bound? Here Are Some Savings Tips! First thing to do is look at a list of suggested items. Most schools provide them, if not here are some basic items: Linens (check school’s bed dimensions) Pillow Pillowcase Sheets Comforter Extra throw blanket Mattress pad Laundry Supplies Hangers Laundry basket Laundry detergent Dryer sheets Mini sewing kit Drying Rack Office Supplies USB flash drive Notebooks Loose leaf paper Pens Pencils Calculator (see what the school recommends) Books (shop online for best deals) Folders Binders Lamp (if needed) Notecards Tape Stapler Highlighters Scissors Sticky Notes Electronics Laptop HDMI cord Printer Headphones TV Microwave Mini Refrigerator Many schools provide some items such as refrigerators and microwaves. It is important to make sure what the individual school already provides for each room. Saving Money One great way for all involved is to check with the roommate and see if there are some items to share. One roommate could buy a mini fridge and the other buys the TV. One could buy the drying rack and one can buy the other could buy the HDMI cord. One of the best ways to save money is to see what can be shared with your child and their roommate. Meal Plans It is important to make sure that your child is signed up for a meal plan. Not all dorm rooms will provide a kitchen. Many schools offer different meal plans, make sure you select the one that makes the most sense for your child based on their diet. Many students like to keep food in the dorm for a quick meal or small snack, as well. Talk to your child about what would be the best for their needs. Money Every parent wants to make sure that their child is not put in a situation where they do not have money in case of emergencies. Before sending them off to college, sign them up for a checking account here at West Suburban Bank. Even if they are going out of state, there is no need to change banks or get them an account at a bank near their school. If they need cash, they can always get cash back at the convenient store. If they need to deposit money into their account, they can scan their check using our mobile mBanking app. This is an exciting time for you and your child. Enjoy it! This is their first step to becoming independent. Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... ON JULY 29, 2021 BY WSBANK2 IN , LEAVE A COMMENT Protect Yourself from Elder Financial Abuse ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT What is Elder Financial Abuse? The Older Americans Act defines Elder Financial Exploitation as fraudulent or otherwise illegal, unauthorized, or improper actions by a caregiver, fiduciary, or other individual in which the resources of an older person are used by another for personal profit or gain; or actions that result in depriving an older person of the benefits, resources, belongings, or assets to which they are entitled. A 2015 True Link Report, showed that each year seniors lose $36.48 billion to elder financial abuse¹. This is a widespread and rapidly growing problem so it’s important to protect yourself and know how to spot the scams and outsmart the scammers. Tips to Help You Protect Yourself or Your Loved Ones Against Elder Financial Abuse Do not share your Social Security number, account numbers, credit card numbers, or any passwords. Use strong passwords with eight or more characters that include upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Create different passwords for different accounts. Do not use the same password for all of your accounts and do not allow your device (phone, computer, table, etc.) to remember or store your password. Limit the account of personal information you share on social media sites and don’t “friend” or accept requests from people you don’t know. Be sure to review all of the privacy settings available to you. Do not respond to email messages from unknown senders or companies that ask for your personal information and do not open email attachments or click on links within the email. Do not access your bank accounts from a public computer or while connected to a public Wi-Fi Network. Be sure you’re on a legitimate site. Type URL’s in your web browser when paying bills or making donations online. Do not click links or cut and paste from an email. When shopping online be sure the website is secure. Secure sites will start with “https”. Sites that use encryption will display a padlock icon at the top or bottom of your browser. Use credit cards for online purchases when possible. They usually limit the amount you’ll be responsible for in cases of identity theft. Debit card charges are immediately deducted from your bank account leaving little to no chance at recovering your money. Never sign documents you don’t completely understand. Legitimate and reputable companies will give you time to review documents or contracts with your attorney or a family member you trust. Do not provide personal information (social security numbers, accounts numbers, date of birth, credit card numbers, passwords, PIM numbers, etc.) over the phone unless you placed the call and you know who you’re speaking with. Tear up or shred credit card receipts, bank statement, and financial records before throwing them away. If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, notify the financial institution involved, you can also contact the Federal Trade Commission at: http://www.ftc.gov/complaint. Visit our Consumer Security Tips page to learn more about scams and ways you can be proactive in protecting yourself. ¹True Link ( 2015) The True Link report on Elder Financial Abuse 2015 (PDF FILE) can be retrieved at: http://documents.truelinkfinancial.com/True-Link-Report-On-Elder-Financial-Abuse-012815.pdf Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... Business is a Breeze with a Local Bank that Wants to Help You Grow ON AUGUST 22, 2019 BY WSBANK2 IN , , , , , , , LEAVE A COMMENT Business is a Breeze with a Local Bank that Wants to Help You Grow Hey there neighbor! Your business sure has flourished over all these years. Ready to take the next big step? As your local business bank we want to help you continue to grow in the right direction. At West Suburban Bank, we provide cash management assistance and loans for equipment, expansion, construction, and more. We offer it all with fast approvals by local staff who have your back. Business banking really can be a breeze, so don’t sweat it. Connect with Us! Website: www.westsuburbanbank.com/CommunityBanking.php Blog: www.westsuburbanbank.wordpress.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/WestSuburbank Twitter: www.twitter.com/West_Suburban Instagram: www.instagram.com/westsuburbanbank LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/west-suburban-bank Mailing address: 711 S. Westmore-Meyers Road Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630-652-2000 Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... The Simple Switch to Digital Banking ON AUGUST 19, 2019 BY WSBANK2 IN , , , , , , , , , , LEAVE A COMMENT The Simple Switch to Digital Banking Prefer doing things on your own time? At West Suburban Bank, we offer digital banking whenever you need. Swap traditional banking for digital banking anytime your want. We’ll be ready when you are. Connect with Us! Website: www.westsuburbanbank.com/CommunityBanking.php Blog: www.westsuburbanbank.wordpress.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/WestSuburbank Twitter: www.twitter.com/West_Suburban Instagram: www.instagram.com/westsuburbanbank LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/west-suburban-bank Mailing address: 711 S. Westmore-Meyers Road Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630-652-2000 Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... Spring Cleaning Tips: Get Ready for Warmer Weather ON MARCH 6, 2019 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT Spring is just around the corner. This is the time of year we can’t wait to break out of the house and enjoy the fresh, new season. It’s also the perfect time to get your home ready so once the warmer weather comes, you’re ready to sit back and enjoy the great outdoors. Here’s some simple tips to get your home ready: Interior Spring Cleaning It’s easy to become lazy in the winter, but now is the time to get the inside of your house ready for Spring. Start cleaning all the neglected areas of your house i.e., clean ceiling fans, sweep the cobwebs, wash the windows and clean out the fireplace. Once you’re done cleaning every inch of the house, you’ll feel accomplished and will look to Spring with even more excitement. Check your emergency systems Just like preparing for the winter, you’ll also want to prepare for the nicer weather by checking your emergency home systems. Make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are working properly by changing the batteries, check the batteries on your home alarm and check the expiration dates on fire extinguishers. Exterior Spring Cleaning During the upcoming warmer days, take the opportunity to start getting the exterior of your house ready for Spring. Clean out the gutters and downspouts, rake up any leaves, walk the yard and pick up tree branches and debris, and check the weather-stripping around the windows and doors. Consider larger Home Improvement projects Once you have everything clean and ready for Spring, it just might be the perfect time to make some home improvements that you’ve been putting off for years. Maybe it’s time for some new landscaping, a new deck or patio or time to replace the roof. These projects can really add up, but also can make a big difference to your home. West Suburban Bank offers an affordable solution with a Home Equity Line of Credit. Check out West Suburban Bank’s current promotion and get started! The warmer weather is on its way! Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... Protect Yourself While Shopping Online ON NOVEMBER 29, 2018 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT Many consumers will do some, if not most, of their holiday shopping on the Internet. According to the National Retail Federation, the average shopper will do 44% of their holiday shopping online, most in survey’s history. But as more consumers turn to the Internet to do their shopping so do the fraudsters with their scams. West Suburban Bank® suggests that consumers follow some simple steps to protect themselves while shopping online Some people like to shop online because of the convenience and others like the exclusive sales available only on the Web. Whatever the reason, we all have to take steps to protect ourselves and our financial information. Don’t let the spirit of the season get ruined by online fraud. West Suburban Bank offers the following tips: If you’re not sure, don’t share. Anyone can set up a website these days so be sure you’re familiar with the retailer’s site before you give them any of your financial information. The Better Business Bureau has a list of about 70,000 safe websites. Check it out at: http://www.bbb.org/online/consumer/default.aspx Is the site secure? Look for the ‘s’ in https:// and a small padlock at the bottom of the screen before entering any payment information. Know the terms of your purchase. Is the product returnable and if so, who pays the shipping fees? How long will the product take to ship? What does shipping cost? Read the fine print. If it’s not clear or you don’t agree, make the purchase elsewhere. Print & Save. Be sure to print and save the transaction receipt, the order number, a customer service phone number, and any other information you can just in case there’s a problem with your order. Check the privacy policy. Find out what they’re doing with your information by reading the privacy policy. If it’s too complicated to read or they don’t have one, choose to do business with a more consumer friendly website. TMI. Don’t divulge too much information to anyone on the Internet. If a website is asking for your bank account number, social security number or driver’s license number, don’t share it. Know your rights. If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, notify the financial institution involved, you can also contact the Federal Trade Commission at: http://www.ftc.gov/complaint. Visit our Consumer Security Tips page to learn more about the ways you can be proactive in protecting your accounts. Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... Is it time to Refinance Your Home? ON AUGUST 7, 2018 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT There are many reasons why homeowners choose to refinance their home. You can save time and money by lowering your rate or shortening the term on your loan. If you have equity in your home, you may even qualify to take out additional funds to use for other expenses, such as tuition, a new car or a home improvement project. Typically, you would refinance to lower your rate, or perhaps you have a variable rate and want to get a fixed rate so you do not have to worry about the uncertainty of your rate going up during the term of the loan. You will also want to factor in mortgage closing costs, application fees, appraisal fees and other charges that may significantly eat up your savings. Another possibility, if you’re looking to refinance your mortgage is to consider a home equity loan. If you qualify to refinance your first mortgage with a home equity loan, you could potentially save thousands in closing costs and other fees. Run the numbers and see how much you will saving in the end. You can find mortgage calculator online to help you. When you are reviewing your mortgage, you should consider rates, types of mortgages, monthly payments, fees associate with the loan, closing costs, and how long you plan to be in your home. There are plenty of reasons to refinance your home; however, some of them may not be beneficial. Before you make the decision to refinance, you should evaluate your long-term financial goals. Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... 10 Summer Savings Tips ON JUNE 22, 2018 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT Summer is officially here! The kids are out of school and we finally get to enjoy the warm summer weather! It’s that time of year when we can go swimming, enjoy spending time with family and friends at outside BBQs, travel and much more. Summer is a lot of fun, but it can also be pricy. Here are some tips on how to save money while enjoying some summer fun without breaking the bank! Save money by taking it easy on the AC. Try turning it up a few degrees or even turning it off And using fans to circulate the air. You’ll be surprised on the difference in costs. Teach the kids how to save by shopping at garage sales, flea markets and local thrift shops for summer clothes and shoes. Spend summer days or evening enjoying free entertainment at local festivals. Spend the day at a beach. Pack healthy snacks, lunch and drinks so you can enjoy the entire day having fun in the sun and sand. Don’t forget sunscreen! Teach the kids about money by encouraging them to make some money on their own by having a lemonade stand or selling items in a yard sale. Open a savings account for them and set saving goals. Offer them rewards when they achieve those goals. Go hiking by visiting local forest preserves. Spend the day and pack a lunch to double the fun by having a picnic. Go camping. You don’t necessarily need to go on a camping trip to camp. Camp in your own backyard. Set up a tent and enjoy the evening outdoors. Encourage creativity by painting rocks to decorate and brighten up your yard. Spend the day at the museum. Check websites to find out if they offer any free days. Save on books by visiting the library for the family reading material. Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... Credit Card and Debit Card Protection with West Suburban Banks’ CardValet App ON MAY 3, 2018 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT With the CardValet app, get ready to save time and gain peace of mind knowing you can control your WSB debit and credit card with the smartphone in your pocket or purse. If you can’t find your debit or credit card, you can instantly protect your card against fraud and theft by turning it on and off and get real-time alerts to ensure your card is used only by you. Isn’t it nice to breathe easy? We think so, too. CardValet is just another way we’re here to help you keep things cool over complicated. Cheers to that! Connect with Us! Website: www.westsuburbanbank.com/CommunityBanking.php Blog: www.westsuburbanbank.wordpress.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/WestSuburbank Twitter: www.twitter.com/West_Suburban Instagram: www.instagram.com/westsuburbanbank LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/west-suburban-bank Mailing address: 711 S. Westmore-Meyers Road Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630-652-2000 Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... Are You Utilizing All Of Our Security Options? ON MAY 1, 2018 BY WSBANK2 IN LEAVE A COMMENT With the growing use of online services, hackers have become an issue. West Suburban Bank offers convenient and user friendly online and mobile services to help minimize fraudulent activity from occurring on your WSB accounts. Here are a few tips to help keep your accounts safe: Make sure to use a unique password for each site. This helps keep your other accounts safe if one of your passwords is compromised. When banking on a mobile device, the most important tip is to know where your mobile device is at all times. Make sure your phone locks after a certain amount of time (we recommend immediately) and create a password that only you know to get into your mobile device. If logging into your bank account using WiFi, only log in when connected to a secure, trusted WiFi source. This will prevent hackers from gaining access to your account. Keep your WSB debit and credit cards safe by using the CardValet app. With the CardValet app, you can instantly turn on and off your debit and credit card. You can get real-time alerts when your card is being used and even set transaction controls for dollar amount limits, merchant categories and geographic locations. These features ensure that you are the only one able to use your card. Go to https://www.westsuburbanbank.com/CardValet.php to learn more about CardValet. For more online and mobile banking tips, go to https://www.westsuburbanbank.com/online-banking-security.php Share this: FacebookTwitterMore Loading... SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join 12 other followers SUBSCRIBE RECENT POSTS College Bound? Here Are Some Savings Tips! Protect Yourself from Elder Financial Abuse Business is a Breeze with a Local Bank that Wants to Help You Grow The Simple Switch to Digital Banking Spring Cleaning Tips: Get Ready for Warmer Weather ARCHIVES Select Month July 2021 September 2019 August 2019 March 2019 November 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2016 May 2016 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 December 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 February 2014 October 2013 September 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 CATEGORIES Banking Made Easy business banking checking accounts Customized debit and credit card home equity line of credit Home Refinance New Year's Resolution photo Savings Tips Shopping Tips Tips Uncategorized video West Suburban Bank Blog at WordPress.com. Follow