MoneyBetter

No matter how good you are at managing your money, a determined fraudster can easily take you back to square one. UBT’s Brittany Kumm shares real-life stories of scams she’s helped our customers work through while in our Customer Support Team and goes over tips on how to recognize and avoid scams. Then, in our Community Partner segment, Sgt. Steve Wiese of the Lincoln Police Department walks us through what to do if you are scammed and more.

Show Notes

0:34: Brittany Kumm, Union Bank & Trust. Brittany and Caitlin talk about scams our customers have seen, including job scams, relationship scams, puppy scams, and more. They also share tips on recognizing red flags. For questions about scams, contact UBT customer support at 800.297.2837.

32:25: Sgt. Steve Wiese, Lincoln Police Department. Sgt. Wiese shares how fraudsters use technology to scam people and what scams are growing in frequency. He and Caitlin also go over how to protect yourself from scams. If you have questions about scams or believe you are a victim of a scam, call the LPD nonemergency number at 402.441.6000.

For more fraud and scams information, click here.

Do you have aspirations of owning your own business? And what do you need to think about when starting a business? In part 2 of our small business series, host Caitlin Moore and guest host Patrick Reese talk with the founders of Ink Alley, friends who went into business together and are now celebrating their five-year anniversary. They talk not only about how they started their business, but also what adversity they had to overcome to grow their business. Then, Stacia Thiesen from UBT’s Small Business department walks through suggested timelines for business development and growth, and how UBT can help.

Be sure to subscribe to emails at ubt.com/moneybetter for access to bonus content!

Show Notes

0:34: Jacob Williams and Jason Gieselman of Ink Alley talk with Caitlin and Patrick about how they started their business, what best practices they have developed, and what problems they had to overcome in the beginning. They also walk us through how their business has grown and changed, and what they did to get there.

Ink Alley: http://www.inkalleyshirts.com/ | @inkalleyshirts

27:03: In our Community Partner segment, Stacia Thiesen, UBT Small Business Banking, participates in a Q&A session with Caitlin and Patrick. Highlights include whether your personal credit affects your business, when you should get a business checking or savings account, and expected timelines to consider when starting a business.

Contact Stacia: https://www.ubt.com/about/directory/stacia-thiesen

Credit is an important piece of anyone’s financial future — but how do you build credit safely, and where do you start? Host Caitlin Moore walks through some strategies to consider. Then, in our community partner segment, Caitlin and our co-host, Patrick Reese, talk to father-daughter duo Maddy and Marty Hager about how credit is taught and used differently across generations.

Show Notes

0:33: Caitlin walks through ways to build credit, strategies to consider, and how to use credit safely. She identifies methods for those both over and under age 18.

4:25: Community partner guests Maddy Hager and her father, Marty Hager, talk through Maddy’s experience with and without credit as a young person directed by her father’s expectations. Marty talks about what he learned about credit over the years and what lessons he wanted Maddy to learn. 

P.S. Have you signed up for our emails at ubt.com/moneybetter? We're dropping a bonus episode just for our subscribers at the end of the month.

Episode Summary: Are you thinking about starting a business, or did you accidentally monetize your pandemic hobby? In this episode, host Caitlin Moore and guest host Patrick Reese talk with Kate and Nate Jones, entrepreneurs who started businesses in their 20s. They talk about the logistics of how their businesses came to be while also addressing how business demands can affect time and relationships. Then, Kelly Ross, founder of Echo Collective and the Refinery, talks about how she started her nonprofit, which helps refugee women and first-generation Americans grow businesses.

Show Notes

00:32: Kate and Nate Jones own Cardinal and Pine Candle company. Nate owns Canyon Coffee Roasters, which he started when he was 25 years old. Kate is also a teacher. Their story includes owning two businesses and the time sacrifices required to grow them.

Cardinal and Pine: https://cardinalandpinecandles.com/ | social media: @cardinalandpinecandles

Canyon Coffee Roasters: https://www.canyoncoffeeroasters.com/  | social media: @canyoncoffeeroasters

23:33: Kelly Ross is the Executive Director of Echo Collective. She discusses the pros and cons of starting a nonprofit vs. social enterprise, how The Refinery helps women in business, and what to consider when starting a new business.

The Refinery: https://www.therefinerylnk.com/ | social media: @therefineryLNK

For something that permeates so much of our daily lives, money can be a really hard topic to tackle, even with people we know and love. In episode 6, MoneyBetter host Caitlin Moore leads a discussion with Patrick Reese, UNL Branch Manager, and James Pruch, financial coach, to address how to have tough conversations with roommates, friends, and family members about money. Then, our community partner, Sarah Jackson from the Lincoln Housing Authority, talks through conversations she has with her clients about budgeting and finances.

Show Notes

James Pruch, financial coach, and Patrick Reese, UBT UNL Branch Manager: How to talk about money in roommate situations, including who is paying what bills, how to determine how much each person should pay, and how to handle the conversation when someone is not paying their share.

28:06: Discussion on how parents can support their kids financially and how to have conversations around expenses and independence.

35:20: Community Partner: Sarah Jackson, Lincoln Housing Authority. How to have conversations about budgeting and other best practices to manage finances effectively. 

Episode Summary: Episode 5 of MoneyBetter features personal stories from several UBT employees about money mistakes they made and how they overcame them. Caitlin talks with Michael Meade, Kate Stous, Jason Hemenway, Hannah Swan, and Patrick Reese about budgeting, debt, unnecessary expenses, credit, and more. Then, in our Community Partner segment, Caitlin shares her own missteps and provides guidance on how she would help people through various money mistakes.

Show Notes

• Michael Meade: Michael had debt early on and budgeted carefully to work through it.
• 7:30: Kate Stous: Kate is back on MoneyBetter to talk about her purchase of a whole life insurance policy and why she regretted it.
• 11:58: Jason Hemenway: Jason talks about credit and how he was able to navigate through credit card debt.
• 17:43: Hannah Swan: Hannah shares her story about how eating out affected her budget and her husband’s health. She talks more about where she is now and steps she took to help.
• 22:03: Patrick Reese: Patrick talks about how he got out of debt by working multiple jobs. Then, he outlines how he makes large purchases now.
• 29:49: Community Partner: Caitlin Moore, Union Bank & Trust: Caitlin swaps out her host role for our Community Partner segment to talk about how she, as a financial coach, would advise guests to help them overcome their money mistakes. Email: [email protected]

In this episode of MoneyBetter, Caitlin talks with women leaders in the Lincoln community about what it’s like to be a woman in the workforce. Betsy Perez, VP of Marketing at UBT, talks about how to ask for things you want, including raises. Then, our community partner, Steph Anderson, VP of Human Resources at Meridian, shares how she got to where she is and how she supports others in their dreams of moving forward.

0:34: Betsy Perez, Vice President, Marketing at UBT. Highlights women in the workplace. How do you ask for a raise? How do I follow my strengths to keep moving forward in my job? Betsy walks us through how to gather the data, how to effectively ask for a raise, and the importance of remembering the WHY behind what you’re asking for.

20:48: Steph Anderson, Vice President, Human Resources at Meridian. Steph directs all aspects of human resources management and learning and development, including recruitment, benefit management, employee training and onboarding at Meridian. She talks about her journey and what it is like being a woman leader in the workplace.

Whether you’re in college, graduating, or just looking for a new opportunity, what do you need to consider when looking for a job? Join host Caitlin Moore for a discussion with UBT’s Katie Davis and UNL’s Tracy Lungrin on evaluating a job’s benefits and perks, and how you can find a job that’s a right fit for you. 

Show Notes:

0:34: Katie Davis, UBT. Learn about what a benefits package is, what benefits you need, and how benefits can affect your paycheck in the long run.

20:34: Tracy Lungrin, UNL (Community Partner). How do you start looking for a job that’s right for you, and what do you do once you find it and apply? Hear how you can prepare yourself for a successful job hunt. Learn more here.

First comes love, then comes the big question: How do we manage our finances together? On this episode of MoneyBetter, tune in for a discussion with Jason McCown, Jill Mlinar, and Kate Stous on how they manage money with their significant others and why it works for them. Plus, our community partner, financial coach James Pruch, provides insight on why communication is key — regardless of whether you choose to combine finances or keep them separate.

Show Notes

Jason McCown (split finances): Jason keeps finances with his partner separate after having combined them in past relationships.

12:50 Jill Mlinar (split finances): Jill talks about why she and her husband ended up un-merging their finances, the logistics of that decision, and why this method is successful for them.

21:42 Kate Stous (combined finances): Kate shares why combined finances work for her and her husband and how they prioritize their family values when it comes to their money.

38:14 James Pruch (community partner). James is a financial coach who works for Cru, a worldwide ministry, and helps people understand the importance of communicating during good times and bad. James talks about believing in your partner when it comes to their best financial intentions and also talks about financial patterns that were “caught,” not just taught. Contact James at [email protected]

For decades, owning a home was a key facet of the American dream. With low interest rates, it might be tempting to trade a rent payment for a mortgage, especially if the cost difference is negligible. But when it comes to home ownership, the reality is your costs go beyond just your monthly mortgage payment. How do you weigh what you want, what you can afford, and how where you live impacts your lifestyle? And what are the benefits of renting you'll be giving up? Tune in for a discussion with Eric Turner, Casey Franklin, and Morgan Hermanek to see whether buying or renting allows you to do Money Better when it comes to your living situation.

Show Notes:

Eric Turner: A homeowner at a young age, Eric talks about reconsidering his decision as his life changes and he develops a taste for travel and the possibility of moving. Eric also discusses the pros and cons of being a young homeowner.  

Casey Franklin: Bought a house with a friend. He discusses the compromises involved in buying and selling the home due to life changes. Later, Casey goes into more detail about purchasing a new home after selling that first home and renting for a period of time. Caitlin and Casey discuss his adventures of buying a home and make some suggestions for if you’re looking to purchase a home yourself. They also discuss the pros and cons of renting.

 Morgan Hermanek: Executive Assistant and Educator at NeighborWorks in Lincoln, Nebraska. Morgan explains the education process NeighborWorks provides and explains that renting can be a win if it’s what is best for you and your unique situation. [email protected] or www.nwlincoln.org