Education Articles

Prepare Your Home and Vehicle for a La Niña Winter

La Niña is predicted to make another appearance this winter. What does that mean for the Pacific Northwest? For one, colder and wetter conditions through February. It also adds a little urgency to preparing your home and vehicle—and the need to take extra precautions on the road. In the event of storm damage or an accident, it’s good to know wha...

Romance Scams: Breaking Hearts & Bank Accounts

By now, most of us have heard about “ romance scams ” that target individuals looking for companionship or to give a family member a hand (these are also known as “distant relative scams”). Such scams are well known because they’ve been around a long time—and because they’re effective. Romance scams and other versions of the “advance-fee scam” c...

8 Back-to-School Shopping Hacks

Hard to believe, but summer is nearly in the rearview and back-to-school season has arrived. It’s an exciting time for students, who are itching to put their best foot forward, often with the latest styles and newest tech. To help avoid overspending, check out these eight frugal hacks for keeping your budget intact (and your student eager for th...

Your Guide to Paying Taxes as a Gig Worker

The gig economy continues to expand exponentially—and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. To give you an idea of how much the workforce landscape has changed, gig workers (temporary or part-time independent contractors and freelancers, such as Uber drivers, Airbnb hosts, website designers, dog walkers, etc.) are projected to mak...

Affordable Sustainability, Part 2: Going Organic

Here are six ways to shop organic on a budget. It’s not unusual to walk right past the organic foods sections in a grocery store—after all, the cost of groceries is high enough without the added premium. But going organic—whether for health, environmental, or taste reasons—doesn’t mean you have to be a big spender. Here are ways to go organic on...

SELCO Steps Up with $200,000 Grant to SquareOne Villages

SELCO recently awarded $200,000 to SquareOne Villages to help the nonprofit build Rosa Village Co-op, a community of 52 permanently affordable, net-zero energy-efficient tiny homes in Eugene for people in need of housing. This donation was made possible thanks to a 3:1 matching grant that SELCO applied for through the Federal Home Loan Bank of D...

Account Takeover Fraud Is on the Rise. Avoid Becoming a Victim

Online systems have never been more secure, providing multiple ways to protect your personal information.  Because these systems are so safe, however, fraudsters are finding new ways to access this sensitive information.   A new technique called account takeover fraud (ATO) has pushed its way to the front of the line. Because online security...

Payment Apps Are Convenient, But Storing Money There Poses Risks

According to a recent Motley Fool survey , about 75% of Americans trust digital payment apps more than, or as much as, traditional payment methods like cash or cards. The apps’ convenience and wide availability as payment options have made it increasingly easy to perform peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions like splitting a check, requesting funds, o...

Your Financial Checklist for Traveling Abroad

Your trip of a lifetime is almost here. Your passport is up to date and ready for some new stamps. You know what you need to pack—and how to make use of every square inch of luggage. You’ve learned about the culture and all the exotic food at your destination. You’re ready to travel across the international dateline. But are you financially read...

SELCO Steps Up Hits Its Stride

You may recall receiving an email in February announcing the arrival of SELCO Steps Up , a new program that reimagines and expands our approach to community involvement. Given the bigger and bolder approach to giving back, it’s only fitting we went big and bold for  the program launch! The week of February 20-23, we kicked off SELCO Steps Up wit...