BECU Blog

Your source for stories and information to help you reach your financial health goals.

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Planning for Financial Uncertainty

Get tips to tackle money stress.

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Advancing Equity | Budgeting | Credit & Debt | Spending & Shopping | Mortgages & Home | Security, Scams & Fraud | Hear From Our CEO | Taxes | Jobs & Income | BECU in the Community

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Equity and Access to a Clean Environment

This is an image of three younger girls running at Gas Works Park in Seattle, Washington. They are all smiling and the girl in the front has her hands in the air. She is wearing a pink sweatshirt and a yellow headband. The other two girls are wearing red and blue sweatshirts. In the background are people and children hanging out at the park. Also in the background is the gasification plant. The grass is bright green and the sky is light blue.

How pollution has a bigger effect on poor communities and communities of color.

Money and Mental Health Self-Care Tips

A woman is seated on a couch as she counsels a person who is also seated in a therapy looking setting. She has both her hands raised a bit lower than shoulder length as if she's explaining something. She is wearing a black lanyard, a gray blazer and has long brownish black hair with a side pony tail. The man, who is facing away from the camera has black hair and is wearing a light blue button up. In the background are large windows showing bright light and trees.

Learn steps to improve your mental and financial health.

2025 Tax Extension: Deadline, Rules, How To File

A man sits in his kitchen looking at papers he's holding in his right hand and punching buttons on a calculator with his left hand. A laptop is open on the table in front of him.

Need more time for your taxes? Learn about tax extensions.

Most Recent

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7 Asian American Financial Influencers

A woman on a bench, using a laptop, with a park setting in the background. She's wearing a teal blazer and has long dark hair.

Learn about these "finfluencers" and their platforms.

BECU Advocates for Members at Conference

Large GAC event letters displayed in a conference setting, with a BECU employee posing next to the letters.

Learn about BECU's efforts at the 2025 Governmental Affairs Conference.

30 Tips To Get Financially Fit

A man stands holding a blue yoga mat in one hand while smiling and holding his phone in the other hand. He's wearing a yellow t-shirt and is outdoors.

Get a month's worth of daily tips to build your money-managing muscles.

Advancing Equity

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​​What My Family Taught Me About Money​

A black and white family photo with over 30 people posing for a group shot. The ages range from young children to older adults. The photo is captured in a living room setting. There are windows and curtains in the background. Some children are sitting crossed-legged or kneeling in the front, other family members are sitting on chairs in the middle, and many are standing in the back.

​​ANHPI employees share money lessons that reflect diverse experiences.​

Creating Equitable Pathways to Leadership

A group of BECU Black Alliance Cooperative (BAC) employee's pose in front of a Black History Month flag. The six of them are standing in a line and the flag consists of red, green, yellow and black colors with a tree in the middle.

How mentorship and business practices can combine to diversify leadership.

Women and Money: How Learning Builds Confidence

A smiling woman stands at a table with a promotional sign behind her. She has a light blue name badge and is wearing a black shirt.

Learn how women increased money confidence through education and empowerment.

Budgeting

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How To Adjust Your Budget for Inflation

A woman sits at her kitchen table reading a receipt she is holding in one hand. She is holding an apple in the other hand. A paper bag of groceries is on the table next to her.

Learn how to adapt your budget when prices are high.

Credit Union vs. Bank CDs: 5 Differences

A man and woman are sitting close together at a table having a conversation. They appear relaxed and their expressions are calm. A cup of coffee and some papers are on the table. They are sitting in front of a white wall with picture molding and a window with a green lawn outside. Sun is shining in the window. The woman is looking at the man and talking while holding a stack of papers. The top few sheets are flipped up so they can look at a page in the stack. The man is looking down at the papers, gesturing with one hand and writing on a piece of paper with the other.

Learn the differences to find the best account for your savings goals.

How Do Couples Split Bills?

Two women sit close together on couch, holding hands. Woman on the left is holding phone up to take a selfie.

Explore ways to manage shared expenses with your partner.

Credit & Debt

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Credit vs. Debit Card Options for Kids

Mother holding a mobile phone sits next to her child who is holding a credit card. They are sitting at a table, smiling. A large green plant is in the background.

Learn how to help build kids’ credit and teach them about managing finances.

How To Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Two smiling men sit shoulder-to-shoulder in front of a laptop and look over a paper document together.

Tips for paying off debt and saving for the future.

Why Did My Credit Score Drop? 11 Reasons

Illustration of a credit score gauge. A person is sweating from the effort of pulling on the indicator needle, like it's a lever, to move their credit score up.

Learn about these common credit-score setbacks and how to improve your score.

Spending & Shopping

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Exercise Your Options Before Joining a Gym

A man is smiling and riding a stationary bike indoors. In the background is fitness equipment. He is looking at a screen while riding the bike. Both of his hands are on the handlebars and he is wearing a red crewneck sweater. The photo has a Consumers' Checkbook logo and the bottom right-hand corner.

Consider your exercise goals and learn how to save money on fitness.

Do You Need Travel Insurance?

A smiling woman wearing sunglasses and a green top lies in a hammock while looking at her phone. A sandy beach, blue ocean and bright blue sky are in the background. The Consumers' Checkbook logo is in the upper right corner.

Get tips to help you decide if insurance makes sense for your trip.

How To Get the Best Deal on a New Car

A woman stands next to a white SUV in a parking lot setting, she's wearing a black top and black plaid pants. She has one hand on her hip and is smiling proudly. There are trees and another parked car in the background.

New car shopping requires savvy strategies.

Mortgages & Home

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How a Home Equity Line of Credit Works

A man and woman engage in a flooring project. The man is kneeled over and is measuring flooring on the ground and the woman is sitting behind him on steps. There's a paint can on the steps next to the woman, She has a paint brush in her hand. Both of them are smiling.

Learn how you can use your equity for home improvement projects.

First-Time Homebuyer Guide

Two women sitting on the steps of a house. The woman on the right has one arm wrapped around the other. She has red long curly hair and is wearing a blue long sleeve cardigan and jeans. The woman on the left has black curly hair. She is wearing a periwinkle-colored long sleeve and black shorts. The home is blue with white trim around the windows and the steps are wooden. On the left are bushes with yellow flowers.

From credit score to the front door, navigate homebuying with these steps.

Homebuying as an Unmarried Couple

Three people standing in front of a brick house, one person is holding and showing a document to the other two. The woman holding the document has curly black hair and glasses. She's wearing a green top and beige pants. The couple, are standing next to each other, looking at the document. A man, in the middle, is wearing a beige top and brown pants. He has dark hair. The woman, to the right, is wearing a white top and light jeans. She has blonde hair. To the left are some plants.

Learn about legal agreements and title options to protect both of you.

Security, Scams & Fraud

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Overcoming Data-Breach Fatigue

A man is seated at a desk, in a home office setting, focused on his laptop while working. He is wearing glasses and a button up shirt. In the background is a bookshelf with books and other home decor. The window next to him makes the setting bright.

How to avoid weariness while also avoiding worry about data leaks and breaches.

​How To Spot a Text Scam

This is an illustration of three hands holding up smart phones. Each phone is displaying text message threads with potential text scams. The phone on the left appears to have an alert message. The phone in the middle has question mark icons and a red security flag. The phone on the left has several dollar sign symbols and a red security flag. Each hand has a diverse skin tone color. The background of the illustration is blue.

​​Is that text real? We identify common scams and ways to spot fake texts.​

Voice Cloning AI Scams Are on the Rise

A woman in a yellow hoodie sits on the floor in a living room setting, holding a credit card and a smartphone, likely making an online purchase. There is a wooden bookshelf and gray couch in the background.

Protect yourself from scams that sound like calls from loved ones.

Taxes

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2024 Income Taxes: What You Need To Know

A man and woman sit together looking at a piece of paper that the woman is holding. She's talking and gesturing with one hand. The Consumers' Checkbook logo in white text is in the upper right corner of the image.

Learn what’s new for the 2025 tax season.

5 Common Tax Filing Mistakes To Avoid

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Be sure to avoid these mistakes during tax season.

2023 Income Taxes: What You Need To Know

An image of a person on a computer while filing their taxes. They are looking at what appears to be a W-2 Form. The form is in their left hand. The person is using their right hand to calculate numbers on a calculator. The Consumers' Checkbook logo is in the bottom left-hand side of the image. There is a pen on a white surfaced desk top and a plant. In the image you can see the back of the person's head and she is wearing blue glasses.

Learn what to expect as you prepare to file your 2023 income taxes.