Pushing forward, building up
What’s ahead
Your mid-year financial check-in
What your credit score actually means
Stacking knowledge
Your mid-year financial check-in
We’re halfway through the year, and it’s the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and realign.
Whether your goals have stayed steady or shifted with the seasons, this is your reminder that progress is personal — and every small move adds up. Use these questions to guide your midyear money check-in:
What am I saving for? Research shows that defining your goals — putting them into words — makes you more likely to stick with them. Want to make quick progress this month? Open a new savings account and name it after your goal. Seriously. “Emergency fund,” “First home,” “Beach vacation to meet beautiful strangers” — whatever speaks to you. Once your goal is named, it becomes real. And that makes it easier to follow through.
How much am I saving each month? Things change. Maybe you got a raise, started cooking at home more, or paused a subscription. Or maybe you haven’t started saving yet. Wherever you’re at, this is your moment to check in. Are you happy with how much you’re putting away? Could you bump it up — or do you need to scale it back? Once you’ve found the right number, automate it. A consistent transfer builds momentum (and interest).
Am I investing? You probably know what we’re about to say. But we’ll say it anyway: investing is one of the most powerful tools for building long-term wealth — and we’re here to help you fit it into your plan. If you’ve paused or haven’t started yet, this month could be your moment. Start small. Just like saving, an automatic contribution can keep you consistent.
Your plan for the first six months may not work for the next six — and that’s okay. Check in without shame. Reset if you need to. This journey is yours — and we’re here to help you stay in motion.
What your credit score actually means
(Hint: It’s a tool — not a report card.)
When we think about our credit scores, it can feel like we’re being graded. An “A” is excellent, a “C” is average, and an “F” is…well, we don’t want to talk about it.
But your credit score isn’t judging you. It’s simply a measure of how likely you are to repay borrowed money, based on patterns in your financial behavior. You don’t need to be perfect to succeed.
Let’s break down how credit actually works — and how you can boost your score without chasing perfection.
You’re not being graded — you’re being modeled. Credit scores can feel personal. If yours is low, it’s easy to think it reflects something about your character — that you’re irresponsible or not good with money. But here’s the truth: a credit score isn’t a judgment. It’s a statistical model that evaluates your borrowing patterns. It doesn’t care why you missed a payment — only that you did.
Maybe you missed payments because of a medical emergency or employment issue. Maybe you’ve avoided credit cards because you’ve seen how damaging debt can be. Or maybe you’re brand new to credit building. The credit model doesn’t know any of that. It doesn’t take into account your values, your hustle, or your goals. It just scans your history and looks for patterns.
That means two important things:
You’re not being “graded” on your life. The number doesn’t say who you are — it’s just a snapshot, not a sentence.
You can change the model. The score is based on patterns, and new behavior can shift it. There are a number of useful strategies to improve your score — and once you start, that improvement happens faster than you might think.
A low score doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you have an opportunity to rewrite the story the model is telling — and there are so many tools to help you do just that.
So, how do we increase our credit scores? It’s about habits, not heroic acts. Improving your score is less about big moves and more about consistent, steady habits. Making payments on time, keeping balances low, and avoiding unnecessary credit applications all add up.
While a bad grade in school may have haunted your transcript, your credit score can recover from your mistakes — often within just a few months to a couple of years.
Your credit score isn’t a judgment — it’s a data point. With the right habits, you can shift the pattern and build a stronger score over time. No perfection required.
Stacking Knowledge
School might be out, but we’re still hitting the books. Summer’s the perfect time to brush up on your money moves and build the kind of knowledge that compounds over time, just like your investments. Whether you’re just starting out or leveling up your strategy, a strong grasp of the basics can make a big difference.
This month, we’re decoding four terms:
Credit score. Your credit score is a three digit number that represents a prediction of how likely you are to repay debt. Your score is based on things like payment history, credit usage, and the length of your credit history. It can impact being approved for a loan, an apartment, or a credit card. It’s not about how “good” you are with money. It’s just one tool others use to assess financial risk.
Credit bureaus. These businesses collect and maintain your credit information. They don’t make lending decisions, but they generate the reports and scores that banks and other lenders use to evaluate your potential to pay back a loan. You have the right to check your credit report regularly (for free) to make sure everything’s accurate.
Bonds. A bond is a type of asset that you can invest in— like a stock. It’s basically an IOU. When you buy a bond, you’re lending money to a company or the government. In return, they promise to pay you back later — with a little extra as interest. Bonds don’t usually earn as much as stocks, but the payouts are more reliable.
Fixed income market. The fixed income market is where people buy and sell investments like bonds that pay a set amount of money on a regular schedule. These investments tend to be more stable than stocks, which can go up and down a lot. That’s why people often turn to the fixed income market when they want steadier, more predictable returns..