TAKE A BREAK
GET MORE BANK FOR YOUR BUCK Take Full Advantage of Your Financial Institution
Whether you’re banking with a credit union or a national giant, your financial institution likely offers more resources, account options, and saving plans than you’re using — or even aware of. As one NerdWallet article puts it, “Banks and credit unions continue to find new ways to both delight and confound customers.” If you focus on the delights, you can get more bang for your buck out of the financial institution you’re already using. Plus, there’s a good chance you’ll pick up new ways to stretch your retirement fund, grow your investments, and pass nest eggs to your grandkids along the way. Take these two easy steps to get started. 1. Get Clicking Even for someone with plenty of internet savvy, bank websites can be intimidating. Most are filled with tabs and portals that overwhelm customers, causing them to limit their interactions to plugging in a username and password to check their balance. Don’t fall into that trap! If you want to get a complete picture of what your bank has to offer, its website is the place to start. Next time you log in, set aside an hour or two to explore the site tab by tab. Take note of products and services you might not be using, like mobile banking apps, 24-hour hotlines, continuing education, and additional account options and their interest rates. Schwab, for example, offers a free online learning center complete with seminars, one-on-one financial advice, and more than 300 informative articles and videos. 2. Schedule a Sit-Down If your bank has a brick-and-mortar location near you, make a point to visit it. While there, take the time to learn about the latest updates from the reading materials on offer, make an appointment with a financial analyst, or speak with a bank teller. It’s in your bank’s interest to see your accounts grow, so representatives are happy to help. If you’ve already explored your bank’s website, this is the time to ask follow-up questions on what you found or make a financial move in a new direction. Whether you’ve decided on a 529 plan or a high-interest checking account, your banking representative can make it happen.
SWEET POTATO PUFF
Ingredients
Recipe by The KitchenAid Cookbook and adapted by Jerry Carter
Sweet Potato Puff Ingredients •
Crunchy Praline Topping Ingredients • 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted • 3/4 cup cornflake cereal (I double this) • 1/2 cup chopped nuts • 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 medium sweet potatoes (I use 3 yams), cooked and peeled
• •
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar (I reduce to 1/3 cup sugar)
• • • •
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions
1. Place sweet potatoes or yams in bowl. Attach bowl and wire whip. Turn to Speed 2 (medium low) and beat for 30 seconds. 2. Addmilk, sugar, eggs, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Turn to Speed 4 (mediumhigh) and beat for 1 minute. 3. Spreadmixture onto a greased 9-inch pie plate, heated Dutch oven, or cast- iron pan. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until set. 4. For the crunchy praline topping, place all ingredients in bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to stir speed (low) andmix for 15 seconds. 5. Spread topping over hot sweet potatoes or yams. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
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