Financial tips and tools for college and beyond.
When you’re just starting out, there’s a lot to learn about your finances and it can definitely feel overwhelming — but we’re here to help. We recently sat with some local college students to talk money, and here are the answers to their questions:
On August 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced an extension of the pause on federal student loan payments to January 31, 2022. The payment moratorium, currently in effect for millions of federal student loan borrowers, was set to end on September 30, 2021.
Dorm life is an exciting milestone for many incoming college students, but preparing to move in can be a little daunting (and costly). It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and overspend on items you don’t really need. So before you start shopping, consider these do’s and don’ts:
Back to school shopping season is already here, and experts are predicting spending to increase this year. Preparing for the new academic year doesn’t have to break the bank. Plus, involving your child in planning and budgeting is a great way to teach them about money through example.
We want to alert you to social media scams that you may not be thinking about. Being alert to potential scams is the best way to protect yourself against fraud and identity theft.
No matter your age or stage in life, it pays to know the facts about personal finances. When you understand the basics, you can set yourself up for success and build a healthy financial future.
Lifestyle creep, or lifestyle inflation, happens to the best of us. As your standard of living improves, your non-essential discretionary purchases gradually increase. You might even start to think your “wants” are “needs.” Some creep is natural and to be expected, but excessive creep can derail your finances.
Do you use others for the barometer of what you should have or deserve to have? Constant exposure to your friends’ vacations, experiences, dining out, luxury purchases, new cars, and house upgrades on social media amplifies “FOMO (fear of missing out)” and the desire to “keep up with the Jones’s.”
This is a good time to check in with your loan servicer to ensure you’re on a payment plan that fits your situation. Our partners at GreenPath recommend you do this soon; when loan payments resume, the government will be activating 30 million borrowers at one time, and you may find it difficult to reach your loan servicer.
Shopping for your first car is exciting, but it can also feel intimidating. It’s a major commitment, but one that will give you the freedom to go where you want, when you want. Before you head to the car lot, set yourself up for success by following these steps:
SESLOC members saved more time, money, resources, or when out in the community. It’s a win-win! Here’s what we did together in 2025.
Starting December 5, 2025, SESLOC is welcoming 15 new dealerships to the Preferred Dealer Program in Clovis, Fresno, and Selma.
Log into Online Banking and look for the Level Up dashboard to see your current points and benefits in our easy-to-read charts.
For all of 2025, members shredded 191 bins at our six events across the Central Coast, for a grand total of 17.95 tons of documents destroyed.
To help even more projects get off the ground, we’re expanding our lending territory for commercial real estate loans. In addition to serving our home area of San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara counties, commercial real estate loans are now available to an expanded field of membership.