It’s vulnerable for me to admit that, even as a bank marketer and Elder Millennial, I’m always trying to be more financially savvy.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve tried all sorts of digital tools to help me stay on target, and no one program really gave me the ease, accessibility, and information that I needed to create a plan and stick with it. I’m in my late 30s and have been flying by the seat of my pants, financially, for too long.
Enter the new and improved WebWise Online and Mobile Banking.
I’ve been using WebWise since 2015, and became accustomed to the ease of account access, paying bills, and depositing checks remotely. When all the features of the new WebWise were presented internally, I couldn’t help but be excited. Not only would the interface be completely revamped for intuitive use, but the suite of dynamic tools was incredible!
For one, how annoying is it to check a bunch of different sites and apps to see loan or credit balances, account balances, make payments, etc.? We know it’s common for people to hold multiple accounts across several institutions. The new WebWise allows users to connect many accounts from many institutions for an aggregated view in one spot. Not only this, but the new WebWise also allows users to make payments to non-Adirondack Trust loans, as well as their “regular” bills through the connected eBill Pay system.
Most impressively for me personally, though, are the Money Management tools. When I say they’re “innovative,” I really do mean that. The tools are responsive, robust, visual, informative, intuitive, and many. Like the core WebWise dashboard, Money Management gives you a multi-account at-a-glance view. Personalize the view however you like—nickname accounts, reorder them, and filter to see exactly what you want, including total debts and investments.
What’s been most helpful for me is the Budget tool. Since users can custom categorize each transaction, users can get a highly accurate view of where their money is being spent. If creating a budget from scratch seems overwhelming to you, the Budget tool can use the information from your account aggregation and your spending patterns to create a sample budget you can tweak. Or, you could be like me, and create your own budget bubble (there are list views—but also bouncy bubble views that are color-coded so you stay on track!) for…yes…coffee. Of course, I also have budgets set for the more responsible and necessary things in life like rent, daycare, gas, groceries, and utilities. But let’s be real—we’re never going to achieve financial goals with using restriction as the main vehicle. It’s prudent to make a little space for the fun things you love. In my case, caffeine. If the coffee budget starts getting yellow or—gasp—red, I know it’s time for me to taper back.
I also appreciate using the Trends and Debts tools. Admittedly, I’m not the best at spreadsheets and statistics and pivot tables. Before getting my hands on WebWise’s Money Management suite, I had never taken a look at my spending and income trends. Now, I’m able to see how well (or not well) I’m living within my means, over a wide swath of time. It feels like a real win when my income line exceeds my spending trends. It means I’m on the right track, and I appreciate that feedback. Tangentially, the Debts tool aggregates all my debts, recommends a plan of attack, and shows variations of payoff timelines. I know from personal experience that it can be a real act of bravery just to look at your debt; WebWise’s Debts tool makes it a bit less scary because it can provide that light at the end of the tunnel—giving you enough positive reinforcement to stick to your plan.
There are all sorts of other helpful tools for users, like cash-flow projections and a net worth overview. All of these tools work hand-in-hand with Budgets to scaffold you for financial success. With these tools on my side, I’m walking into my future with confidence that I can make my money work for me and my child in a sustainable way.
Let the program take care of the rest—WebWise truly helps your dollars make sense. But don’t take my word for it. The first step as an Adirondack Trust customer is enrolling in WebWise.