Good Money Moves

In episode 17 of the Good Money Moves podcast, “Overcoming Financial Fears,” host Jenna Taubel, AVP of Marketing at First Alliance Credit Union, sits down with Kristina Kovacevic, AVP of Retail Experience. Drawing on years of front-line member service, Kristina breaks down: • Why Money Feels Scary and First Steps to Break the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle • Intentional-Spending Hacks (Color-Coding St...

In Episode 16 of the Good Money Moves podcast, “What Is a Business Plan and Why You Need One,” host Jenna Taubel - AVP of Marketing at First Alliance Credit Union, sits down with Mark Thien - Regional Director of the Southeast Minnesota Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Mark brings decades of experience helping entrepreneurs and startups turn big ideas into sustainable realities. In this e...

In episode 15 of the Good Money Moves podcast, "Overdrafts & How to Avoid Them,” host Jenna Taubel AVP of Marketing at First Alliance Credit Union, sits down with Kim Ferraro Branch Manager of the Lake City branch and leader of our Contact Center Lenders team. Kim draws on her 17 years of experience to break down: • What an overdraft actually is and why it happens • True cost of fees—and how they...

In episode 14 of the Good Money Moves podcast, "Three Rivers Community Action: Community Organization Spotlight,” host Jenna  Taubel,  AVP  of  Marketing at First Alliance Credit Union, sits down with Courtney Dugstad, Chief Operations Officer at Three Rivers Community Action. Courtney shares powerful insights into the mission and programs of this long-standing nonprofit that’s been serving Southe...

Ready to drive off the lot — and into your next chapter — with zero buyer’s remorse? In this extended Good Money Moves episode, host Jenna Taubel sits down with Jordan Kaehler, Loan Portfolio Manager at First Alliance Credit Union**, to pull back the curtain on every piece of the auto-loan puzzle. From interest-rate math to “negative equity” traps, they walk you through each decision point so you...

In episode 12 of the Good Money Moves podcast, titled "How to Turn Your Dream into a Business," Jenna Taubel, AVP of Marketing, is joined by Danielle Sommerfeldt, AVP of Business Development & Lending at First Alliance Credit Union, to walk you through the first—and often scariest—part of entrepreneurship: turning a bright idea into a real-world business. Danielle shares the exact steps she coache...

In episode 11 of the Good Money Moves podcast, titled "Credit vs Debit Card: Which One Should You Use," Jenna Taubel, AVP of Marketing, is joined by Nate Finney, Account Services Manager at First Alliance Credit Union. Nate breaks down the key differences between credit cards and debit cards, including how they impact your spending habits, the fraud protections each one offers, and when to use one...

In episode 10 of the Good Money Moves podcast, titled "Home Equity Loans | Everything You Need to Know," Jenna Taubel, AVP of Marketing, is joined by Andrea Allen, Chief Revenue Officer at First Alliance Credit Union. Andrea shares expert insights on how home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) work, who they’re right for, and how to use them wisely. She explains the key differen...

Join us on Good Money Moves as we delve into the crucial topic of identity theft. In this episode, Jenna Taubel and Cesar Cortez our AVP of Risk Management at First Alliance Credit Union, explore the alarming realities of identity theft and how your personal information might already be compromised. We discuss the various methods used by cybercriminals, such as data breaches, phishing, and vishing...

In this episode of Good Money Moves, titled "How to Save Money E8," I, Jenna Taubel, am joined by Kristina Kovacevic our AVP of Retail Experience at First Alliance Credit Union. Together, we tackle the essential topic of saving money, offering practical advice for those feeling financially stretched. Kristina shares insights on starting small, such as cutting back on daily expenses like coffee, an...

In this episode of Good Money Moves, titled "Paying off Debt: Expert Tips to Take Control of your Finances ," I, Jenna Taubel, am joined by Jordan Kaehler our Loan Portfolio Manager at First Alliance Credit Union, to explore effective strategies for paying off debt. We discuss the importance of budgeting and understanding your spending habits to reduce expenses and increase savings. Jordan emphasi...

In Episode 6 of Good Money Moves, I dive into the intricacies of the home buying process with Andrea Allen our EVP/Chief Revenue Officer, CUDE at First Alliance Credit Union. We explore essential steps for prospective homebuyers, starting with understanding your credit score and income stability. Andrea emphasizes the importance of setting a realistic budget and discusses the role of pre-qualifica...

In this episode of Good Money Moves, titled "Budgeting Basics: How to Get Started," I sit down with LeAnne Trom our Loan Administration Manager, CCUE at First Alliance Credit Union, to unravel the essentials of budgeting. We explore what a budget truly means and debunk the myth that it's all about restriction. Instead, we highlight how budgeting can be a powerful tool for financial empowerment and...

In this episode of Good Money Moves, we delve into the world of debt consolidation with Kristina Kovacevic, AVP of Retail Experience at First Alliance. Join me as we explore how consolidating your debts into a single payment can simplify your financial life, potentially save you money, and reduce stress. Kristina shares valuable insights on different consolidation options, including credit cards,...

In this episode of Good Money Moves, titled "Teaching Kids About Money – Financial Literacy Made Fun," I sit down with Danielle Sommerfeldt from First Alliance Credit Union to explore the importance of financial literacy for children. We discuss practical ways to introduce kids to essential money management skills, from budgeting and saving to understanding the value of money. Danielle shares crea...

In this episode of Good Money Moves, I dive into the intricacies of credit scores with Jordan Kaehler, our Underwriting and Loan Portfolio Manager. We explore what a credit score is and why it's crucial for your financial health. Jordan explains how credit scores influence interest rates and other financial aspects like renting or setting up utilities. We discuss the key factors affecting your cre...

In the debut episode of Good Money Moves, titled "Why are Credit Unions Important? E1," I, Jenna Taubel, sit down with Brent Rempe, President and CEO of First Alliance Credit Union, to explore the vital role credit unions play in our financial landscape. Brent shares his journey from education to credit unions, highlighting the unique not-for-profit structure that sets credit unions apart from ban...

Join me, Jenna Taubel, AVP of Marketing at First Alliance Credit Union, as I introduce the refreshed Good Money Moves podcast. In this exciting new format, I sit down with experts to break down financial topics in easy-to-understand ways. Each episode is a quick 15-20 minutes, packed with actionable financial knowledge. In our debut episode, I chat with our President and CEO, Brent Rempe, about th...

Welcome to the new Good Money Moves podcast with your host Jenna Taubel, Assistant Vice President of Marketing at First Alliance Credit Union. Join me on a journey to financial empowerment as we explore practical solutions for budgeting, debt management, credit improvement, and saving for the future. Each episode, I'll be joined by our in-house financial experts who bring real-world experience and...