With Halloween just around the corner, parents are making plans to pull some lighthearted pranks on their children. From ghosts and zombies to ghouls and goblins, kids are scared of the typical scary things – the unknown and the monstrous.

Adults may not seem like they’re scared of much, but the truth is that we have more to fear than young kids. From losing a job to identity theft, adults face a lot of really frightening ordeals.

Thankfully, all of these problems can be dealt with if you’re aware of them and take active measures against them. Let’s take a look at some of the scariest things adults face and what you can do to protect yourself against them.

Fraud

Tons of different types of fraud exist, but one of the most common involves financial fraud. One scam that’s growing in popularity is what’s called a “Money Mule.”

A Money Mule is the name given to someone who fraudulently transfers stolen money to criminals. Scam posts on social media – such as people pretending to be your bank or financial institution – are the most common ways to lure people into this trap.

Identity Theft

Having your identity stolen puts your entire life at risk. From new lines of credit opened in your name to extravagant purchases you’re never aware of, an identity thief can quickly ruin your life.

Taxes

There’s no way to protect yourself against taxes, but they’re still scary. Getting your first big paycheck as an adult is a disheartening experience when you look at your net versus gross pay. You can, however, learn more about the tax system, write-offs, and other tax incentives to use in order to keep the most of the money you rightfully earned.

How do I Stay Safe?

This is the logical question anyone would ask in this situation – how can you protect yourself against all of these scary things?

Well, with fraud and identity theft it’s not as complicated as you may think. Fraud is easy to avoid getting into if you remember these simple rules:

• Banks rarely, if ever, use private individuals to promote their products on social media. If a post promising huge returns on a small investment from your bank isn’t posted by your bank’s official page, ignore it. Better yet, report it.
• Get some credit monitoring and identity theft protection. Credit monitoring is free at Capital One and most every other major banking institution. Identity theft protection isn’t an expensive investment, either.

Being an adult has a lot of perks, but it brings with it real-world fears. If you’re nervous about any of these, or other, issues, don’t get too worked up. It’s entirely possible to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft, and to make sure you’re paying the lowest legal amount of taxes possible.

For more information, contact your financial institution today.

It is no secret that school supplies can cost a single family hundreds of dollars per child. If you are on a tight budget, the thought of buying school supplies might make you nervous. But the good news is, there are ways to get all the back to school supplies you need without ending up deeper in debt. Look at how to buy school supplies when you are broke, so you can get the kids back to school even if funds are tight.

How to Buy School Supplies When You are Broke

1. Take advantage of dollar store offerings.
Dollar stores can be your best friend when you are buying back to school supplies. You can find large packages of pencils, glue, pencil bags, lunch bags, white out, crayons, markers, and so much more. They even offer character varieties! Visit the dollar store first and see how much of your list you can knock out.

2. Penny sales are your best friend.
Lots of office supply stores offer penny sales during the back to school season. Be sure to check Sunday circulars for these sales and take advantage of them. Shop with a friend or friends (or even the kids) so you can each take advantage of the deal since they may be limited to one per customer. If you have to shop alone, ask if you can do multiple transactions to get the deal.

3. Take advantage of any giveaways you are eligible for.
Is your city or school corporation offering any type of school supply giveaway? If your income allows you to qualify for these events, attend. These events give out an array of donated school supplies that can help you get your child stocked up even when funds are low.

4. Ask the school which supplies your child will use the first week of school.
Lots of school supplies will go on sale and clearance the week or so after school starts. Ask your child’s school which supplies off the list are a priority and buy those items first. This way you can wait on the other items until they go on sale.

5. Try re-using what you have.
Before you buy anything, go through what you already have and see what may work. You might be surprised at how many supplies from the previous year are still in good shape with some life left in them. Look for extra pencils, crayons, notebooks, and even items that would be great for lunch boxes.

6. Be realistic with your child about your budget.
Fancy school supplies and character branded items tend to cost much more than plain. If working on a budget, be realistic about it with your child. Offer them one of these character folders or notebooks and opt for the rest in plain. This way they still get a fun folder/notebook but you can snag the rest of the folders for as little as a quarter.

Buying back to school supplies can be a financial burden. Try these methods on how to buy school supplies when you are broke and see how they can help make the most of even the tightest budget.