Choosing which financial institution to bank with is usually seen as an individual choice — and while it is deeply personal, it doesn’t only impact you. In fact, becoming a member of a credit union can actually benefit your community. 

Because credit unions like DCU operate on a not-for-profit, member-owned model, they function differently than traditional banks. One of the biggest differences? Since credit unions are member-owned, they don’t answer to shareholders, meaning they can reinvest their profits into the communities they serve. 

Anthony Demangone, Chief Membership and Engagement Officer at America’s Credit Unions, explained that credit unions’ focus on members helps them provide more personalized services. “Relationship banking is the core of credit unions,” he said. “They care deeply about the financial success of their members and work to provide resources to support that.” 

Shannah Compton Game, a Certified Financial Planner and host of the Everyone’s Talking Money podcast, had an easy-to-understand analogy for the service you get at credit unions compared to large banks. “For me, going with a credit union is going out to eat at your local restaurant where they know you and they know what you like to eat,” she said. “There’s a very familiar aspect, versus going to a chain restaurant where nobody knows you and nobody knows your order.” 

Demangone said those personalized resources at credit unions might include community classes or resources around “life’s big moments,” like buying your first home or saving for retirement. For example, DCU offers a digital financial learning center with a suite of educational resources on everything from refinancing a car loan to securing a mortgage to avoiding financial fraud.

Credit unions also champion charitable giving, both at the local level and nationwide. “Across the country, credit unions support local food pantries, scholarship programs, community-investment projects, and so much more,” Demangone said. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals recently awarded the credit union industry The Founders Award in recognition of the $200 million the industry has donated since 1996, making credit unions the third-largest lifetime donor to the hospital system.

DCU has donated more than $28 million to hundreds of charitable organizations through its DCU for Kids foundation. In 2023, DCU also made donations to 23 food banks, 19 hospitals, 47 community-based organizations, and 45 educational organizations. Employees also mentored students in financial literacy workshops, assembled bouquets for local nursing homes, and packed 71,000 meals for community organizations around Massachusetts and New Hampshire, among other volunteer opportunities. “This philanthropic involvement amplifies the positive impact credit unions have on their communities and aligns with their mission to enhance the well-being of their members and the areas they serve,” John Kornacki, the Director of Asset Liability Management at DCU, said. 

Besides making direct contributions to local charities, credit unions also offer bigger-picture, structural benefits to the communities they serve. “Far too often, we see banks turn their backs on communities because they’re not meeting profit expectations,” Demangone said. “Credit unions step in when banks leave because our movement firmly believes that all communities — regardless of socioeconomic status, location, or population — should have access to a reliable, trustworthy financial institution.” 

Since credit unions are not-for-profit institutions, every additional deposit only benefits other members. “As you and your family prosper, the credit union is able to reinvest in its membership and the community it serves,” he said. “When you choose a credit union, you are helping your neighbor, all while helping yourself. Your deposit helps fund a car loan for someone local. Someone else’s deposits helped fund your mortgage.” 

That personal connection to the larger credit union community can be powerful — and ultimately can help each individual member have a better experience managing their money. That personal relationship with a credit union can be especially helpful for anyone with financial trauma or heightened emotions around money. “Dealing with money is a highly stressful event for all of us,” Game said. “That’s another side of credit unions that we don’t often talk about. The structure of them helps lower the stress load and helps put people at ease around an already very stressful subject.” 

Ultimately, while the decision of where to bank is one you make on your own, it can also impact the collective community — and greater financial literacy benefits everyone. “Money is personal,” Demangone said. “Credit unions understand having a special touch and real connections makes their members more comfortable coming to them for financial help.” 

Choosing which financial institution to bank with is usually seen as an individual choice — and while it is deeply personal, it doesn’t only impact you. In fact, becoming a member of a credit union can actually benefit your community. 

Because credit unions like DCU operate on a not-for-profit, member-owned model, they function differently than traditional banks. One of the biggest differences? Since credit unions are member-owned, they don’t answer to shareholders, meaning they can reinvest their profits into the communities they serve. 

Anthony Demangone, Chief Membership and Engagement Officer at America’s Credit Unions, explained that credit unions’ focus on members helps them provide more personalized services. “Relationship banking is the core of credit unions,” he said. “They care deeply about the financial success of their members and work to provide resources to support that.” 

Shannah Compton Game, a Certified Financial Planner and host of the Everyone’s Talking Money podcast, had an easy-to-understand analogy for the service you get at credit unions compared to large banks. “For me, going with a credit union is going out to eat at your local restaurant where they know you and they know what you like to eat,” she said. “There’s a very familiar aspect, versus going to a chain restaurant where nobody knows you and nobody knows your order.” 

Demangone said those personalized resources at credit unions might include community classes or resources around “life’s big moments,” like buying your first home or saving for retirement. For example, DCU offers a digital financial learning center with a suite of educational resources on everything from refinancing a car loan to securing a mortgage to avoiding financial fraud.

Credit unions also champion charitable giving, both at the local level and nationwide. “Across the country, credit unions support local food pantries, scholarship programs, community-investment projects, and so much more,” Demangone said. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals recently awarded the credit union industry The Founders Award in recognition of the $200 million the industry has donated since 1996, making credit unions the third-largest lifetime donor to the hospital system.

DCU has donated more than $28 million to hundreds of charitable organizations through its DCU for Kids foundation. In 2023, DCU also made donations to 23 food banks, 19 hospitals, 47 community-based organizations, and 45 educational organizations. Employees also mentored students in financial literacy workshops, assembled bouquets for local nursing homes, and packed 71,000 meals for community organizations around Massachusetts and New Hampshire, among other volunteer opportunities. “This philanthropic involvement amplifies the positive impact credit unions have on their communities and aligns with their mission to enhance the well-being of their members and the areas they serve,” John Kornacki, the Director of Asset Liability Management at DCU, said. 

Besides making direct contributions to local charities, credit unions also offer bigger-picture, structural benefits to the communities they serve. “Far too often, we see banks turn their backs on communities because they’re not meeting profit expectations,” Demangone said. “Credit unions step in when banks leave because our movement firmly believes that all communities — regardless of socioeconomic status, location, or population — should have access to a reliable, trustworthy financial institution.” 

Since credit unions are not-for-profit institutions, every additional deposit only benefits other members. “As you and your family prosper, the credit union is able to reinvest in its membership and the community it serves,” he said. “When you choose a credit union, you are helping your neighbor, all while helping yourself. Your deposit helps fund a car loan for someone local. Someone else’s deposits helped fund your mortgage.” 

That personal connection to the larger credit union community can be powerful — and ultimately can help each individual member have a better experience managing their money. That personal relationship with a credit union can be especially helpful for anyone with financial trauma or heightened emotions around money. “Dealing with money is a highly stressful event for all of us,” Game said. “That’s another side of credit unions that we don’t often talk about. The structure of them helps lower the stress load and helps put people at ease around an already very stressful subject.” 

Ultimately, while the decision of where to bank is one you make on your own, it can also impact the collective community — and greater financial literacy benefits everyone. “Money is personal,” Demangone said. “Credit unions understand having a special touch and real connections makes their members more comfortable coming to them for financial help.” 

Unless you’re one of the 135 million U.S. consumers who bank with a credit union, you might not know what a credit union really is. Like balancing a checkbook or creating a budget, the intricacies of how credit unions work — and how they differ from traditional banks — aren’t often covered in basic financial education. 

Understanding the institution where you keep your money can be key to your financial success, and moving your savings to a credit union account could help you make the most of the perks credit unions offer members. John Kornacki, the Director of Asset Liability Management at DCU, said there are some serious advantages to choosing a credit union. “Credit unions provide a safe, insured environment for depositors, much like banks, with the added benefits of being not-for-profit institutions that prioritize member benefits over profits,” he explained. 

Perhaps the biggest difference between credit unions and other banks is that credit unions are member-owned. Unlike banks that are owned by shareholders, credit unions are owned and democratically controlled by the members through a board of directors, volunteer members who serve as elected representatives of the member base. “This member-centric approach fosters a community-oriented environment where decisions are made with the members’ best interests in mind,” Kornacki said. 

Another important distinction is that credit unions are not-for-profit institutions. “Credit unions’ not-for-profit status is crucial because it aligns their operations and goals directly with the interests of their members,” Kornacki explained. That often translates to better offerings for members, including higher rates of return on savings accounts, lower interest rates on loans, and lower fees in general. 

“[Credit unions] are led by volunteer board members who represent and are elected by the membership,” Kornacki said, which means they’ll typically prioritize member well-being over profit. In practice, that means credit unions tend to put a primary focus on their members’ experiences. Because credit unions are community-minded and member-owned, they often cater to people who live in a specific region, work at a specific employer, or have a certain type of job and therefore tailor their services to meet members’ needs. “Credit unions often invest in community development and financial education,” Kornacki said, which helps strengthen the communities they serve. That could look like free financial education, local workshops, online learning tools, or personalized financial coaching for members — all at no additional cost to members.

Since many credit unions aren’t as big as traditional banks, Kornacki said sometimes people hold the misconception that they’re not as technologically savvy. But in fact, “a growing number of credit unions are investing heavily in digital banking technology,” he said. In fact, many credit unions — including DCU — offer online and mobile banking, just like traditional banks.  

In order to join a credit union, you’ll need to meet its membership requirements — but with more than 4,700 credit unions in the United States, it’s easy to find one that fits your goals and community. “Many credit unions have expanded their membership criteria significantly, allowing much of the public to access their services,” Kornacki explained. Some credit unions are open to people affiliated with certain employers or organizations, or people who live or work in a specific area. Others, like DCU, will even allow you to join by becoming a member of a nonprofit organization. “Our inclusive membership policy means anyone can join, through an existing affiliation or a simple one-time donation of just $10 to one of our listed organizations,” Kornacki said.

Credit unions can be as easy to access as traditional banks, too. In addition to mobile and online banking, DCU members can visit one of the 23 branches in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, or go to any of the 5,900 locations of CO-OP Shared Branches — part of a network of credit unions that accept member transactions on behalf of other credit unions. DCU members can also use more than 80,000 surcharge-free ATMs across the country. Visit DCU’s website to find out why more than 1.1 million people choose to bank with the credit union, and start your membership application today.

Spokespeople featured were compensated for their participation.

Imagine looking in the mirror one day, and your skin just looks… different. Whether it’s on your hands, forehead, or neck, you spot a patch that’s noticeably lighter than your usual skin tone. 

It’s unsettling, to say the least — and that’s reality for the 1.9 to 2.8 million people in the United States affected by vitiligo¹, a chronic condition that leads to depigmentation of the skin, resulting in white patches on the face and body. Vitiligo is not contagious and can occur in people of any age, ethnicity, or gender.²

Although vitiligo manifests on the skin, it’s not a cosmetic condition. “It results from the destruction of melanocytes, which are the cells in our body that produce pigment. It’s an autoimmune disease with a clear basis in science,” said Dr. Brittany Craiglow, a board-certified dermatologist with experience treating vitiligo. “Vitiligo can have a profound impact on people’s lives. When you have a visible difference, particularly on the hands and face, all of a sudden, everybody knows.”

Neil G. first began to suspect he might have the condition around four years ago. “I started to notice some white patches around my mouth and also on my forehead,” he said. Neil went to see his dermatologist, who ordered blood tests and conducted an in-depth exam using a Wood’s lamp (a diagnostic tool using ultraviolet light). “It was even more pervasive than what met the naked eye,” he said. Neil was diagnosed with nonsegmental vitiligo, the most common type of vitiligo, where depigmented patches appear on both sides of the body.¹

The pigment loss significantly impacted Neil’s perception of himself, particularly because of his job in marketing and advertising within the entertainment industry. “Though I’m behind the camera, I’m in the public eye a lot at meetings with high-profile people, going to events, even being on the red carpet,” he said. “It affected my self-confidence.”  

Neil began seeing a dermatologist with vitiligo expertise to better manage his condition, and she suggested he try OPZELURA® (ruxolitinib) cream 1.5%, a prescription cream for the topical treatment of nonsegmental vitiligo in adults and children ages 12 and older. Dr. Craiglow (who is not a member of Neil’s care team) explained that Opzelura is believed to work by targeting a signal in the immune system known as the JAK-STAT pathway. “Opzelura interrupts the signaling of an inflammatory cycle that destroys melanocytes. This allows for a more favorable environment for melanocytes to regenerate and produce pigment over time,” she said. 

As prescribed by his dermatologist, Neil applied a thin layer of Opzelura over the affected areas of his skin twice a day. Over time, Neil began to see his white patches start to repigment. “Things started to improve slowly, over the course of months,” he said. “I would say that I’ve seen significant repigmentation.” While individual experiences with Opzelura may vary, Neil was pleased with his personal response to the treatment. 

Incyte, the makers of Opzelura, conducted two six-month clinical studies and found that at week 24, approximately 30 percent of participants using Opzelura saw a ≥75 percent improvement in a score called the Facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (F-VASI75) that measures the extent of skin depigmentation with vitiligo. At week 52, about 50 percent of patients who applied Opzelura from Day 1 saw a ≥75 percent improvement in F-VASI75. To achieve a satisfactory response with Opzelura, some patients may have to continue treatment for more than six months.

Opzelura can lower your ability to fight infections including TB or hepatitis B or C. Serious lung infections, skin cancer, blood clots, and low blood cell counts occurred with Opzelura. In people taking JAK inhibitors, serious infections, increased risk of death, lymphoma, other cancers, and major cardiovascular events have occurred. The most common side effect was application site acne. See additional Important Safety Information below.

Dr. Craiglow said when using Opzelura, first, patients might see small, pigmented dots appear in the depigmented areas — like “little pepper flakes within a sea of salt” — as the hair follicles regain their pigment. She said that watching her patients repigment gradually over time can be extremely rewarding. “Having a relationship with my patients along the way to see the progress is really important and impactful,” she said.

Neil said finding a treatment that worked for him really impacted the way he felt about his vitiligo. “It certainly just changes your mindset,” he said. “When I started my treatment plan and things started to improve slowly over the course of months, I felt that there was help. I was going in the right direction.”

As a healthcare provider, Dr. Craiglow also said she felt pleased to have a treatment option like Opzelura to offer her patients. “For so many patients, hearing there is an FDA-approved treatment for their disease is not only exciting but it also can validate their experience,” she said. 

Dr. Craiglow recommended that anyone with vitiligo should work closely with a dermatologist to create an individualized management plan that fits their lifestyle. “Part of being a physician is to treat the whole person,” she said, and everyone has a different relationship with and perspective on their vitiligo. Dr. Craiglow also said it’s important to remember that it can take several months before patients begin to see repigmentation while using Opzelura. “This is where we really have to be the cheerleader” for patients, she said. She often finds herself reminding patients with vitiligo that the treatment takes time, so you have to stick with it. 

Neil is still using Opzelura to manage his vitiligo, and he said he feels optimistic about managing his condition and hopeful that other people with the condition will have similar success. “Know that there is hope and there is treatment,” he said. “Vitiligo doesn’t have to define who you are or how you present yourself to the world.” 

For those interested in treatment, see the Indication and Important Safety Information below, ask your dermatologist about Opzelura and learn more at Opzelura.com.

INDICATION AND USAGE

OPZELURA is a prescription medicine used on the skin (topical) for the treatment of a type of vitiligo called nonsegmental vitiligo in adults and children 12 years of age and older.

The use of OPZELURA along with therapeutic biologics, other JAK inhibitors, or strong immunosuppressants such as azathioprine or cyclosporine is not recommended.

It is not known if OPZELURA is safe and effective in children less than 12 years of age with nonsegmental vitiligo.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

OPZELURA is for use on the skin only. Do not use OPZELURA in your eyes, mouth, or vagina.

OPZELURA may cause serious side effects, including:

Serious Infections: OPZELURA contains ruxolitinib. Ruxolitinib belongs to a class of medicines called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. JAK inhibitors are medicines that affect your immune system. JAK inhibitors can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. Some people have had serious infections while taking JAK inhibitors by mouth, including tuberculosis (TB), and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have been hospitalized or died from these infections. Some people have had serious infections of their lungs while taking OPZELURA. Your healthcare provider should watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with OPZELURA.

OPZELURA should not be used in people with an active, serious infection, including localized infections. You should not start using OPZELURA if you have any kind of infection unless your healthcare provider tells you it is okay. You may be at a higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster) while using OPZELURA.

Increased risk of death due to any reason (all causes): Increased risk of death has happened in people 50 years of age and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor and are taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth.

Cancer and immune system problems: OPZELURA may increase your risk of certain cancers by changing the way your immune system works. Lymphoma and other cancers have happened in people taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth. People taking JAK inhibitors by mouth have a higher risk of certain cancers including lymphoma and lung cancer, especially if they are a current or past smoker. Some people have had skin cancers while using OPZELURA. Your healthcare provider will regularly check your skin during your treatment with OPZELURA. Limit the amount of time you spend in the sunlight. Wear protective clothing when you are in the sun and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen. 

Increased risk of major cardiovascular events: Increased risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death have happened in people 50 years of age and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor and taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth, especially in current or past smokers.

Blood clots: Blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) or lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) can happen in some people taking OPZELURA. This may be life-threatening. Blood clots in the vein of the legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) and lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) have happened more often in people who are 50 years of age and older and with at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth.

Low blood cell counts: OPZELURA may cause low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), low red blood cell counts (anemia), and low white blood cell counts (neutropenia). If needed, your healthcare provider will do a blood test to check your blood cell counts during your treatment with OPZELURA and may stop your treatment if signs or symptoms of low blood cell counts happen.

Cholesterol increases: Cholesterol increase has happened in people when ruxolitinib is taken by mouth. Tell your healthcare provider if you have high cholesterol or triglycerides.

Before starting OPZELURA, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• have an infection, are being treated for one, or have had an infection that does not go away or keeps coming back
• have diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system
• have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB
• have had shingles (herpes zoster)
• have or have had hepatitis B or C
• live, have lived in, or have traveled to certain parts of the country (such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest) where there is an increased chance for getting certain kinds of fungal infections. These infections may happen or become more severe if you use OPZELURA. Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know if you have lived in an area where these infections are common.
• think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as: fever, sweating, or chills, muscle aches, cough or shortness of breath, blood in your phlegm, weight loss, warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body, diarrhea or stomach pain, burning when you urinate or urinating more often than usual, feeling very tired.
• have ever had any type of cancer, or are a current or past smoker
• have had a heart attack, other heart problems, or a stroke
• have had blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs in the past
• have high cholesterol or triglycerides
• have or have had low white or red blood cell counts
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if OPZELURA will harm your unborn baby. There is a pregnancy exposure registry for individuals who use OPZELURA during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. If you become exposed to OPZELURA during pregnancy, you and your healthcare provider should report exposure to Incyte Corporation at 1-855-463-3463.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if OPZELURA passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with OPZELURA and for about 4 weeks after the last dose.

After starting OPZELURA:

• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of an infection. OPZELURA can make you more likely to get infections or make worse any infections that you have.

• Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while using OPZELURA, including:
• discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back
• severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw
• pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
• breaking out in a cold sweat
• nausea or vomiting
• feeling lightheaded
• weakness in one part or on one side of your body
• slurred speech

• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any signs and symptoms of blood clots during treatment with OPZELURA, including: swelling, pain, or tenderness in one or both legs, sudden, unexplained chest or upper back pain, or shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop or have worsening of any symptoms of low blood cell counts, such as: unusual bleeding, bruising, tiredness, shortness of breath, or fever.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of OPZELURA in people treated for nonsegmental vitiligo include: acne at the application site, itching at the application site, common cold (nasopharyngitis), headache, urinary tract infection, redness at the application site, and fever. 

These are not all of the possible side effects of OPZELURA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Incyte Corporation at 1-855-463-3463.

Please see the Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, and Medication Guide for OPZELURA.

OPZELURA, Incyte, and the Incyte logo are registered trademarks of Incyte.

© 2024, Incyte. MAT-OPZ-01958  03/24

¹ Gandhi K, et al. Prevalence of vitiligo among adults in the United States. JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(1):43-50. 
² Harvard Health Blog. More than skin deep. Accessed January 12, 2024.

Like many small businesses, KNC Beauty started with a great idea. Founder Kristen Noel Crawley was on a trip to Japan when she first discovered lip masks. “With all the traveling and with the harsh winters in Chicago, my lips would get really chapped,” she said. The only thing she didn’t love about the Japanese products she found were the long ingredient lists.

“When I got back to the States, I tried to find a natural alternative and it didn’t exist. That’s when the light bulb went off to make my own,” she said. Her brand started with a collagen-infused lip mask in 2016, but quickly expanded to include other innovative products like a retinol-infused star-shaped eye mask and a hydrating leaf-shaped eye mask. In fact, innovation is key to her business’s success: “We were the first on the market to ever do a custom-shaped eye mask,” Crawley said.  

Although Crawley is brimming with new product ideas, she has to balance the desire to launch new items with the financial limitations of running her own business. In the beauty industry, bringing a brand-new product to the market can take up to a year — meaning businesses like KNC Beauty won’t see the revenue until months after they paid for the product to be manufactured. Because of that, careful calculations have to go into every product restock. To make sure she’s managing her business’s finances properly, Crawley uses Intuit QuickBooks to keep track of cash flow, payments, and banking all in one place. “If I have X amount of money in the bank account, I need to look at QuickBooks to see what is going out,” she said. “I also use it to help balance inventory, so I know how many products I have and I know when I’m going to run out. … It’s just really great to stay organized.”

QuickBooks also made it easy for Crawley — who had no financial background when she started KNC Beauty — to learn a slew of financial terms like accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash flow, and cost of goods sold. At first, Crawley said she felt like those terms were part of a foreign language she didn’t understand — “but that’s all part of just learning and part of what comes with starting your own business,” she said. Small business owners can also bank with QuickBooks Money, which allows you to earn 5.00% APY* on money you put away in savings envelopes.

Another lesson she had to learn soon after becoming a solopreneur in the beauty industry was just how much time, money, and effort goes into product development. The first step after Crawley has a new idea is asking her factory team to send her some samples of similar products to test. “For example, they sent me this serum that was really nice, but I am going to email them and say, ‘Hey, I want to change this, this, and that,’ and then they’ll work on sampling,” she said. 

Once the factory has formulated the product to Crawley’s exact specifications, she’ll put down a deposit — typically between 30 and 50 percent of the overall cost — to get the product into production. While her factory is working on the product over the next few months, she’ll begin thinking about the packaging. “Do I want it in a tube? Do I want it in a bowl?” Crawley explained. That process includes designing the exterior packaging, writing copy about the product, buying the barcode, and then sending the finished design to the factory that produces her exterior components. “The packaging honestly takes the longest, because I’m so detail-oriented,” she said. 

After reviewing samples of the packaging and ensuring the finished product matches her vision, Crawley sends the packaging to the factory producing the balm, mask, or other beauty product so it can get filled, packed, and shipped to her warehouse for fulfillment. “In the meantime, while all that’s happening, I’ve got to come up with creative direction for the photo shoot and for the rollout,” including coming up with the art direction, casting models, and hiring a photographer, Crawley said. 

Once Crawley adds a new product to the KNC Beauty catalog, she also has to stay on top of inventory. Even already developed products can take several months to be manufactured, so Crawley relies on QuickBooks to ensure she never entirely runs out. “For example, if I only have a thousand eye masks left, I’m going to need to put an order in because it’s going to take at least three to four months to receive those,” Crawley said.

The attention to detail and laser-sharp focus Crawley puts into every product can consume her workdays, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, she sees her buttoned-up product rollouts as one way she does business differently. “My biggest strength is my creativity, and I feel like that’s what sets me apart and that’s what sets my brand apart,” she said. “That’s something that you really can’t pay for.” 

Of course, executing her creative ideas is only possible if Crawley stays tuned into her business’s finances using QuickBooks. “You want to make sure that you always have a cushion when having a small business, because usually you’re the only person that you can fall back on, so the stakes are pretty high,” she said. As long as she stays on top of her cash flow and inventory, Crawley can keep doing what she does best: creating products that fit her unique vision. “I’m just always following my intuition and my gut as an entrepreneur and as a creative,” she said. “I just do what I feel is right, not necessarily what other people are telling me.”

*Intuit is a technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by our partner, Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC.

The phrase “it’s just business — it’s not personal” doesn’t really apply when you’re a solopreneur. After all, starting your own business is a deeply personal endeavor — even so, figuring out how to separate your feelings from logical, data-driven business decisions is crucial to success. 

Kristen Noel Crawley learned that lesson when she created KNC Beauty, a clean beauty brand focused on fun, playful self-care. The idea for her very first product — a lip mask — came as a way to moisturize her dry, chapped lips during harsh Chicago winters. Crawley first discovered lip masks on a trip to Japan, but most ingredient lists were full of chemicals she didn’t want to put on her lips. 

Only after doing market research and discovering no natural lip masks existed in the U.S. market did Crawley actually launch her business in 2016. That first innovative product led to others, and today, KNC Beauty is known for its best-selling retinol-infused, star-shaped eye mask, as well as the collagen-infused lip mask that started it all.  

Developing exciting new products — including a new reusable eye mask customers can use with any serum — has always been Crawley’s strength. Managing her business’s finances has come with more of a learning curve, which is why she relies on Intuit QuickBooks to manage cash flow, payroll, payments, and banking all in one place. “I need those tools to help me do the other side of the business, which is the business stuff that I’m not so great at,” she said. “I am a creative, but I also have to make sure that the business stays afloat.”

Just as Crawley’s had to adapt to the challenges of running her own business, QuickBooks has been adapting to offer new products like QuickBooks Money. QuickBooks Money makes business banking simple and allows you to earn 5.00% APY* on money you put away in savings envelopes, helping Crawley better track invoices over time while building the business’s rainy day fund. “When you start a business, you have to do everything yourself and it’s literally bootstrapping to a tee,” she said. “QuickBooks was so fundamental in just helping me stay organized.” 

Keeping meticulous records of her inventory and cash flow is especially critical in the beauty industry, which comes with long lead times for product development and manufacturing. “In the beginning, I didn’t know that it took 12 months to put out a new product,” Crawley said. Those lead times mean Crawley has to put down a deposit for each order sent to her factory several months before seeing any revenue from that product. 

Crawley learned that lesson the hard way. Early on, she committed several-hundred-thousand units of one product to one retailer, but didn’t receive any payment until she delivered the product almost six months later. Although the deal eventually brought in revenue for KNC Beauty, Crawley was forced to take a loan from a family friend to cover the cost of product development in the meantime. 

Today, she uses QuickBooks to see a clear overview of her business’ cash flow with real-time insights. Crawley can see money come in and out over time, allowing her to stay on top of bills, make smart business decisions, and know that she’s always on budget. It’s particularly helpful when Crawley is deciding if she has the funds to release a new product. “Because I am a small business, I have to put things out in pieces. I can’t do full sets or a full collection,” Crawley explained. “I have a whole timeline.”

Though Crawley doesn’t have all the resources at her disposal that a larger corporation does, she has learned her scrappiness and creativity can be just as much of an asset. In fact, the feature that put KNC Beauty on the map — eye masks in unique shapes like leaves and stars — came to her as a way to avoid paying for advertising. “I’d never had the budget for marketing, so that’s why I had to make an eye mask that was really cool-looking that people are going to want to post and share on their own,” she explained. 

Doing business differently means using your strengths to your advantage. Crawley sees her connection with her community as another one of these strengths. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she created the KNC School of Beauty: a space for women entrepreneurs to connect, share stories, and learn from one another. “You realize how many issues that you share with other people,” she said. “There were so many women that came on whom I admire, and it was really nice and humbling for me to hear that they also go through very similar trials that I go through.”

Crawley also consults her friends and family for advice — even if she just needs someone to bounce ideas off of, those conversations can spark some surprising revelations. “I have about three go-tos, and they all have different opinions, different tastes, and different mindsets,” she said. “I kind of run [new product ideas] by each person and then when the final version is done, if they all approve, I know that across the board people are going to like it.”

In fact, whenever she’s faced with a challenge, Crawley falls back on her strengths: her creativity, her community, and her savviness. “I didn’t grow up with a lot of opportunities. I’m from a small town, my parents don’t know anybody. I really built everything on my own,” she said. For Crawley, that’s what doing business differently is all about — making your own way with what you have to work with.

*Intuit is a technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by our partner, Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC.

Adopting a pet is often framed as an emotional decision: You scroll past an adorable dog or cat on a rescue’s website or spontaneously drop into an animal shelter, then instantly fall in love with those sweet eyes. Of course, pet ownership does come with a lot of responsibility — including the financial burden of paying for everything your new dog or cat needs. 

But in one 2022 survey, nearly half of pet owners said they underestimated the costs of lifetime care for their pet. Veterinarian Dr. Evan Antin said he sees it in his practice, as well. “Even with a healthy pet, you do want to look at the fact that you’re going to be spending, even on just the veterinary care, probably a couple hundred bucks a year at least,” he said. 

Dr. Antin said most pets require at least one wellness visit a year for a standard physical exam, as well as vaccines and preventative care like flea, tick, and heartworm medication. You can’t overlook more routine, day-to-day expenses either. The ASPCA estimates the average annual costs of owning a cat or dog ranges from $700 to more than $1,000, depending on the size and breed of the animal. “Even just the diet can be quite expensive,” Dr. Antin said. “Every month, that’s another legitimate expense that’s right up there with your utility bills.”

And those estimates assume your pet is healthy and doesn’t require any specialist visits or emergency care. Dr. Antin said new pet owners often overlook dental care — although many pets will need it at some point during their lifetime. “It’s one of the most important components of veterinary health,” he said. “Roughly 70 to 75 percent of dogs and cats at two years old have some degree of dental disease.” He said the cost of a routine cleaning with X-rays and polishing could easily exceed $1,000 without pet insurance, and goes up if your pet needs any extractions or dental surgeries. 

Though no one wants to think about the worst case scenario, pet parents have to be prepared for emergency vet visits, which also come with higher vet bills. “Most pets along the course of their life are likely to experience at least one emergency veterinary visit, if not several,” Dr. Antin said. “Typically, prices are increased for all emergency treatments. Especially if you’re in swing shift hours going into the night or the middle of the night, not during normal business hours, you can expect to pay more.” 

Emergency visits, specialist care, or hospitalizations can easily rack up bills in the thousands — if not tens of thousands, Dr. Antin said: “Ten thousand and $20,000 problems are becoming far more common these days.” In fact, the cost of pet ownership has only increased in the past few years. Between July 2022 and July 2023, the price of veterinary care rose 11 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index — a trend Dr. Antin has noticed at the practice where he works, as well. The area where you seek care also impacts the price you’ll pay: For example, his practice in suburban Southern California is more expensive than practices in more rural parts of the country. And it’s important to remember that veterinary practices typically require you to pay the full cost of care up front — co-pays are much less common in the pet world.

Several factors are likely behind the increasing price for veterinary care, including increased demand from record rates of pet adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic and inflated cost for veterinary medical supplies. The veterinary industry is also undergoing a sea change. “Single practice owners and family practice owners are shrinking,” with more and more practices being bought up by large corporations, Dr. Antin said. The increased demand for veterinary care is also complicated by a veterinarian shortage, triggered in part by the steadily increasing cost of veterinary school tuition and the fact that there simply aren’t enough spots at those schools to fill the need for future vets. Dr. Antin said new veterinarians are in such high demand that many practices are luring them in with signing bonuses, which in turn lead to higher costs for pet owners.  

“It’s becoming quite cost-prohibitive if you have a pet, especially if they’re not insured and they’re not protected,” Dr. Antin said — which is why he recommends every pet owner invest in pet insurance. Fetch Pet Insurance is the most comprehensive insurance product for dogs and cats in North America, and can be used at any vet in the U.S. or Canada. Fetch also covers many illnesses and injuries that other providers don’t, including sick-visit exams, breed-specific issues, and disease in every adult tooth — not just the canines. Plans can average just $35 a month for dogs and $25 a month for cats, but vary based on your pet’s age, breed, and location — which is a whole lot easier to budget for than a multi-thousand-dollar emergency bill. 

Dr. Antin also recommended starting your pet’s insurance as soon as you bring them home, since most providers don’t cover pre-existing conditions. “If you have a two-year-old dog or cat, there’s a good chance that you won’t have expensive vet bills,” he said, so it’s a good time to start pet insurance before they develop conditions that might be considered pre-existing (and therefore not covered) later in life. Anything you can do to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses is worth it, especially because Dr. Antin doesn’t expect the price of veterinary care to go down anytime soon. “Until the demand isn’t there, I don’t see that going anywhere,” he said. 

Choosing between paying their utility bill and paying for their beloved dog’s life-saving surgery is every pet owner’s worst nightmare — and Dr. Antin said the peace of mind that comes with avoiding that situation is another benefit of pet insurance. “It’s going to put you in a situation where you don’t have to think, ‘Can I budget for this? Can I continue to live my life? Can I afford my rent month to month and still treat my pet and get the medical care that it needs?’” he said. “That’s a huge weight off your shoulders.”

Entrepreneurs see the world differently. Where others might see challenges, they see opportunities; where some struggle, they persevere. When you are a business of one, that creative outlook becomes your biggest asset. In fact, you have to do business differently to succeed — which is why Intuit QuickBooks is taking this opportunity to celebrate the hustle. Consider these articles and videos a crash course in doing business differently, with a little help from QuickBooks — a money tool that’s right for you. Simplify the way you do business: Take payments, manage money with a business bank account, and get cash flow insights all in one place.

• Why understanding where your business stands is so key for solopreneurs
• What small business owners need to know about managing their finances
• Kristen Noel Crawley’s three ways to find your niche

There’s often a taboo around talking about money — and telling someone about your budget is no exception. It might be one of the most uncomfortable conversations, and the connotation that you’re pinching pennies to pay the bills can feel downright embarrassing.

Budgeting doesn’t mean you’re broke, though: In fact, financial educator Alexis Howard — who runs a popular personal finance TikTok account in addition to her full-time job as a wealth advisor for a private wealth management firm — said setting a budget is key at any income level. 

“Whether you’re making $100,000 dollars a year or $250,000 a year, if you’re making what you spend, you still net zero,” Howard said. “I think people really get caught up into increasing income and making as much money as you can, but even if that’s a million dollars a year and a million dollars is going to be spent on luxury clothing, then it doesn’t really matter.” 

Having a clear understanding of what you can and can’t afford to spend is key to creating a healthy financial future, so Howard said she focuses more on the behavioral side of budgeting — in other words, the day-to-day routine of sticking to your budget. If you’re just starting your budgeting journey, keep reading — Howard has some really helpful tips for creating and committing to a spending plan. 

Take inventory of your spending

Before you start creating your budget, get a good sense of your starting point. Howard recommended starting from your paycheck, then looking at your bank and credit card statements to tally up exactly how much you’re spending each month. 

She formulates her budget by dividing her spending into two categories: essential and non-essential. “Essential items would be things like bills, groceries, gas, public transportation, anything that’s related to mental and physical health,” Howard said — basically, fixed costs that you need to pay, no matter what. She also considers anything related to a birth, wedding, or funeral essential, while shopping, hair, nails, entertainment, and leisure activities fall into her non-essential category. 

Once you know how much you’re typically spending on non-essential items, you can come up with a budget that makes sense for your life. Personally, Howard set a $50 monthly non-essential spending challenge for herself in 2023 as a way to reset her spending habits. “When you only have $50 to spend on fun, you have to be thoughtful about whether an item is truly going to be worth dipping into your budget,” she said.    

Focus on your behavior

Deciding on your monthly budget is just the first step, though. Howard said identifying the behaviors that might cause you to break your budget is just as crucial. “It’s important to have an honest conversation with yourself about the roadblocks that you think you might face by being on a budget,” she said. 

It’s all about knowing what might tempt you to spend money. For some people, that might be impulse buys you see influencers promote on social media, or investing in the latest and greatest tech item because you feel like you need to keep up with trends. Howard recommended unfollowing any accounts you know might tempt you to shop, and instead following creators with similar financial goals to help you stay on track.  

Navigating your social life on a reduced budget can also be tricky, Howard said. If you have a friend who always invites you to pricey restaurants, you might need to let them know going out to eat just isn’t feasible for your budget anymore and suggest a lower-cost activity instead. “What sort of conversations or boundaries do you need to put in place to make sure that you can effectively navigate that while you’re on that budget?” Howard said. 

Adjust your budget as needed

No one’s perfect, and no one will be able to stick to their budget exactly month after month. “The biggest thing I want people to take away from it is that I have not been perfect every single month,” Howard said. “Even if I spend $80 or there’s been two months I’ve gone over $100, the takeaway about the journey is that you’ve just got to keep going. When you have those emergencies that come up or maybe temptation gets the best of you on a particular day, just try again.” 

It’s also important to make any edits you need to your budget as time goes on, Howard said. Maybe you adopt a pet, start a family, or go through some other big life change and need to increase your essential spending each month. 

Or, as Howard experienced in her challenge, your personal priorities might shift over time. “I was convinced that I can do a whole entire year of just me doing my own hair and sticking to the same style,” she said. “As time goes on, I see the value of being able to have those experiences — and they do impact your mental state.” Being OK with adjusting your budget to account for what you need is key to sticking to your long-term financial goals. 

Be open with your friends and family about your budget

Having open conversations around budgeting can also help normalize it in your social circles — and more openness around money can also help you stay committed to your financial goals, Howard said. “That space doesn’t have to be just limited to wealthy people or people who are in more affluent tax brackets,” she said.  

Besides having those frank discussions with friends and family, Howard also recommended finding reputable sources — like books written by finance professionals, or even the free resources on Secret’s Money Moves website — to learn more about personal finance. It’s important to speak with a financial advisor, investment advisor, or other finance professionals when you’re ready to get serious about your financial future. 

Ultimately, Howard said the best thing you can do with your money is just start saving more. Even if you start small — setting a very manageable monthly budget, then increasing your savings goals as you go — you’ll start to see the payoff in your account balances. “Budgeting is key to your wealth, whether you are on the lower end of the salary spectrum or on the high end,” she said.

This content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. There are risks associated with investing in securities and other investment vehicles.

Putting money aside for retirement is one of those things you know you should do, but doesn’t always seem urgent — especially when you’re just starting your career. Starting to save for retirement early can give you a huge leg up on your financial goals, though. 

That’s why budget coach Saprina Allen said the question of how to start saving for retirement comes up frequently on her TikTok account, where she shares her experiences with personal finance as a corporate recruiter and single mom with a son in college. Many of her followers know they want to start building their retirement accounts — but don’t know how to get started.

“Time is the best thing that you have on your side when it comes to saving for retirement,” Allen said. And getting started is easier than many young people think. Here’s how to start thinking about building your net worth through retirement savings. 

Consider what your ideal retirement looks like

Before you start researching the pros and cons of different retirement savings accounts, Allen recommended spending some time thinking about what you want from retirement. “For myself, I think 50 is the age I’d like to retire. Do I mean that at 50 I’m going to be able to stop working? No, but I imagine that 50-year-old me is going to be able to create content full-time, and do some other things that maybe are passion projects, but not have to work full-time,” she said.

Understanding what your retirement lifestyle will look like will help you figure out the costs you can expect to shoulder in retirement. For example, “if you want to be taking cruises all the time and living a really luxurious lifestyle, you might need a little bit more put away for retirement,” Allen said. Even if you plan to live relatively simply after you stop working full-time, you’ll still need to use your savings to pay for basic costs such as housing, insurance, and transportation. Assessing your current overhead costs for those line items can help you estimate how much you’ll need to budget for those in retirement, Allen said. 

Though some people recommend the 10-percent rule — saving just 10 percent of your income for retirement — many experts say it’s not enough. Instead of settling on a specific sum to save, Allen thinks about retirement decade by decade. “My plan is at the age of 50, I can leave my corporate job,” she said. “Then, do I have enough assets that I could work part-time for the next decade? And at the end of those 10 years, if I need to get a job then, I’ll cross that bridge.” 

Take advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans 

Once you’ve decided how much of your income you hope to save for retirement each paycheck or month, Allen recommended looking into employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s. This type of retirement plan is incredibly common: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 63 percent of civilian employees had access to defined-contribution plans (a category that includes 401(k)s) in 2023). 

Plus, as many as 98 percent of companies that offer 401(k)s offer to match at least a portion of employees’ contributions — something Allen said can really help boost your savings. “I only participate in my 401K up to my company’s match,” she said. “It’s free money that you’re leaving on the table.” Most 401(k) accounts offer a selection of mutual funds where you can invest your contributions, ranging from high- to low-risk as well as funds targeted to your anticipated retirement date. 

There are limits on how much you can contribute to a 401(k) each year, though, and 401(k) savings aren’t as easy to access as some other types of retirement savings plans. Until age 59 ½, you can’t withdraw money from a 401(k) without facing tax penalties — and you have to begin taking the minimum required distributions from a 401(k) once you turn 73 or 75, depending on the year you were born. Although there are a few exceptions to these rules, the additional regulations on 401(k)s make them less flexible on the whole than other retirement savings accounts. 

Weigh the benefits of pre- or post-tax retirement savings 

The money you put into a 401(k) comes directly out of your paycheck, which not only means it’s easy to automate, but also reduces your taxable income. Because 401(k) contributions are pre-tax, you will have to eventually pay taxes on it when you withdraw the money in retirement. In the meantime, though, contributions you make to a 401(k) are not considered part of your taxable income, which lowers your tax burden while you’re still employed. 

However, 401(k)s aren’t the only retirement saving option: individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are another popular choice. Unlike 401(k)s, IRAs are typically not facilitated by your employer, so you can open one at any time as long as you meet the requirements (more on that later). There are two types of IRAs: traditional and Roth. As long as you have taxable compensation, you can contribute to a traditional IRA, but you must fall below a specific income threshold to contribute to a Roth IRA. 

Traditional and Roth IRAs also have different tax implications. You can deduct the contributions you make to a traditional IRA from your taxes for that year as long as you meet certain qualifications, which means you’ll pay taxes on that money when you withdraw it in retirement. In a Roth IRA, however, your contributions are considered post-tax — so you won’t pay taxes on your savings or any earnings on those savings later on. As Allen said, “Little Old Lady Saprina can access that money and not have to worry about the tax implications on it.”

It’s also important to consider that the contribution limits are much lower for IRAs than 401(k)s: $6,500 for people under 50 and $7,500 for people over 50. You can also invest in a much larger range of securities through IRAs, giving you more flexibility than a 401(k). However, it’s also a bit easier to withdraw your money from an IRA before retirement if you need to. “What I love about the Roth is if you’re somebody who has maybe more of a scarcity mindset, you always can access your Roth funds with not as much red tape or penalties as 401(k),” Allen said. Personally, Allen has chosen to invest in a combination of pre- and post-tax retirement savings plans, but she also recommended working with a tax professional to create the right plan for your financial needs.

Don’t overlook lesser-known investment vehicles 

Though 401(k)s and IRAs are some of the most popular retirement savings accounts, they aren’t the only ways you can save for retirement. If you have a high-deductible health insurance plan, you might have a health savings account (HSA): a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to help you pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Allen has recently started using her HSA as an investment vehicle because of those tax benefits.

Here’s how it works: First, you could contribute tax-deductible money into your HSA, either from payroll deductions or your own funds. Then, rather than withdrawing money every time you have a medical expense, you could invest a portion of your HSA balance and allow it to grow over time. Any earnings on those investments are also tax-free. The balance of an HSA rolls over from year to year, and there are no requirements on when you must start withdrawing money.

Of course, this strategy does require paying for your current medical costs out of pocket. “If you’re somebody who has a lot of health expenses, an HSA as an investment vehicle might not be the best option, but if you can afford to pay your health expenses out of pocket, then that’s another tax-advantaged account that you can put away for your old lady self,” Allen said. 

There is also no time limit on when you can request a reimbursement from your HSA, so you can save your medical receipts for years until you decide you need a reimbursement. Once you retire, you can of course use the funds in your HSA for qualified medical expenses — but after age 65, the 20 percent penalty for using HSA funds for another purpose goes away.

Compare notes with your friends, family, and coworkers 

No matter what retirement savings strategy you choose, Allen recommends talking openly with your friends, family, and basically anyone who will listen about it. “My number one rule for money is I talk about it all the time with everybody,” she said. Secret’s Money Moves platform includes downloadable workbooks and easy-to-understand resources you can use to start taking control of your financial well-being as well. Find friends and family you can share these tips and tools with so you can encourage one another throughout your individual journeys.

Keeping your personal financial goals and ideas to yourself only contributes to the culture of shame and secrecy around money — and that’s not helping anyone. “We live in a society where enough is never enough and there’s always somebody making more, but there’s always somebody who wishes they were in your shoes,” she said. Creating a culture of openness around finances helps talking about money become more normal — and helps us all succeed. 

This content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. There are risks associated with investing in securities and other investment vehicles.