Category: Brandpoint Business & Finance

2018-09-12T07:01:01

(BPT) – As a parent you understand the importance of successful money management firsthand. Every bill must be accounted for and budget balanced. It’s the only way you can manage your household and save for those bigger events in life. Your kids, on the other hand? They are not quite so money savvy and you’d like to change that. After all, smart money management will help them throughout their entire lives. So how do you teach these skills to your kids?

While every child is different, the age of your children can play a big role in how you teach them money management skills. So, to help you guide your kids down the path to fiscal responsibility and successful long-term money management, follow these tips from VantageScore Solutions.

1. Ages 3-5: Starting small with small conversations

How early can you start talking to your children about money? Earlier than you think. In fact, in many cases once a child is old enough to take part in conversations (speaking and listening) they are old enough to discuss money. Explain to them that things they see in the store — and invariably want — cost money and if they don’t have money they cannot get them. This is also a great time to introduce a piggy bank and discuss why you’re placing money in the piggy bank with your child.

2. Ages 6-8: Leading by example

Children at this age are incredibly observant of the world around them and they are old enough to ask detailed questions about the things they see — including how you handle money. Trips to the bank are a good way to show them the value you place in saving money and don’t be afraid to put things back at the store when they aren’t necessary. They will benefit from seeing it’s OK not to buy something.

3. Ages 9-10: Make learning fun

Children at this age are able to grasp more in-depth concepts and they love games. Use that to play games with your child that stress the value of saving and money management in a fun, interactive way. Whether you play through board games, like Monopoly, or through video or online sources, games where your child can win by being smart with their money will offer long-term benefits.

4. Ages 11-13: Learning to work for wages

You may have already been giving your child an allowance based on their completion of household chores but now is a great time to help them get work outside of the home. Whether it is walking dogs in the neighborhood, babysitting or mowing lawns, your child has the chance to bring in real income at this age. And when they do, sit down with them to manage it properly. Open a savings account for them and show them that some money needs to be set aside for savings and what portion can be enjoyed immediately for spending.

5. Ages 14-18: Strategies for long-term savings

With teens, a successful conversation is often all in how you frame it. Ask your teen if they want to sit down and plan out their budget and you’ll get a no. Ask them if they want to sit down and figure out how they can buy their first car, the laptop they want or go to college and they’re more apt to listen. Start with the goal in mind and backtrack from there to set a fiscal budgeting plan. Teach them the difference between gross and net income, thus budgeting and spending should be based on one’s expected net income, not gross income. Encourage your teen’s ideas throughout the process and they’ll take more ownership over the plan.

2018-09-10T08:31:00

(BPT) – The school year has begun, and while the back-to-school expenses of many parents are done for the summer, students will still have ongoing needs throughout the year. But parents are not the only ones who spend their own hard-earned cash to make the school year a success, and they are not the only ones that can expect the costs to continue throughout the year.

According to Bankrate, the average teacher spends roughly $530 of their own money to pay for supplies, snacks and other items for use by their students during the school year. These supplies often include things like paper, rulers, scissors, notebooks, pencils, glue and poster boards, and while they must be purchased at the beginning of the year, they often must be replaced throughout the year as well. While these expenses can quickly add up, teachers are rarely compensated for these costs, and yet still cover these in order to create the best educational experience for their students all year long.

Saving money on your expenses

For teachers, the example above is probably all too familiar. Additional expenses small or big can take a toll, so minimizing costs here and there is crucial. It all begins with shopping at the right places with the right prices.

Staples, the back-to-school specialty store, always offers a diverse collection of name-brand and exclusive supplies, services and resources to meet the demands of any classroom. In addition, Staples offers a 110 percent price match guarantee within 14 days.

Perhaps most importantly, Staples offers in-store specialists that are always available to help you with your needs, ensuring you get the best support you possibly can and have all of your questions answered. Staples also carries supplies all year long, at competitive prices whether it is the second week of school or the second semester. It is the one-stop destination for this school year and beyond.

Visit Staples.com or your nearest Staples store to find solutions for your classroom today.

2018-09-05T09:01:00

(BPT) – –

2018-08-29T07:01:00

(BPT) – When Fallon Bell was only 19 years old, she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, the same disease that both her mother and aunt lived with. Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, is when a person’s kidneys no longer provide the function of filtering toxins from the blood. Shortly after her CKD diagnosis, Bell began dialysis, which performed the function of her kidneys. Dialysis is a necessary, life-saving treatment when the kidneys are no longer able to function, but can be demanding because patients usually require treatment three times a week, four hours at a time.

Despite her diagnosis, Bell continued to dialyze while working full-time and finishing her bachelor’s degree in business. She continued her treatment for six years until her name was chosen from the kidney transplant list. Bell finally received her first kidney transplant but she felt there was still something missing in her life. Her experiences with dialysis ignited a passion. Bell wanted to be a nurse, so she went back to school and worked toward becoming a registered nurse.

Nursing school was like nothing Bell experienced before. She spent countless hours in the library and long hours in hospitals training — all while trying to balance other aspects of her life. Bell was so close to her nursing degree, she could taste it. However, two months before Bell was set to graduate, her body rejected her kidney transplant and Bell was forced to go back on dialysis treatment and on the kidney transplant list. Even though Bell had to begin dialysis again, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Despite the hours she spent dialyzing, Bell didn’t let it stop the plan she created for herself. She worked tirelessly during her 12-hour night shifts in the hospital and then immediately followed it with her own dialysis treatment. Bell dialyzed at a DaVita dialysis center, which was flexible with her busy nursing schedule. She became enthralled with the team and began to ask them questions about dialysis. One afternoon, Bell received a phone call; she matched with a kidney donor. Bell received her transplant and was able to stop dialysis.

As Bell continued her work as a nurse, she realized the passion she had to be part of the DaVita community. Being a patient on and off, she understood the triumphs and tribulations of requiring dialysis treatment multiple times a week. She acknowledges that providing high-quality care for her patients has always been her vocation and continues to work for DaVita Kidney Care in Chicago as a peritoneal dialysis nurse. She feels rewarded by her work because she gets the chance to give back to patients, just as her teammates were able to do for her years before.

To learn more about nursing at DaVita, visit Careers.DaVita.comNursing.

2018-08-24T13:59:01

(BPT) – When small businesses get the financing they need to grow, it creates a ripple effect throughout the entire economy, according to a new report.

Small business is anything but small — there are more than 30 million small businesses across the United States, and these companies create two out of three net new jobs in the country, according to the US Small Business Administration. When each of these businesses grows and hires new employees, it can have an economic impact that stretches far beyond the four walls of the business itself.

To illustrate this, Funding Circle, the leading platform for small-business loans, recently commissioned Oxford Economics to research the impact of its financing to small businesses across the world. The platform connects businesses who want to borrow with investors who want to lend.

The report reveals that this lending had a massive economic impact in the United States:

* Almost 28,000 jobs created and sustained

* $2 billion contributed to the American economy in 2017 (measured in Gross Value Added)

* $170 million generated in annual tax revenues

Funding Circle was founded in 2010, just a few years after the global financial crisis.

“Today the economy has recovered, but it can still be very difficult to get a business loan through a bank,” said Bernardo Martinez, Funding Circle US managing director. “Many banks are held back by outdated systems and underwriting processes, which means that a small business could wait weeks to hear back after applying for a loan — just to be denied.”

Businesses that borrowed are widely spread across the United States and come from a diverse range of industry sectors, according to the report. Of the businesses that had first approached a bank, half said their application was rejected — which led to their decision to come to Funding Circle.

Financing fuels new opportunities. One business that used a loan to grow is Philosophie Group, a custom software solutions company based in Los Angeles and New York City.

With a burgeoning client base, cofounder Skot Carruth and CFO Jerry Signori soon found themselves in a crunch: With so many people in the New York office, there wasn’t enough room to bring in important clients. With new contracts in the wings, Philosophie needed a new office, and they needed it fast.

The founders found the perfect location close to their clients that had plenty of meeting rooms and creative thinking space for innovative developers. The rent was even affordable, which was especially surprising for a city like New York.

The catch? The lease required a full year’s rent as a down payment.

“When you’re growing a business organically, you’re very tight with cash,” Jerry says. “We had a wonderful opportunity that we would have lost if we hadn’t been able to act quickly and decisively.”

Knowing that a traditional bank loan would take too long, they applied — and their loan was funded within a few days. They moved into their new space and soon landed a project with one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the city. Within a year, Philosophie was producing enough revenue to pay down the principal on their loan.

To date, Funding Circle has helped thousands of American small businesses access more than $1 billion in financing. Learn more at www.FundingCircle.com.

2018-08-16T08:01:00

(BPT) – Technology has rapidly changed the way we live over the past 30 years. Where people once turned strictly to their televisions to watch their favorite shows or play video games, people can now access their favorite entertainment, anytime and anywhere — thanks to smart devices and a WiFi connection.

This new level of connectivity goes well beyond easier access to entertainment. For example, can you log onto a computer and get a real-time look at your energy use through your utility? If so, your home has a smart-meter — a powerful tool to help you better understand this newly connected world.

Smart meters are part of an emerging set of smart grid technologies that are transforming how electricity use is viewed and managed. Previously, an analog meter on your home measured your electricity use and, at the end of the month, a bill came in the mail. Now, smart meters communicate with the utility in real time. For you, this means easy, more immediate access to your energy-usage information, as well as the ability to take part in energy saving programs.

“Children today have the benefit of knowing that connectivity is just there whenever they want it,” said Etienne Veber, president of Field Trip Factory, a firm that helps design, schedule and promote interactive learning experiences. “We can help our youth understand how this newly connected environment works for them, so that they learn to use it responsibly and have the foundational knowledge to one day lead and innovate future technology breakthroughs.”

Parents can lay the foundation in their own homes, and smart meters and their connection to the smart grid make an excellent launching point for some fun science and technology lessons.

Make the connection: For decades, parents reminded children to turn off the lights and shut the front door to save energy. Children possibly ignored those reminders, perhaps because it was too difficult to prove these things made a difference. With a smart meter and a smart thermostat installed in your home, you have an unprecedented opportunity to show the cause and effect almost instantly. With a simple login, children can now see how much energy your house uses and discover what happens when the lights are turned off and the door is closed.

Take a spin with renewable energy: One neat benefit of the smart grid is how it makes it easier for utilities to use those renewable energy options, like solar and wind, and help them become increasingly available to customers. Help children understand how sun and wind can make renewable energy with backyard experiments that are safe, easy and practically free. For example, a cardboard box, aluminum foil and sunny day are all you need to create a solar oven that cooks a pizza right in your backyard.

Get a behind-the-scenes peek: Talk to your child’s teacher or scout leader and volunteer to help organize a field trip to your local utility or have a utility representative speak in your child’s classroom. Some utilities have developed engaging teaching tools that help children understand where their electricity comes from.

One prime example is ComEd’s Smart Energy Hub Program in Northern Illinois. Thanks to a partnership with Field Trip Factory, the electricity provider has designed and developed an engaging, interactive program for students — one that cannot be duplicated in the classroom — that explains how the new smart grid system works, and how it helps everyone save energy almost effortlessly. So far, the Smart Energy Hub program has reached 6,000 families and students.

Many of the youth return from the Smart Energy Hub feeling inspired and motivated to reduce energy use at home. Be sure and use that momentum and come up with a plan the whole family can use to save energy and keep more money on hand for the fun stuff!

To learn more about ComEd’s Smart Energy Hub Program, and other engaging programs that might be in your area, explore FieldTripFactory.com.

2018-08-13T09:01:00

(BPT) – With the final days of summer upon us, now is the time to spend a few extra minutes performing a tire safety check. Here are three easy steps to ensure your tires will be ready to handle the season change and keep you and your family safe year-round.

Stay on top of your tire pressure.

Tire blowout season runs from early summer through October and both under-inflation and over-inflation can cause a tire to blow out. High outside temperatures cause the air inside tires to expand quickly and can cause over-inflation, leading to premature wear and tear or blowouts. It’s also important to not let air out of your tires while they are hot, as this could leave you with an equally dangerous problem: under-inflation.

Checking tire pressure regularly by hand or taking it to a dealership for monitoring can help prevent a tire blowout. Looking at your vehicle’s manufacturers sticker inside the driver’s side of the door or console will tell you the recommended pressure for your vehicle, and some vehicles will alert you of a change in pressure through its tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). TPMS symbols do not specify which tire needs attention, so if you’re driving when this happens, be sure to pull over to check the pressure of each tire.

Not only does checking your tire pressure prevent blowouts, it can also extend the average life of a tire by 4,700 miles and save you as much as 11 cents per gallon on gas, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Check your tire tread depth.

After a long summer of family road trips, you will need to determine if your summer tires have worn out. While obvious signs of damage such as cracks, splits and punctures can help drivers identify a problem, it’s also important to check tire tread depth on a monthly basis. If your tires are already worn down or fall below the recommended tread depth level, they may not provide the traction needed to make quick stops or could cause you to hydroplane while driving.

An easy way to check your tire pressure is to insert the edge of a penny in each large groove of a tire, with Lincoln diving in headfirst. If the top of Lincoln’s head is visible (not covered by tread), it is time to replace your tire. If his head is only slightly covered, you should still strongly consider purchasing new tires. Remember that tires depend on their treads to grip, so the deeper the tread, the better the tire will be in both rain and snow as fall approaches.

Know what questions to ask when buying new tires.

Once you decide it is in fact time to invest in new tires, you should know the right questions to ask. The answers will vary depending on the region you live in and the type of weather it has. In many places driving on summer tires into the fall and winter will be unsafe. All-season tires are created to handle a wide variety of road conditions, while winter tires are better geared toward deep snows. If you are interested in the ability to drive both on- and off-road regularly, all-terrain tires may be the best option.

Additionally, asking how the tires are rated and what that rating means will tell you how long the tire tread is expected to last. The traction grade communicates the ability of the tire to halt within a shorter distance and the temperature grade lets you know how the tire will resist heat.

No matter what type of tire you choose, changing weather and road conditions means your tires need to be at their top performance to keep you and your family safe. Now is the time to inspect your tires and invest in new ones before challenging weather strikes and tire inventories start to dwindle. For those willing to beat the rush, USAA is partnering with Goodyear to offer its members a discount on a new set of tires now through Oct. 30. The 25 percent discount applies to any USAA member purchasing tires on Goodyear.com, and can only be accessed from the “My Vehicles” section on USAA.com or the USAA mobile app.

2018-08-13T07:01:02

(BPT) – No one ever said that college was cheap. In fact, many of the largest expenses have nothing to do with tuition — and no, we’re not talking about pizza.

Everything is expensive and the financial choices students make during these years will impact the rest of their lives. That’s why it pays to have a plan for the upcoming year and thereafter, both academically and financially.

Before you or your student heads off to college this semester, keep these tips from VantageScore Solutions in mind.

1. Be smart with loan applications

Student loans are a college mainstay but if they are handled improperly, that could hinder your financial future. In most cases, your applications for student loans will have only a limited impact on your credit score, but to be safe, learn all you can about any loan before applying for it. And once you do apply, consolidate your applications in the same two-week time frame to minimize any negative impact. Consolidating your applications is important because the algorithms that calculate your credit score will view that additional activity favorably as an indication that you were shopping for the best rate and account.

2. Your textbook choices could make a difference

Does buying or renting your textbooks really matter to your credit score? In short, it can. Failure to return a rented textbook or even returning it late can lead the lender to send the account to collections. If your credit report shows an account sent to collections, that item could have a negative impact on your credit score. To prevent this, either buy your books if you can or if you choose to rent, be sure to return the books on time. The ramifications of a late return could be much more severe than you would expect.

3. Build your credit history smartly

If you’re 18 and over, every college transaction is a chance to build and enhance your credit history and you should treat them as such. Pay your bills on time, especially those with your name on them, such as utilities. Limit yourself to a single credit card, don’t miss payments and avoid maxing it out. You should also try to pay off the entire balance each month to make sure your money goes to good use and you don’t waste it on interest payments.

4. Save money wherever you can

Paying those bills off will be a lot easier to do if you have the money. Making sure that you have sufficient funds starts with you setting a budget and making smart financial decisions around campus. When you set a budget for yourself make sure this budget is based on your net income (what you bring home after taxes) rather than your gross income (what you earn before taxes). This will give you a more accurate understanding of the money you have to spend. To support this budget you can also serve as a resident adviser (RA) to earn extra money and/or free room and board. And if you’re not an RA, don’t be afraid to have a roommate and to buy used books or furniture. Finally, cut down on unnecessary dining experiences by eating at home when you can. It may not be as exciting, but you’ll be thankful for the extra money.

5. Realize the decisions you make will impact your future

In most cases, the student loans you had taken out will start payments when you leave college. You needed those loans to pay your tuition bills, but they can now quickly damage your credit score if you miss a payment. Be mindful of your expenses — current and ongoing — and pay every bill in full and as quickly as you can. The sooner your loans are paid off, the sooner you can put that money toward the other things that the world after college has to offer.

2018-08-13T07:01:02

(BPT) – It’s never too late to feed your passion and discover a new career. Take, for example, Julia Child, who left OSS, the forerunner of the CIA, to become a chef; Sara Blakely, a door-to-door sales woman who went on to create Spanx; and Andrea Bocelli, a former attorney who left the courtroom for the stage to become a world-renowned singer.

While most of us might not go from spy to famed chef, there are endless opportunities to switch gears and find success. Focusing on one career in a lifetime is a concept of the past. According to several reports, Gen Xers and millennials tend to change jobs and careers more often than prior generations. Additionally, 2015 and 2016 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 6.2 million workers changed occupation groups.

New technology and flexible educational options make a career shift easier than ever, even in the legal field. Online law schools can help facilitate one’s desire to change careers, especially while working. Two attorneys who earned Juris Doctor (JD) degrees from Concord Law School at Purdue University Global, the nation’s first fully online law school, share their stories, their decisions to go back to school and what inspired them to make a career change.*

Entrepreneur With A License To Practice

Jeanilou Grace Maschhoff, a 2009 graduate, owned a talent management and entertainment consulting firm before making the switch to law. To fuel her company’s growth, she wanted to gain more business and legal knowledge; however, as a full-time working mom with few geographically accessible brick-and-mortar law schools, she had to get creative with her legal education.

“If a legal career calls to you or seems like something you want to follow, think outside the traditional path,” said Maschhoff. “I initially thought I had to do things the conventional way, but with technology and flexibility, there’s a whole new frontier to pursue law.”

Maschhoff’s creative thinking led her to an online law school. After completing her Juris Doctor degree online at Concord Law School, Maschhoff leveraged her knowledge in entertainment and worked with mentors through Concord’s incubator program to launch her own virtual law firm.

Today, her practice focuses on the beauty, fashion and fitness industries, helping those in her hometown of Southern California while living an ocean away. She’s dedicated to helping small-business owners and “mompreneurs” like her make their business ideas a reality. Using her expertise to help what she calls “CEOs of companies and households,” she counsels on an array of business and family matters.

“We’re seeing many law school graduates, like Jeanilou, move toward virtual law firms, blending their work experience with distance learning and technology to serve clients in innovative ways,” said Martin Pritikin, dean of Concord Law School at Purdue University Global. “Concord’s incubator program is designed to help people like Jeanilou break barriers and open new doors.”

Making the decision to pursue a new career later in life is the first step; but once complete, opening a business or law firm is another challenge that can seem daunting at first.“Don’t think that you have to have everything done and in place to get started,” said Maschhoff. “It’s OK to start simple. People used to spend so much time and capital getting a physical space, but today there are so many options. Just do one small thing to bring your passion to life, and it will happen.”

Process Engineer Turned Legal Consumer Guardian

In Michigan, attorney Keith Altman (JD ‘08) is recognized for taking on social media giants Twitter, Facebook and YouTube on behalf of people killed in terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, Dallas, Orlando, Barcelona, Paris, Istanbul and Nice. His expertise in complex litigation started with a degree in astrophysics and a job as a process engineer, where he honed his ability to manage and assess enormous amounts of data and documents.

Altman’s legal path started when he managed document libraries and databases for tobacco and pharmaceutical litigation specialists. His extensive knowledge and experience shifted his career path to become a testifying expert in pharmaceutical safety issues. With an overwhelming passion to protect consumers, Altman knew he wanted to take the next step and become a lawyer. However, his job kept him on the road 120 days each year.

“Concord Law School’s top-notch professors, reasonable cost and flexibility to take time off made it the only option for me,” said Altman. “I continued working while at law school, allowing me to closely link my expertise with the law — a powerful combination and differentiator for new lawyers.”

Altman encourages newly minted lawyers to find their niche and leverage it to fast-track their success. He explained, “Take advantage of your business experience and maturity, and use that in conjunction with a law degree to bring something unique and valuable that will jumpstart the next chapter of your career.”

Taking The Leap

Like many students at Concord Law School, Altman and Maschhoff have unique backgrounds, a wealth of knowledge and a distinct outlook for their future. The online school’s non-traditional path provided the flexibility, thought-provoking curriculum, and career support they needed to take the leap and shift their careers. They both see endless possibilities ahead and encourage others to follow their paths to find fulfilling new professions.

For those considering a new career in the legal industry, please head to www.concordlawschool.edu for more information on their online law degree programs.

For comprehensive consumer information, visit www.ConcordLawSchool.edu/About-Concord-Law-School/Accreditation. Concord Law School cannot guarantee employment or career advancement. These testimonials were obtained by Concord Law School. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individual; student experiences may vary.

* Note that JD program graduates do not qualify to take the bar exam or to be admitted to practice law in jurisdictions outside of California without additional experience, education, or petition.

2018-08-03T07:01:01

(BPT) – Now more than ever, women are speaking out on a variety of issues, from social inequality to inadequate representation to harassment, but there is one thing that’s still taboo: money.

In order to get a better understanding of how millennial and Gen X women think, feel and act when it comes to money, Visa commissioned LRW to conduct a national survey to learn about the attitudes and behaviors regarding money in today’s world, spanning the subjects of family, work, friendship, relationships and self. What they found might surprise you:

* Millennial women are nearly 3x more likely to talk about their sex lives than their salaries.

* Millennial women are 2x more likely than previous generation to prioritize getting ahead in their career.

* Only 34 percent of millennial women have negotiated for a raise or higher salary.

* 89 percent of millennial women think it’s more expensive to be a woman (and 63 percent of men agree).

* Only 43 percent of millennial women expect men to pay on the first date while 60 percent of millennial men do.

Here’s a deeper dive:

Millennial women’s values and feelings about money are evolving.

The majority of women say that to them, money means security. However, millennial women are more likely than their Gen X predecessors to also have more empowered perceptions of money. Millennial women look beyond security and perceive that money represents success, happiness, power and independence. This suggests that women’s relationship with money is changing.

Millennial women feel more financial pressure and stress than millennial men.

When asked to agree or disagree with the statement: “Currently, I am living paycheck to paycheck,” the majority of millennials, both men and women, agreed. But even when women are at the same income level as men, they are more likely to feel like they’re just getting by. They also experience more negative feelings about their relationship with money than do millennial men.

* 58 percent feel guilty spending on themselves.

* 54 percent feel judged when talking about large purchases.

* 75 percent of women are worried they don’t make enough money.

Millennial women put more emphasis on financial success.

While women often rank spending time with family as their top life value, financial and professional success are becoming increasingly important factors for younger women. Millennial females are more likely to value making money and career advancement than female Gen Xers, and their values are moving closer to the mix of priorities shared by millennial men.

* 62 percent say they would never quit their job, no matter how much money their partner earned.

* 61 percent say they are focused on reaching the top in their careers.

* 52 percent of millennial women have been putting off kids to save more money.

The top barrier to women asking for a raise or promotion is being uncomfortable asking.

Some things have yet to change, from one the generation to the next. It was true of boomer women and it’s still true today: millennial women are asking for raises and promotions more than Gen X women, however they are still less likely to ask than men because they’re uncomfortable doing it.

* 55 percent of women vs. 29 percent of men feel anxious when asking for a raise.

* Only 10 percent of millennial women have told their salary to a coworker but 48 percent want to know what their coworkers make and 36 percent believe salary should be completely transparent.

* While 2 in 3 women believe there is a gender pay gap in society, only 1 in 3 believe there is a pay gap at their workplace.

But when millennial women do ask for a raise, they come prepared. They research average pay, read advice online, prepare a list of accomplishments, and consult with coworkers, friends and family.

Millennial women talk about everything with friends, but money seems to be the last taboo.

They are more likely to talk to their friends about weight, relationship issues or their sex lives than they are to discuss money. Only 27 percent talk to their friends about salaries, as opposed to the 84 percent who talk about their kids. Furthermore, women’s payment etiquette with friends is to be generous and avoid awkwardness.

* 74 percent of millennial women don’t mind treating friends without expecting anything in return.

* 60 percent of millennial women feel uncomfortable asking their friends to pay them back.

Bottom line: Millennial women have a negative relationship with money in comparison to men, feeling guilty or judged for spending, and worse off, for being money savvy. Changing this relationship is no simple task, but tossing out the taboo against discussing money is a great place to start.

To join the conversation, or read additional results from the survey, visit https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/money-is-changing.html.