State Bank of Bement Newsletter December 2021

Newsletter 2021

Greetings!

We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season. This quarter's newsletter has holiday scams to avoid, tips for avoiding financial stress during the holidays, bank news, and more!

Michelle Gross named Chair of the Illinois Bankers Association

Michelle Gross became the 130^th Chair of the Illinois Bankers Association (IBA) on August 12, 2021 at a ceremony in Gurnee, IL. Michelle was inducted on the 12^th during a ceremony by her father, Art Wilkinson, who was Chair in 1996. The Illinois Bankers Association is a trade association dedicated to creating a positive business climate that benefits the entire state of Illinois banking industry and the communities they serve.

Since taking over the reins, she’s kept pretty busy.

Holiday Scams

Follow the tips below to shop safely this holiday season:

Never click a link from an email or text message that you weren't expecting, even if the link appears to be for a store you recognize. Instead, use your browser to navigate directly to the retailer’s official website.
Watch out for malvertising. Malvertising is when cybercriminals try to phish shoppers through ads on social media and other websites. Always think before you click!
Be cautious of advertisements that promise outrageous deals. Remember that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!

5 Tips to Lower Financial Stress During the Holidays

How much will you spend over the holidays? Probably more than you think. According to an annual survey by national accounting firm Deloitte, Americans will buy on average about $320 in gifts this year. But when holiday parties and other related spending are taken into account, the survey says average spending will top $1,200.

Have you picked up your 2022 calendar?

Make sure to stop by any of our locations for free 2022 Monthly and Weekly calendars. While supplies last!