To say our world is increasingly digital would be an understatement. Today, roughly nine in ten American adults regularly use the internet, according to Pew Research Center data. Among adults that are from 18 to 49 years old, internet usage is almost universal, with over 97 percent regularly going online to do everything from sending email, using social media and reading the news to making travel arrangements, buying products and banking.

Small businesses—defined as independent businesses with fewer than 500 employees—make up 99.7 percent of employer firms in the U.S. according to the Small Business Administration. The millions of new jobs they create each year are extremely important to our nation’s economy, yet traditional lending institutions often fail them when an unexpected opportunity knocks or cash is tight.

In the digital age, online security is a fear for many consumers. Credit card information for millions of Americans is routinely hacked, wreaking havoc on those who thought they were secure. According to the Financial Conduct Authority, the retail banking sector suffered 17 different incidents in 2017 — the highest number of attacks experienced in the industry as a whole. That’s a jump of approximately 80 percent when compared to the previous year.

If you’ve ever purchased an automobile, you know all too well that the experience can be cumbersome, time consuming, and frustrating — even if you have perfect credit. Cody Green, founder and co-CEO of Canada Drives, a Canadian fintech company, witnessed this struggle thousands of times first-hand. He saw the pain caused by the traditionally archaic car financing process while working at a dealership in Western Canada. Together with his co-CEO Michael Galpin, Green set out to revolutionize the industry with an automated tool to connect car buyers with dealerships and financing programs.

Is credit card debt a source of embarrassment? If so, you’re not alone. According to one recent survey, 79 percent of respondents are more embarrassed by their credit card balance than by the products and services they’ve purchased with it. Nearly 26 percent said they spend above their means, and 31 percent would rather lose their right to vote in elections than have their credit card balance posted on social media for everyone to see.

Generosity is often a foundation of financial success as well as an essential key to living a happy life, according to Wade Chessman, Certified Financial Planner, CEO, and founder of Chessman Wealth Strategies.

He co-authored a book on the topic designed to inspire and enlighten readers with quotes, illustrations, essays, and short stories that explore the transformational power of giving. Entitled Giving Transforms You – 52 Ways Giving Transforms You, Your Family, Your Business and Your Community, Chessman’s book includes practical tips on reducing taxes and generating lifetime income to create a legacy through charitable giving.

There is no question that renewable energy projects can have benefits for the environment, your physical health and your financial health. Imagine paying less on your electric bill because you use solar power. Imagine saving money because your car runs on electricity and not gas.

Financial well-being is when a person can meet current and ongoing financial obligations, feel secure in their financial future, and when they are able to make choices that allow them to enjoy life, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). People who are in control of their finances have enough savings to deal with unexpected financial shocks, and are on track to meet their long-term financial goals.

Forty-one percent of small business owners lack a financial backup plan in case of emergency according to Reliant Funding’s recent Small Business Report. Among those who have a plan, 20 percent have $75,000 or less socked away, and 3 percent have no emergency savings at all.

According to the SBA, nearly 98 percent of all businesses in the U.S. are small businesses—but their contributions to the country’s economy are anything but. Altogether, these estimated 30 million companies account for 65 percent of the nation’s GDP, or gross domestic product. The success of these myriad organizations is clearly vital to that of the U.S. itself, yet many of them struggle due to short-term cash flow challenges. Data analysis by Fundbox, a company that provides small business financing, shows some $825 billion unpaid invoices are a big part of the problem.

If you’re looking to boost your financial returns and make more money, are interested in alternative investments and would like quick access to your newfound cash, consider peer-to-peer lending. One of the fastest growing companies in Europe’s peer-to-peer lending industry is Latvia-based TWINO.

Have you ever had to pay a fee to get your own money from an ATM? If so, you’re not alone. Nor are you in the minority if your bank has ever socked you with an unexpected overdraft fee. In fact, according to CNNMoney, in 2016, America’s three biggest banks alone raked in more than $6.4 billion dollars in these fees from their customers. Despite public outcry, there’s little anyone can do about it, either—except take their business to a more caring financial institution like Alliant Credit Union.

Many small business owners are accustomed to stressful financial challenges—whether they’re struggling to collect on unpaid invoices, scraping together the cash to repair equipment, or securing credit to fund their company’s expansion.

In fact, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Small Business Credit Survey, 61 percent of the small business respondents had faced financial challenges in the previous year, with accessing necessary credit (44 percent) and meeting operating expenses (36 percent) the most common.

It’s a seller’s market across much of the U.S. thanks to brisk growth in home prices and low for-sale inventory in many areas. While that’s great news for homeowners who want to enjoy the financial benefits of increasing equity—such as refinancing to lower mortgage payments or even take out cash—it’s bad news for buyers, many of whom are afraid to make the largest investment of their lives at what could be the apex of another real estate bubble.

Take a peek at the average U.S. household and you’re likely to find a beloved pet at its center. According to the most recent American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey, the nation was home to 84.6 million pet-owning families in 2016. Pet owners spent more than $66 billion dollars on their pets that year and the APPA forecasts they’ll spend even more ($69 billion to be exact) on furry family members by the end of 2017.

‘Tis the season for charitable giving, and Americans are increasingly donating. According to the Giving USA Foundation, individuals, estates, foundations, and corporations across the nation contributed an estimated $390.05 billion to U.S. charities in 2016, an increase of 2.7 percent in current dollars from the prior year. Giving by individuals increased nearly 4 percent, accounting for much of the rise in total donations.

With the holidays upon us, it’s time to not only think about food, fun and festivities, but finances, as well. And thanks to credit unions like GTE Financial, consumers have access to top-notch savings products, credit cards, financial information and more. The Tampa, Florida-based company has been putting personal prosperity over corporate profits since 1935.

If you’re like most consumers, the biggest single investment you will make in your lifetime is the purchase of a home. According to Zillow, a leading real estate and rental marketplace, the median U.S. residential property was worth $202,700 in September—and values are likely to rise. U.S. home prices have increased nearly seven percent over the last year, and Zillow predicts they will gain another three percent or more in the next 12 months.

The goal of investing is to make money. But what if you could invest, make money and help improve the global community at the same time? That’s where sustainable investing and The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF), a Washington, DC-based organization tasked with advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes.

The organization’s mission is to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts. Members include a wide range of organizations, including investment management and advisory firms, mutual fund companies, broker-dealers, non-profits and pension funds.

Planning for retirement is not an easy task. With jobs, bills, kids, mortgages and other financial commitments, the prospect of putting aside money for use years down the road can seem impractical.

With proper planning though and smart financial decisions, the road to securing a happy retirement does not have to be rocky, especially for working women who sometimes get lost in the financial shuffle.