Editors at Varo
Articles by Editors at Varo
Varo Advance Is Here
Introducing a new way to get support
Chat is live in the Varo app
Now, there’s an even easier way to get help when you need it. With chat in your Varo app, ...
Mercury in Retrograde: How To Improve Financial Communication
How To Improve Financial Communication
What Is Mercury in Retrograde?
Mercury appears to reverse its path three times a year and traverse backward through the sky. In astrology, ...
12 Things to Sell Right Now to Make Extra Money
When you’re in need of quick cash, it helps to be resourceful. Here are 12 things you can find and sell to make extra money. ...
Emergency Funds – How Much to Save and How
Links to external websites are not managed by Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
When times get tough, you’ll be glad you set aside money in an ...
7 Reasons Why Your Credit Score Dropped
Links to external websites are not managed by Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
Credit scores change all the time, and sometimes it’s unclear why. ...
7 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score Fast
Credit Score Ranges: What’s a Good Credit Score?
Your bank account balance isn’t the only number that’s critical to your financial future. Your credit score determines what rates and offers you’ll be ...
How Are Credit Scores Calculated? FICO Scores Explained
Links to external websites are not managed by Varo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
What three-digit number can make or break your ability to borrow ...
COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits: What’s New
COVID-19 Stimulus Payments Round 2: What You Need to Know
We're Giving Away $4000 To You This Holiday Season
Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrating Latinx Icons
Hispanic Heritage Month: Reading and Watch List
In our continued celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to ...
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
No-Fee Overdraft Has Saved You $100M
#VaroTogether Sweepstakes: Enter to Win $200
Here's How You Can Be An Ally
Here's How You Can Support BLM Protestors In Your Area
7 Effective Ways to Save Money While Staying Home
Do You Qualify for a Coronavirus Stimulus Payment? Here’s What You Need to Know
What to Expect When You Apply for Unemployment Benefits
What Is an ACH Payment?
Every time your employer automatically deposits your paycheck into your banking account, you’ve received an ACH payment. Each time your auto insurance provider automatically deducts ...
How to Send Money Online
What Is an Overdraft Fee and How to Avoid Them
What to Expect With Your Money During Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Letter from the CEO: The Varo Community and COVID-19
Thank you for being a valuable member of the Varo community.
With the latest public health and economic news, we want to assure you ...
How to Prepare for an Emergency Without Spending a Fortune
The answer is: probably not as much you ...
Pay Off Debt or Save—Which is Better?
Paying off debt and saving money can both help you build your nest egg and become financially secure. But choosing which thing to do with ...
Boost Your Savings Account by Following These Tips
Emergency Funds: What is the Right Amount and Where Should You Keep It?
Overspending 101: Learn How to Spend Money Wisely
Voices of Varo in Atlanta: Customer Stories
How to Save Money on Groceries Without Coupons
We all know shopping for food can add up. The total may vary depending where you live but it’s generally in the hundreds of ...
How to Open a Bank Account with Bad Credit
Types of Bank Accounts: How to Choose What’s Right For You
9 Simple Ways to Manage Your Money Better
Are you consistently overspending? Do you feel overwhelmed by financial jargon? Do you have enough saved up to survive an unexpected expense?
Managing your ...
12 Proven Ways to Make Extra Money in Your Spare Time
Cómo empezar a usar su cuenta bancaria de Varo
Saving Money on Back to School Supplies
Shannon Rose’s two kids are still enjoying days full of swimming, playing outside and all the excitement that comes with being a kid on summer ...
Safe Online Shopping: 9 Ways to Stay Secure
There are still many great reasons to shop in person at a store—immediacy, the option to see things with your own eyes, supporting local retailers. ...
The New American Dream? No Debt, No House Keys, No 9-to-5
The youngest generation of working Americans has a new dream for their future and it doesn’t involve a white picket fence or decades working the ...
Stress About Money Is Literally Costing You Hours of Sleep
Student loans, upcoming bills, credit card debt, overdraft fees, job prospects. A pressure cooker of financial anxiety is keeping millennials up at night, worrying when ...
Where is My Direct Deposit?
Receiving money electronically through direct deposit is often the fastest way to get paid these days. There’s no driving to pick up a check or ...
What is a Foreign Transaction Fee?
When you plan an international vacation, you probably start saving money so you can buy the flights, Airbnbs, food, and activities. If you’re going to ...
Savings by Age: How Much Should You Have in Savings?
You could get a great new job offer or get lucky with a surprise windfall. Or you could get laid off and struggle to find ...
This One Habit Helped Zack Save $1,300 in a Year
Zack doesn't make a lot of money—but he still found a way to save $1,300 in a year. In this video, he shares his journey ...
Why We Varo
It’s humbling to think that less than two years ago Varo was still an idea. The banking app had not been released. In July 2017, ...
Money Lessons from Mom (Hint: Save Your Money)
On May 12, we celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States. To honor the wisdom of our mothers, we asked Varovians what they have learned ...
Why Does Varo Suspend or Freeze Bank Accounts?
Our job is to keep your money safe and sound.
One of the ways we do that is by following banking laws and government regulations ...
How to Link Accounts With Varo (Hint: We Use Plaid)
Linking your money apps and other bank accounts with your Varo account just got easier.
Based on your requests for Varo’s app (we listen ...
Survey: Americans Squeezed on Saving Money Even While Hoping for Retirement at 60
There is some work to do — financially speaking — to close the gap between expectations and reality.
A new survey from Varo/Qualtrics showed ...
7 Apps We Use All the Time
We are always looking for ways to save time, effort, and money—and there’s nothing like a solid app recommendation to help you out on that ...
A Very Varo Holiday Greeting
Happy holidays from Varo
We're really proud of all the places and backgrounds we represent at Varo—we speak more than 20 languages here! We want to ...
Is Your Daily Coffee Habit Wrecking Your Budget?
Dear Varo,
Do I have to stop spending money on lattes to save money?
The answer is no, of course not. Not at all. We ...
Is Social Media Wrecking Your Budget?
In a word? Yes.
But first, a moment to enjoy what social media has given us: Social apps have turned phones into small personalized ...
Watch Varo CEO Colin Walsh on CNBC Closing Bell
Varo CEO Colin Walsh discussed why mobile-only banking is the future on CNBC's ...
3 Essential No-Fee Money Accounts for College Students
Life as a college or grad student is not exactly synonymous with having a lot of money or time.
And just because your net worth is ...
Varo Makes History: A Timeline of Mobile Banking
While today it seems pretty basic to deposit a check with a click of your camera app, or to send your roommate rent money with ...
How to Switch Bank Accounts
At Varo, we believe everyone deserves a great bank account—fee free.
We want to help you get there.
It can be time-consuming to switch ...
When Your Side Hustle Becomes A Real Business
If you’ve been on the internet lately, you’ve probably read about the rising phenomenon that is the “side hustle.”
By definition, a side hustle is something ...
This 29-Year-Old Is Building An Earthship to Pay $0 in Housing Costs
Meet Marcus Sisk: an entrepreneur and music producer in Gallatin, Tennessee. Currently, Marcus, 29, is working to build his own Earthship—a dirt-rich, off-grid, self-sustaining home—in order ...
Why Varo Has No Overdraft Fees
Overdraft protection sounds pretty great. After all, it’s got the word protection right in the name.
But it might not actually provide the protection you’re ...
Varo vs. Big Banks: The Savings Rate Challenge
You’ve scrimped, you’ve sacrificed, you’ve brown bagged your lunch all year in order to build up your nest egg. Now it’s time to get the ...
5 Ways to Eat Green and Save Money This Summer
"Going green" with your eating habits goes beyond that kale salad you ate for lunch today.
While it's clear that what you put on ...
She Had Zero Financial Help and Crushed It Anyway
Meet Bella Livingstone: a 24-year-old pastry chef who was able to build a successful career in the food industry with zero financial help. After moving ...
How Varo Is Changing the Customer Service Experience
For decades, customer contact centers have built a bad reputation. Customers hate calling them and people hate working there.
I’ve worked in financial services operations ...
Yes, You Can Afford Life in San Francisco as a Musician
Meet Sami Perez: a freelance audio engineer, musician, and student in San Francisco, CA. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Sami is hustling to ...
Track Your Spending in Real Time with Transaction Alerts
We have released our new Transaction Alerts feature to help you track your money in real time. It was a top-voted feature request from customers ...
How He Saved Up to Buy His First House and Build a Financial Foundation
Meet Elias Rodriguez: a nurse whose investment in education allowed him to build a comfortable life for his family. After years of living paycheck to ...
Varo Launches Automatic Savings Tool, Save Your Change
We’re making it easier than ever to save—and earn money on that savings—without having to think about it. By using an automatic savings app, you'll ...
Breaking the Bank With B-Boy Loose Lee
Meet Eugene Choe, 25, who’s building his breakdancing career as a b-boy in New Jersey. After opening his own dance school, aka Loose Lee ...
How to Make It in Young Hollywood When It Comes to Money
Meet Candy Washington: a social media influencer, blogger, aspiring novelist, and budding actress who’s hustling to build her career in West Hollywood.
When Candy ...
“Success actually forced me to make a decision.”
"I'm Candy Washington and I'm a Social Media Influencer. I grew up in upstate New York with four older sisters and my mom my father ...
"How I Found What I Needed to Do for the Rest of My Life."
In college, I was a visual art major. When I got into pastry at a more professional level, I found that it really served me- ...
Many Americans Don’t Have $400 in Savings: How Not To Be One Of Them
Importance of saving
You may hear about the importance of saving money, or at least having enough saved for an emergency, but do you do ...
Time to Bank With Your Complete Financial Picture
The first step to living well is knowing how much you have to live on. With Varo, you can see all your money in one ...
Finally, A Bank Account That Helps You Live Your Life
We know most people don’t want to spend time thinking about money. Living life is more fun.
We’d rather plan travel and weddings, research buying ...
What banking can learn from the music industry
Machine Learning: From “Hey Ya” to Banking
In The Power of Habit, best-selling author Charles Duhigg has an interesting story behind the Outkast song “Hey ...
Financial Stress: A Personal Problem with a Personal Solution
Feeling financial stress?
Have you experienced that awful feeling of worry and anxiety over money? I certainly have. As a teenager growing up in New ...
Saving Your Way to Becoming the “Millionaire Next Door”
On a flight back to California after visiting my parents in Michigan, I found myself in awe of them. They are both in their late ...
Creating a Customer Service Experience That’s Actually About the Customer
Customer service should be about the customer
When is the last time you called your cable company or mobile phone carrier and enjoyed a simple ...
Rebuilding Banking on New Ideas: Finding a Company That Gets It
I have worked in financial services for over 25 years. Throughout my career as a marketing executive, it was my job to learn what consumers ...
Driving innovation in banking
Inertia in a legacy industry
In 1898, the Commissioner of the US Patent Office said, “everything that can be invented has been invented.” Based on ...
Why We Can’t Accept “Just Okay” from Banking
It’s not just getting from Point A to Point B
A few years ago, living in New York City and working miserably long hours, I often ...
From toasters to mobile banking – moving to better outcomes
From the Boss to the Biebs
Toasters, blenders and electric can openers. There was a time when these appliances were the state-of-the-art customer acquisition tools ...
Design your own future with banking technology
Are you the person you want to be?
I hope your answer is “Yes!” But I suspect a lot of people will say “no” or ...
Rented rooms and realizations: creating community in banking
Realizations in Rented Spaces
On a Saturday morning nine months ago, I stepped into a small office space that was being rented by the hour. ...
Building Mobile Banking the Way It Should Be
We know it’s broken. Now let’s fix it.
In previous posts, I have talked about the challenges facing the financial services industry. Now, I’d ...
Disrupting an Old Industry by Knowing Todays Customer
On Lessons, Leadership, and Legacy: A Conversation with David Coulter
I first met David Coulter earlier this year while discussing the vision and strategy of Varo with Warburg Pincus. Recently, I sat down with Dave ...
How to Live Your Life Richly
76 million stories, a shared challenge in “getting by”.
Lisa paused, glancing away from my gaze and toward the ceiling. She was a twenty-something grad ...
My bank is not going to be my son’s bank
In a recent blog post, Colin quoted a stat that caught my eye:
"Forty-six percent of adults say they either could not cover ...
Design Takes Center Stage
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
This is the third and most often quoted of “Clarke’s Laws,” a series of adages ...
Saving, one spoonful at a time
76 million stories, a shared challenge in “getting by”.
Lisa paused, glancing away from my gaze and toward the ceiling. She was a twenty-something grad ...