Starting a budget from scratch can seem overwhelming, but it might be easier than you think. Check out this video for some helpful budgeting tips that can make managing your finances a little easier.
Easy Budgeting with A Shoebox
May 20, 2013Maintenance and Money
May 15, 2013It’s the time of year when everyone thinks about “spring cleaning” around the house. Routinely maintaining your house is a must for everyone who wants to save money and not be surprised when an emergency happens. But are you following a scheduled maintenance for your car? Most people rely on their car to get them to work, the grocery store, grandma’s house, school, and about every other place you would want to go. Scheduled maintenance for your car is also a must to not only save money, but to not be stranded!
This article from Edmunds.com tells you why it is so important to follow the maintenance schedule in your car’s service manual book and how to not get overcharged by the dealership. So if you don’t want to be pushing your car into an open parking lot any time soon, then you better be ready to save a lot of money in the long run!
But, what if you didn’t follow these steps with your current car, and now it’s time for a new one? Before you shop for that car, you should shop for your car loan. This will help you determine how much car you can afford. And, NWGACU is a great place to start! Here are a few reasons why. With loan rates as low as 2.99% APR for new cars and car prices at historic lows, now is a great time to shop.
Northwest Georgia Credit Union Marches for Babies
May 6, 2013The Northwest Georgia Credit Union team had a fun, but soggy, time Marching for Babies on Saturday at the March of Dimes’ 75th Anniversary Walk at Berry College. The credit union was proud to participate as a sponsor for this event, contributing $1,657.75 to the March of Dimes for stronger, healthier babies.
Here are a few photos from the event. The kids in attendance really enjoyed the red NWGACU balloons and tootsie roll pops!
Need the Perfect Gift?
April 29, 2013
It’s spring, and for many of us, that means wedding season is looming. Also coming up are graduations, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. With all of these reasons to celebrate our loved ones, finding the perfect gift for them all can be overwhelming.
Luckily, we have a solution for you. Why not give a VISA® Gift Card? It’s safe, convenient and can be used to make purchases at over 23 million VISA® merchants worldwide. VISA® Gift Cards are available at both Northwest Georgia Credit Union locations.
Cards can hold any amount between $10 and $1,000, so if it is time to celebrate, whatever the occasion, give a gift that is always well-received–money!
Get to know the Unbelievable NWGACU Team
April 22, 2013It’s time again to get to know more about your friends at NWGACU. This week we get to meet (or learn more about) one of our super helpful, hard-working, and very friendly Tellers at the Redmond Road office, Tracy!
Top 5 favorite movies as a child:
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks
- E.T.
- Annie
- The Last Starfighter
- Karate Kid
How Tracy likes to spend a rainy day: Relaxing in comfy PJs listening to music, reading a good book, or watching old movies/TV shows (like Bewitched or I Love Lucy). Or enjoying a rainy day nap.
Best financial advice she’s heard: It’s not how much money you make, it’s what you do with what you make!
If Tracy could go anywhere on vacation it would be: The Florida Gulf Coast, but she would also like to explore all 50 states. 
Unbank On the Go with Our New Mobile Apps
April 15, 2013Mobile banking makes it easy to check balances, view transaction history, transfer money between NWGACU accounts, and find information about NWGACU from your mobile phone.
Now, you can download the iPhone® and Android™ apps, in 3 simple steps.
1. Download the appropriate app:
2. Sign in using your existing online banking username and password, and follow the prompts.
3. You’ll be asked to choose whether you would like to received text alerts, enter your 10 digit mobile phone number, choose your wireless provider from the dropdown menu, select the accounts you wish to access from your mobile device and accept the Mobile Banking Agreement and Disclosure.
Don’t have an iPhone® or Android™ smartphone? No problem, you can still enjoy all the convenience of mobile banking, with our mobile-optimized website and mobile text system.
- a website optimized to look great and load quickly on small screens
- a mobile text system allows members to quickly send a text requesting balance or recent transaction information.
Our mobile website offers mobile banking access, contact information and branch/ATM locations. Simply direct your smartphone’s web browser to our website: www.nwgacu.org, and you will automatically be directed to our mobile optimized site.
Requirements for using mobile banking:
- You must have a NWGACU account
- You must be signed up to use online banking
You must have a cell phone with a data plan and the ability to view web pages.
Do You Need a Financial Check-Up?
March 25, 2013
Some people are rockstars at managing their money, but if I had to take a guess, most of us probably fall somewhere along the lines of garage band or guy-who-knows-one-guitar-chord. Do any of these sound like you? You might need a financial check-up if…
…Your financial goals seem more like a wish list for your fairy godmother than an actual possibility.
…When you think about your debt, it makes you want to scream like a little girl.
…You wish you could save more (or any) money, but somehow things like eating and keeping the lights on take priority.
… There’s almost always more month than money.
If you’d like some free help with finding solutions, your trusty credit union is here for you. All you have to do is stop by either NWGACU location. We’ll give you a very short Financial Check-Up sheet to complete, give it back to us, and we’ll sit down with you and tell you what solutions we recommend. Don’t worry–we won’t get into investing and other rockstar-eqsue things. We’re talking real money, real people, and real solutions.
Save money this spring break
March 20, 2013Today is the first day of spring, so we’ve reached back into the unbankingunbelievable vault and pulled out a great post from Rebekah about saving money on spring break. Read on for frugal vacation, and staycation, ideas. Happy Spring!
The weather’s getting warmer, the bees are buzzing, and the flowers are starting to bloom. I’m pretty sure this means that spring is in the air (or at least the pollen is). And the very best part of spring? Spring break, of course! Whether you’re planning a weeklong trip or a staycation, there are ways to have a good time without completely busting your budget.
For the trip takers, planning ahead can mean big savings. You can often find better deals and discounts on hotels if you book in advance. Also, if you’re planning on flying to your destination, sometimes you can get a better rate if you book your flight and hotel at the same time. Take a look at websites like hotwire.com and travelocity.com before you book to compare rates. Of course, if you have NWGACU’s VISA Platinum credit card (hint, hint, wink, wink), you could use all those Scorecard points you’ve been racking up! Scorecard offers discounts on air travel, hotels, car rentals, cruises, well, you get the point.
Once you reach your destination, there are still some ways to save a little cash. Christi, our head teller at the branch, shared one of her favorite tips: her family doesn’t go out to eat for every meal while on vacation. They pack sandwiches for the trip so they don’t have to stop at fast food restaurants while they’re traveling. If you’re staying somewhere that has a kitchen, pack a cooler of things to cook yourself or visit a local grocery store when you get there. You might even be able to afford an extra activity with all the money that you’re saving!
Now, for those of you planning a staycation, there’s still plenty of fun to have and money to save! Consider getting an Atlanta CityPASS. For $69 for adults and $49 for children (ages 3-12), you can visit five Atlanta attractions: World of Coca Cola, Georgia Aquarium, Inside CNN Studio Tour, High Museum of Art or Fernbank Museum of Natural History (one of my faves!), Zoo Atlanta or Atlanta History Center. The credit union also has discount tickets for Six Flags and White Water.
Camping is one of my favorite ways to vacation on the cheap. Hot dogs just seem to taste better when they’re roasted over a campfire. And while I love camping in a tent, I think yurt camping looks pretty cool! If you don’t know what that is, you can check it out at http://www.gastateparks.org/Yurts and make your reservations.
Don’t forget to ask about group rates and student discounts too. And remember your sunscreen!
Photo credit: www.mint.com
Fun (and budget-friendly) ways to use your tax return
March 11, 2013This week we have a guest blogger, John Gower, from NerdWallet, with some fun, budget-friendly ways to use your tax return. Read on for his ideas; and be sure to check out NerdWallet for other financial tips.
For those lucky taxpayers who expect to receive a refund check from the government this year, the blessing of a tax return could turn out to be a curse in disguise. Will you diligently save this bonus or will temptation get the better of you in favor of a new TV or spring break vacation?
There are plenty of ways to responsibly use your tax return, and not all have to be unexciting or particularly damaging to your budget. Here are 4 ways you could put the extra cash to good use.
Make a down payment for that much-needed car
With summer just around the corner, you may be starting to consider a new vehicle – maybe even your first! Luckily, Northwest Georgia Credit Union can help to finance your purchase with an auto loan. However, the more you can afford to put down in cash on the purchase, the less you’ll end up owing. So instead of blowing your hard-earned money on unnecessary purchases, you could use it for a better car to get you where you need to go.
Invest in yourself – take a class
Hea
ding to a classroom may sound like the last thing you want to do this spring, but it doesn’t have to be History 101 you’re attending. Many community colleges offer affordable courses on subjects from computer programming to cooking, so whatever your interest, there’s bound to be a class to try.
Have you always wanted to learn to move like Justin Timberlake? Take a dance class. Have you dreamed of the spotlight? Try acting or improve class. The possibilities are endless and the results will be a new skill to add to the resume!
Pay off your debt
Let’s be honest, this one may not sound like the most “fun” activity in the world, but consider the alternative: ever-growing credit card bills can really begin to crush your spirit. If a tax return can help to wipe out a good chunk of your debt, it’s certain that you’ll feel a major weight off your shoulders. Then you can focus on the fun stuff.
Help others
One way to spend excess cash is to use it to help others in need. You could make a small donation to your favorite charity (every little bit counts) to give your karma a boost. Your gift may even be tax deductible for next year!
If giving to charity isn’t quite your thing, you could check out organizations like Kiva, which allow anyone to make a small loan to people in developing countries. You get to choose those you lend to based on their online profiles, which include who they are and what they’ll use the money for. The best part is that the amount you give will likely be repaid over the following few months (not guaranteed, but repayment rate is 99%), and you can lend the money all over again!
Whatever y
ou do, don’t forget to put some cash away for a rainy day
Americans as a whole may not be saving a whole lot of their incomes, as evidenced by the personal saving rate in the U.S. So make sure you do your part to turn that trend around and stash at least some of your tax return in a savings account. This will ensure that you aren’t left high and dry if an unexpected emergency happens to arise.
John Gower is a senior analyst for NerdWallet, a personal finance website dedicated to helping consumers make smart financial decisions.
Get to know the Unbelievable NWGACU Team
March 4, 2013
It’s time again to get to know more about your friends at NWGACU. This week we get to meet (or learn more about) one of our unbelievable Tellers at the branch office, Connie! She’s from Cedartown, and has been with the credit union a little more than seven years. We are so glad she is a part of the NWGACU team. Here are a few fun facts about Connie:
Favorite food as a child: pizza
#1 most played song on your iPod: You Love Me Anyway by Sidewalk Prophets.
What would you name the autobiography of your life? Why Me?
What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was 5 years old I told my teacher I wanted to be a bus driver!
What was the first thing you bought with your own money? I probably bought a pair of expensive tennis shoes that my Mom and Dad wouldn’t buy for me.
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? I sleep. I have four month old twin boys.
