What Are They Saying About Credit Unions?

July 7, 2011 by

Q: What do Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard, and Suze Orman all have in common?

A: Well besides having expertise in personal finance, they love credit unions! Here is what they have to say about credit unions and how anyone can benefit from becoming a member of a credit union. Their opinions are gathered from different sources and quotes on their websites. Visit one of the sites by clicking on their name below.

Dave Ramsey answers a question posted on his site about banks versus credit unions. Ramsey says he hasn’t done business with the mega-banks for years because of poor customer service. He uses a local community bank for his banking as well as credit unions. In most cases, credit unions and small banks don’t get involved in the subprime mortgage debacle. Credit unions are an excellent place to have money.

Clark Howard wrote an article explaining why credit union credit cards are easier to use when traveling overseas. He writes that the New York Times reported that credit unions are beginning to step up and issue cards with the chip and pin technology in place to adopt to the international standard. He also states that it’s often been said that there are no free lunches, but he thinks that credit unions are darn pretty close. Howard writes, when it comes to credit cards, most credit unions offer Visa and MasterCard with interest rates that are about 20% lower than the giant monster mega-banks. He notes that credit unions are a wonderful option available to most adults, but only about 1 in 3 actually is a member.

Suze Orman interviewed with KMBC.com back in 2009 shaming credit card companies, but she also explains what the answer is to these problems. She states, “Here’s the answer: credit unions. They are different than banks. Most banks are owned by their shareholders. They’re responsible to these shareholders and it happens to be on the stock exchange, so anything to increase earnings and profits. Credit unions have members. They’re responsible to the members. So, many credit unions — not all — are giving you no balance-transfer fees, low-interest rates. They’re being ethical and honest.“

 So there it is folks, aren’t you glad you chose a credit union? And if you don’t have a membership with us or another credit union, did this convince you?

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Basement & Attic Treasures

July 5, 2011 by

As you’re packing or unpacking from your last vacation, are you feeling a little overwhelmed with the things you’ve kept over the past years? Well you certainly don’t want to end up on TLC’s reality show Hoarding: Buried Alive, so maybe it’s time for a garage sale!

A garage sale is no easy task; it takes a lot of effort and help from others to pull off a successful garage sale. You’ll want to plan in advance if you want to sell a lot of your treasures. Plan to have your garage sale on a weekend and if possible, on a Saturday. The garage sale could fail just because of the timing, so make sure you open up at 6 or 7 a.m. and end around 2 or 3 p.m. One of the best times to hold a sale is on one of the few weekends leading up to the beginning of a school year. For more tips on garage sale planning and doing visit Get Rich Slowly, a personal finance blog. This blog post may be a few years old, but it still holds true today.

Good luck with all of your future sales!

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Traveling this Holiday Weekend?

June 30, 2011 by

For this July 4th weekend I’m traveling up to Michigan with my family to see my grandma. We would normally drive the 12 hours to our destination and take the dogs in the car (let me tell you how fun that is), but this time I convinced my mom that we should fly. Taking a plane can be a hassle these days, but it can also save you a lot of time and maybe some money if you buy your ticket at the right moment. If you’re going on vacation this weekend or maybe you’re wanting to plan a last-minute trip, then check out this article from Good Housekeeping about ways to save on your family vacation.

Also, keep in mind that we’re offering DOUBLE ScoreCard Bonus Points for our Visa Platinum credit card holders when purchasing in any summer travel category until July 31. Purchases include airline tickets, lodging, car rental, bus lines, cruise lines, gas, railways, travel agencies, and RV rental. When purchasing in any of these summer travel categories, you’ll get two points for every dollar you spend! Click here for a schedule of our ScoreCard Bonus Points. This is just another reason why we have the best credit card around.

We hope you have a happy and safe 4th of July!

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Fun Facts About Our Credit Card

June 28, 2011 by

Have you heard about the best credit card around?

The Visa Platinum Credit Card is a simple, honest card that is totally free of ridiculous fees that have become so common with banks and credit card companies. Here are some fun facts about our credit card:

  • Non-variable rate as low as 9.9% – our card holds one of the lowest rates in the country!
  • No annual fees
  • No surprise rate changes
  • A 25-day grace period

Member Benefits:

  • No default penalty rate for late payment
  • No fees for cash advances or balance transfers
  • Make payments online or in our branches
  • Earn ScoreCard Bonus Points with every purchase

ScoreCard Bonus Points are earned on every purchase, and they can be redeemed online for:

  • Travel Perks
  • Gift cards
  • Merchandise
  • Airline tickets – at the 20,000 point level! Most credit cards require 40,000 – 50,000 points.

Right now is a great time to transfer your credit card balance for 5.9%APR* and get a free sock monkey while supplies last! *Some restrictions apply. 

Money-Saving Tip of the Day    

HouseholdTipNo.11: Turn off tap water when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving. Every minute the water is running, you are using up to 2.5 gallons, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Posted in Better than a Bank, Making Cents, Un-banking. | Leave a Comment »

Many Thanks in Different Forms

June 23, 2011 by

As you may know from our last blog post, we are thanking our wonderful members all this week in honor of our 50th year anniversary. We have a whole lot to be thankful for in our 50 unbelievable years!

This week we’ve sent thank you cards, wrote thank you post it notes, and held a thank you reception (that is actually still going on right now)! If you are one of our members and you haven’t dropped by one of our branches today, then you definitely should because we have free cookies and punch! Throughout this thank you week we’ve also had a staff thank you to each other. We’ve been giving each other “high-fives” on our high-five wall! There are so many different ways you can thank someone or show someone you appreciate them. We hope that our members will continue to be loyal to NWGACU as we enter our 51st year anniversary. You know, that is over a half a century old!

 

 50 Tips in 50 Days

LifestyleTipNo.40: Turn frugality into a game. Instead of force-feeding budgeting tips to yourself, look at this as an adventure. Try to top your own savings each week or compete with a friend. You’ll have fun and save money!

Posted in Events, Life at the Credit Union | Leave a Comment »

The Power of Saying Thank You

June 21, 2011 by

In honor of our 50th year anniversary at Northwest Georgia Credit Union, we’ve planned this week to be a thank you to all of our members.

Saying thank you is a valuable life skill that everyone should practice. Whether it’s a simple thank you at the cash register or a long thank you note to someone who has helped you out, the person receiving the thank you will always appreciate it. Not only should people have this skill, but businesses should have it too. At the credit union, we are very grateful for our members and extremely thankful that they are un-banking with us.

This week our entire staff hand-wrote many thank you cards to our most loyal members at the credit union and also wrote thank you on Post-it Notes to display in the lobbies. We’re holding an all-day reception on Thursday, June 23 for members to stop by and grab a sweet treat as we give our thanks. So be sure to stop by on Thursday so we can properly thank you in person.

50 Tips in 50 Days

MoneyTipNo.07: Using eStatements saves trees, de-clutters your mailbox, and costs the credit union less money – which means more money goes back into the credit union for members!

Posted in Events, Life at the Credit Union | Leave a Comment »

Twenty-Something Continued

June 16, 2011 by

After helpful points in a previous post about saving in your twenties, I found a very helpful article from Dave Ramsey that might help you too. It explains why so many young people are in debt, how to get out of debt, and stay debt-free!

LifestyleTipNo.43: Living on a budget is freeing. By placing boundaries on spending categories, you give yourself a limit to know how much you can spend without stressing.

Posted in Fascinating Finds, Making Cents | Leave a Comment »

Who are you following?

June 14, 2011 by

fol.low.ing [fol-oh-ing] noun:

1. a body of followers, attendants, adherents, etc.
2. the body of admirers, attendants, patrons, etc., of someone or something
 

The first word that comes to my mind (and maybe yours) after hearing the word following – is Facebook.

How many businesses are you following on Facebook? On Twitter? Have you ever asked yourself why you are following them? I may follow businesses through social media because I simply like what they do. Other people may be following businesses because they want faster updates or first chances at new products.

From www.socialmediatoday.com, here are 10 reasons why consumers are following businesses on Facebook:

1. To receive discounts and promotions

2. To show support for the brand/company

3. Hope to get free samples, a coupon (a.k.a. freebies)

4. To stay informed about the activities of the company

5. To get updates on future products

6. To get updates and information on future sales

7. To get fun and entertainment out of it

8. To get access to exclusive content

9. They were referred by someone to follow this brand/company

10. To learn more about the company

On our Facebook, we give our fans quick updates, small contests they can participate in, fun facts, and more! Are you following NWGACU?

Posted in Fascinating Finds, Making Cents | Leave a Comment »

In Your Twenty-Somethings?

June 8, 2011 by

The Age Old Question: When are you truly an adult?

Well for some, adulthood hits them right when they graduate high school and they either get a job, go to college, or do a little bit of both. For others, adulthood hits when they graduate college and start the job search. Maybe in between all of that, some got married – now that is some serious adulthood. Whenever it hits you, it seems as though you’re in this weird phase of life when you finally have freedom and at the same time you wish you were a kid again. You’re making money at your job, but you still expect your parents to help you out a little. If you’re like me, then you find yourself living in eight different places in the past four years. That’s including each dorm I’ve lived in and the different places I’ve stayed for the summer. But there’s always that one place I call home and that is where my parents live. Now I find myself thinking, “I’m never moving back home because the next place I live will be permanent (at least for a while)”. This is where I consider myself to be officially in adulthood.

So what should every twenty-something, including myself, be thinking about financially when branching out beyond the parents and the home? Now – I’m only in my second year of being a twenty-something, so I gathered useful information from other sources including: NPR, Dave Ramsey,  and Clark Howard.

First, when marking your financial independence – the key word for rest of your life is SAVE. Without this word constantly running through your mind, you won’t be able to pay off that student loan quickly or ever set your financial mind at ease. Saving is key for any age group, but the earlier you start saving – the better.

Second, look into a credit union membership. Many twenty-somethings may not even know how a credit union works. Credit union loan rates, especially for twenty-somethings, are substantially cheaper than they would be through a car dealership or a bank.

Third, spend below your income. This may seem obvious, but saying it is a lot easier than doing it. By spending below your income you can pay off credit card debt you may have or even put a percentage of your income into your 401 (k) plan. And yes, it’s never too early to think about your retirement savings.

Lastly, know how to manage your money. Without this vital skill, it could cause you to go deeper into debt or even file bankruptcy.

Hope this helps you twenty-somethings out there, I know it will help me!

50 Tips in 50 Days

ShoppingTipNo.27: Be a smart shopper by buying quality when it counts. Consumer tools such as Consumer Reports and Good Housekeeping reports can help you to get the best quality for the least money.

Posted in Better than a Bank, Education, Making Cents | Leave a Comment »

Our Unbelievable Checking

June 3, 2011 by

Our checking is unbelievable because…

  • It’s totally free!
  • It comes with free eBranch services, free Teller Line, and a free Visa Debit Card.
  • No minimum balance requirements.
  • Direct deposit and payroll deduction available.

I see a pattern here… the word free, maybe? You’re missing out on a lot if you don’t already have our checking. Get the details here.

50 Tips in 50 Days

GroceryTipNo.36: Stick to the outer aisles of the supermarket. You’ll find the widest selection of unprocessed foods, which also happens to be less expensive and healthier!

Posted in Better than a Bank, Making Cents, Un-banking. | Leave a Comment »

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