Archive for the ‘Better than a Bank’ Category

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Learning Financials in the Classroom

August 4, 2011

Now that almost every student in Rome is back to school and settling in their first week of class, it’s time to start thinking about the next few months. Our financial literacy program, learn.grow., is not only for kids at the credit union but also for the schools in the community. Learn.grow. in the classroom is a series of classroom lessons on various topics that form the foundation for a lifetime of financial success. Here’s the short version of it: a lesson taught by a trained credit union staff member will go into a teacher’s classroom and teach a financial lesson for any age group (K-12) for absolutely FREE!

Teachers and parents: here’s your chance to deepen the knowledge of your student’s financial education straight from the people who know it best. Check it out here!

Posted in Better than a Bank, Education, In the Community | Leave a Comment »

What Are They Saying About Credit Unions?

July 7, 2011

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?

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

Fun Facts About Our Credit Card

June 28, 2011

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 »

In Your Twenty-Somethings?

June 8, 2011

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

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 »

Shopping for a car this month?

May 17, 2011

Purchasing?

Until May 31, any Northwest Georgia Credit Union member who purchases a vehicle from Enterprise Car Sales and finances it with us will get a 32″ flatscreen HDTV! With our used auto loan rates as low as 3.99% APR and Enterprise’s trustworthy used auto reputation, we’re excited to sweeten the deal for our members. You can view the current Enterprise vehicle inventory at www.cuautodeals.com.

Refinancing?

If you aren’t interested in buying a new vehicle, then what about refinancing your current auto loan with NWGACU for free? If you have a vehicle financed with another financial institution or an auto dealer, you can save big when you bring it back to NWGACU. You can refinance your auto loan with us by August 5, 2011 and get rates as low as 3.99% APR on used vehicles! And if you’re shopping for a brand new vehicle, our new auto loan rate is unbeatable too at rates as low as 3.49% APR. When refinancing your vehicle, it often lowers your monthly payment and can help you save big over the life of your loan!

When coming by the credit union to open the loan, you’ll need to bring your latest loan statement with your current balance and interest rate, or your original loan documents, your latest pay stub, and the vehicle you want to refinance.

We work hard to make refinancing an easy, quick, and free process for you.

Questions? Visit www.nwgacu.org

Posted in Better than a Bank, In the Community | Leave a Comment »

We’re Bringing Curious George to Rome!

April 20, 2011

That’s right. On Saturday, April 30 from 10am-1pm, Curious George will be at our Redmond Road location! Our “Sock It Away” Curious George event is the culmination of our Youth Month celebration, and it will be a fun and educational (and free!) event for your own curious little monkeys at home.

Here’s what we’ve got planned:

  • Free photos with Curious George
  • The first 100 kids to open their Little Sprouts or Acorn Club account will not only get a free sock monkey, but they’ll also get $25 in their account for free! (Don’t forget to bring your child’s social security card!)
  • Games on the lawn (shhh, don’t tell your kids, but they’ll be educational games.)
  • Giveaways, fun, and food!

Don’t miss this! It’s open to the community, and it’s just our way of giving back. We’ll be there, rain or shine.

Posted in Better than a Bank, Events, In the Community, Life at the Credit Union | Leave a Comment »

Friday Quiz Challenge

March 18, 2011

Do you really know the difference between banks and credit unions? Take our quiz to find out:

1. Who owns a credit union?

A. Stockholders

B. Members

C. Board of Directors

2. Credit union boards of directors are monetarily compensated for their time and service.

A. True

B. False

3. Credit unions are:

A. Not-for-profit

B. Non-profit

C. For-profit

4. Credit union boards of directors are:

A. Members of the credit union just like you–local professionals who want the same things you want from your financial institution.

B. Not necessarily members of the credit union–they are just local professionals offering guidance.

5. Service at a credit union is more personal and meaningful than a bank. Why?

A. Because we’re nice folks.

B. Because banks so many customers, so they are simply too busy to spend time with you.

C. Because members are the owners, we’re freed up to focus on our mission of helping people, rather than preserving a profit.

Ready for the answers?

1. B, 2. B, 3. A, 4. A, 5. C

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

Unraveled by Debt?

March 14, 2011

Credit card debt can be a frustrating battle, but there are a ton of options to help you out.

Experts offer advice like Dave’s Ramsey and his debt snowball while others recommend debt consolidation. A great way to get rid of your debt a little faster is transferring your credit card balance to a card with a better interest rate. It’s pretty amazing how much dropping the interest rate can help reduce your debt.

It’s also pretty amazing that your credit union happens to be offering an unbelievable credit card interest rate right now! You can transfer a balance from another card to the NWGACU Visa Platinum for 5.9% APR on the transferred balance for 12 months. And there is NO balance transfer fee. You can even transfer more than one balance if you need to!

It really is an unbelievable card.

And if you already have the NWGACU Visa Platinum Card, you are earning DOUBLE POINTS right now on everyday purchases like gas, groceries, drug stores, discount stores, and warehouse stores from February 1 to April 30! That’s 2 points for every dollar you spend.

And the points can get you some pretty sweet rewards – like travel and gift cards.

Be sure you’re getting the best deal you can on your credit cards – it’s a great way to cut back and save!

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

What is Yelp?

December 23, 2010

When I’ve told people to visit us on Yelp, do you know what many of them say?

“What is YELP?”

Funny name, very useful website. Yelp.com lets anyone and everyone review businesses. The business sets up a page, and customers or members can visit the site and leave honest feedback about their experiences. It helps consumers make a fair evaluation of a business before deciding whether to use its services. People leave positive comments, negative comments, or just plain factual comments. Yelp has been popular in bigger cities for some time now, and when we noticed that people in Rome were starting to use it, we jumped online, fancied up a page, and voila!

We’d love for members to leave reviews about us. Be honest about your experiences, and share your knowledge with others who are looking for a place to bank (or un-bank).

Posted in Better than a Bank, Fascinating Finds | Leave a Comment »

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