Don’t Have Credit? Here’s how to get it!!

All of us at one point must enter the “real” world and begin a life of our own. One thing you definitely need is credit. You need credit to buy a house, buy a car, get a cell phone, etc. Here are some tips on how to establish credit…

It’s important to understand what lenders are looking for. If you don’t have credit, then you don’t have a credit score for a lender to determine whether or not your credit worthy. There are other things however, a lender will review:

Bank Accounts: Lenders want to see how long you have had an account with a financial institution – the longer the better! Plus, if you are applying for a loan with your financial institution, they see an established relationship already!

Employment History: A lender wants to see that you can hold a job. It won’t look good if your employment history shows you don’t stay at one job very long.

Residence History: Just as with your employment history, a lender wants to see that you have a stable residence – it will appear suspicious if you move around a lot.

Where do you start? Start with your financial institution, such as Numerica Credit Union! Numerica offers lines of credit such as a Student Visa or Share Secured Visa’s. The benefit of opening a Visa through Numerica is you don’t have to worry about your interest rate being raised or your limit being lowered.

Important!! Here are some helpful tips on what you DON”T want to do when trying to establish credit:

- Don’t overdraw your account. This will damage a good history with your financial institution.

- Avoid making late payments or skipping payments. You will definitely hurt your credit this way.

- Don’t let anyone use your credit card, debit card or let anyone have access to your bank account information.

Holiday Shopping Tips…

• Make a list of everyone you need to shop for.
• Put an approximate dollar amount next to each person on your list.
• Make a Christmas budget and be realistic about what you can really afford to spend.
• Make sure your budget and your expenditures are close enough to work within.
• Know ahead of time how you will pay for this year’s gifts.
• Budget your time to shop. The holidays are busy, so schedule the time you need to shop and get the best deals.
• Start early! The earlier you start, the better deals you will find. You really can save on Black Friday.
• Shop the sales and don’t be ashamed to use coupons. Retailers are offering discounts and rebates on most anything. Take advantage of this.
• Comparison shop. Many stores will even price match.
• Keep watching the sales even when you’re done shopping. If you buy something and it goes on sale a week later, most retailers will refund you the difference.
• Save ALL receipts. Most retailers require a receipt to get the full amount back after Christmas when returning gifts.
• Hate shopping with the holiday masses? Try purchasing gifts online…you might even find better deals on sites like ebay and overstock.com.
• Remember to factor in both time and money for gift-wrapping. Even if you decide to do it all yourself the materials can cost a small fortune if you don’t plan for it.

Swine Flu Transfers from Cash to People?

If you notice a bottle of hand sanitizer at the teller window next time you visit a Numerica branch…that’s us taking precaution to keep our members and branch staff healthy.

An MSN report says H1N1 can actually pass from cash to humans. Here’s how the transfer can happen:

• An infected person sneezes or coughs directly onto their cash or pay slip and then an uninfected person touches it while the virus is still alive.
• That person then needs to immediately touch either their nose or mouth.

Although the possibility of this happening is rare, some businesses  are taking precautions. One Credit Union is wearing latex gloves while they handle cash or pay slips. Other businesses (like Numerica) are putting out antibacterial hand sanitizer for everyone to use.

Germs can spread so easily when dealing with cash, withdrawl slips, etc., especially at the end of the week when there is a large amount of transactions being made. So keep yourself healthy – next time you visit us, use the hand sanitizer to prevent the possible transfer of H1N1.

Protecting Your Identity

According to the Federal Trade Commission, about nine million Americans become victims of identity theft every year. It can take several years and a lot of money for you to repair the damage.

Here’s a couple tips to help prevent yourself from identity theft:

1. Be careful of anyone watching over your shoulder whenever using your debit card and NEVER give your pin# out. Make sure your pin# isn’t easy to guess and isn’t written down in your wallet.
2. Purchase a shredder and use it! Shred any and all documents that contain any personal information about you (example: SS#, DOB, Account #’s).
3. Monitor bills and statements regularly. Watch for any charges made unauthorized. You may want to switch to e-Statements so less personal information is being mailed to you.
4. Review your credit report once a year – watch out for any accounts opened that you didn’t authorize.
5. Never leave paid bills in your mail box for the carrier to pick up. Always drop them off at the post office.
6. Contact all creditors when you move to ensure your statements/cards are sent to your new address.
7. Do not provide your SS#, Account # or Credit Card # to any telephone solicitation.
8. Make sure your online credit card charges are processed through a secure site, indicated by https instead of http.
9. Do not carry your social security card in your wallet.
10. Do not list your drivers license # on your checks – this provides more information to any thief.

What to do if your identity is stolen:

1. File a police report.
2. Contact your financial institution immediately – they will block or close your account.
3. Place a fraud alert on your credit report.
4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

There is a lot of info out there about identity theft…visit the Security Center on Numerica’s website https://www.numericacu.com/security/ or the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft website http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/index.html

Another way to be “green”…

e-Statements…

Good for the Environment, Good for You.

Each year the financial industry uses a significant percentage of paper by sending paper bills and statements, which has a tremendous impact on our environment.

According to PayItGreen.org the average American household receives 19 bills and financial statements each month. If just 2 percent of the households made the switch to electronic bills and payments we could save more than 15 million pounds of paper.

At a local level, Numerica Credit Union alone sends more than 249,000 statements each year. If each of our members took the step to switch to e-Statements we could save more than 83,000 pounds of paper and 1,005 trees each year!

So if you haven’t already, sign up for e-Statements. Visit your favorite branch or log-in to Home Banking on numericacu.com to make the switch. It’s free, quick, easy and secure – plus, it helps the environment…what more could you ask for?

My Top 15: Road Trip Lessons Learned

Road trips are always an adventure. Whether you’re with your college buddies caravanning to Lake Havasu for Spring Break, taking a romantic getaway with a loved one or perhaps moving two carloads of household items 1,800 miles across the country with all the members of your immediate family. They are sure to give you lots of laughs. I recently agreed to a 3-day road trip with my parents and my sister from Spokane, WA to Phoenix, AZ. Some people may think I was nuts, but after we got there, unloaded and soaked in some fun…I can say it was really a lot of fun.

The top 15 things I learned on my road trip:

1. Don’t say you have to stop for a bathroom break prior to Missoula, MT.
2. Homemade chocolate chip cookies don’t last long in 100-degree weather.
3. Desert lizards look a lot like small raptor dinosaurs from Jurassic Park when they’re chasing each other.
4. There is nothing in Utah.
5. Don’t be caught behind the wheel for 60 miles on a 6% grade with a crazy backseat driver mother in the seat next to you.
6. A convertible is not fun when it’s over 106 degrees outside.
7. Casinos weren’t built on winners.
8. Don’t always expect toilets to work when you reach your final destination.
9. Scorpions are a fact of life in the desert…you can trap them with glue boards.
10. There is NOTHING in Utah.
11. You really can drink over 100 ounces of water a day.
12. IPods are useless if the driver wants “company” on the trip.
13. You can’t study statistics sitting by a pool; no matter how hard you try.
14. Red beer is disgusting no matter what state you’re in .
15. Really…there is nothing in Utah.

Top Winter Activities for the Upcoming Season…

What better way to get over the cold and snow then to go out and enjoy it?! If you can’t beat em’ join em’ right? Here are some fun activites for your family and friends to look forward to this upcoming winter season…

Skiing/Snowboarding

• White Pass Ski Resort: $50-100 for a weekend, plus huge deals on season tickets starting at $439 – offers skiing, snowboarding, tubing and more.
• Mission Ridge: Live bands, downtown shopping, skiing/snowboarding, tubing and even icicle climbing! Packages start as low as $299.

Sledding/Tubing

• Lake Wenatchee State Park in WA: 1,866 ft. of elevation with a 170 foot glide starting at $10 a day or $30 for the entire season!
• Cherry Hill Park in ID: This spot is a long time favorite for sledding in CDA. It’s known as the most popular spot in the city for sledding.
• Mt. Bachelor Tubing Park in OR: An 800 ft. ride full of rollers. Sure to be a fun, exciting day out on the snow.

Snowshoeing

• Artist Point in Bellingham, WA: 5.5 miles of snowshoeing around a beautiful scenic area backed by the towering rock summit of Mt. Baker.
• Aneroid Lake in OR: 15 miles of pure white snow that eases into a slope for a tougher run.

Dog Sledding

• Lake Easton Snow Park in WA: Starting at $10 for the ride of your life.
• Mt. Hood Dog Sled tours in Welches, OR.

Hot Springs

• Baby Hot Springs in OR: http://oregonhotsprings.immunenet.com/bagby.htm
• Olympic Hot Springs in WA: http://www.visitsolduc.com

the job hunt…

Finding a job or even getting an interview these days can be difficult. There are currently 62 million unemployed Americans - all out there searching for the limited jobs available. Here’s a few tips to push your resume to the top of the pile…

Your cover letter and resume leaves your first impression on your potential employer. Take a look at your old files and update any work experience, volunteering or references. Get more tips on how to perfect your resume here…http://tinyurl.com/mhhmp4

If your resume interests your hopeful employer, you’ll need great interview skills to seal the deal. We all know that being polite and having a firm hand shake are important – but what types of questions will they ask and how should you prep for an interview? This site will clear up any questions you have about interviewing and help you prep for the big day…http://tinyurl.com/m2u3ku

So…after the interview do you wait patiently and just wait to hear back from the interviewer? No. Send a follow-up letter to reinforce your interest in the position and thanking them for their time and consideration. This added effort may set you above other applicants. Get interview follow-up letter tips here…http://tinyurl.com/lxyzr8

Cheap Dates…

Looking for fun date ideas that won’t bust your wallet? Here’s a few great options…

Spend a day at the park or natural areas – take a romantic stroll, pack a picnic (breakfast, lunch or dinner), fly kites, take a loaf of bread to feed area ducks and swans, or just have some fun playing on the jungle gym!

Raft the river – blow up an inter-tube, small boat or even take a kayak and spend a couple hours floating down the river. Take in some rays, stop on the beach for a drink and splash around in the water. This date is completely free and has tons of potential for a good time.

Visit a museum, aquarium or zoo – learning can be fun…especially if you’re with that special someone

Movie night in – pop some popcorn, grab your favorite candy and cozy up with a classic or new release. If you want to make if a full night in…pick up a board game like Monopoly, Yatzee or Clue.

Cheap dates can be the best dates – so take these ideas and schedule a special get together with your sweetie!

Taylor Swift Concert!

Check out our photos below…they’re from the Taylor Swift Concert at the Spokane Arena. Numerica teamed up with KIX 96 to give away tickets to the concert…here’s what one winner had to say:

“The concert was great!!! She was a really good performer, for a couple of the songs she had her dancers perform skits almost! It was a great show and I had a lot of fun!!!” -Nicole L.

Congrats to all of the winners – we hope you had a great time!

Did anybody else go to the concert?…What did you think?

To drive or not to drive – that is the question…

Ideas to get the most out of your mileage…

Now I know we are all quickly approaching empty pocket books due to the price of high gas prices. It is everywhere. What you may not know is ways to get the most out of your vehicle that will not only save you money at the pump but also get you more miles per tank of fuel. These are some suggestions I have found from research on this exact topic that might help you out.

Drive Sensibly -  Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

Observe the Speed Limit – We all know how dangerous and expensive it is to pay tickets for speeding but did you know that while each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.26 per gallon for gas.

Remove Excess Weight - Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your mpg by up to 2%! The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle’s weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

Avoid Excessive Idling - This definitely comes in to play on those early Monday mornings we all dread sitting in line at Starbucks waiting for some artificial awake. Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. So while you are sitting there you oare not only adding pollution but you aren’t getting any mileage for idling! So, if you just shut the car off on those excessive waits you will save yourself some money and the environment!

Use Cruise Control - Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and as I explained above anything over 60 burns more fuel than any other speed, so in most cases, just using cruise control will help save gas.

Use Overdrive Gears - When you use overdrive gearing, your car’s engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear, most automatics have this feature and if you are not sure of what overdrive is on your vehicle, any local mechanic should be able to point you in the right direction.

Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly - Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10%. Your car’s air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine. On this same note, fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40%! That’s HUGE for a single item that just needed to be replaced.

I hope this helps all of you as much as it has helped me! And if any of you have more tips or tricks or even have tried these and noticed a difference I encourage you to let us know – just post to this blog!

Not so hot economy…

Okay, so as everyone knows by now, our economy is not doing so hot. That may be putting it mildly. Anyways, with certain banks failing and FDIC having to step in to take care of business, people are wondering where to put their money so they don’t have to worry about losing it. Working at Numerica, I have seen a bunch of different ideas that people have been coming up with. Things like taking their money and buying gold and silver, or there is the classic “take the money out and hide it in your house” (hope for no fires…) and others like that. I have decided that I am actually going to invest my money in Numerica stuff. I know-I know, I work here…of course I would say that. But truthfully I would rather invest my money in something that is not on the stock market, is local and makes its’ decisions off the local situation. Also, I get to cast a vote to help decide what Numerica does. I don’t know about everyone else, but I like the ability to help decide what my money is doing. So yeah, something a bit more stable than the gold/silver market and a bit safer than my home, credit unions are gonna be the place to be. Oh yeah, almost forgot…credit union insurance has also gone up to 250k per person. So I’m gonna run out of money to spend before they run out of money to cover…lol.

Holiday Spending…W/O Busting Your Budget

Happy Holidays!

It’s that time of year again when most of us have too many things to do and not enough time to do them. It is also shopping season which means most of us are strapped for cash and this year especially, because of the downturn in our economy. But why is it so hard to say no? Even with the economy struggling I still find myself wanting to spend and shop like I do every other year. “What’s one more purchase,” I ask myself, but before you know it, you have overspent and buyers’ remorse kicks in. I have come up with a few shopping tips to save you time and money this holiday season.

#1) Pay Cash. Paying with cash allows you to easily keep track of what you have taken out of your account for holiday shopping. When you do withdraw money ask for large bills. It really makes you think twice when you break a $50 or a $100 bill.

#2) Keep a running tally of your credit card spending. When you come home from shopping, subtract what you spent from your checking balance and you will always keep on top of your spending.

#3) Have a plan for paying off holiday bills. Set a deadline and stick to it. Tell yourself that everything will be paid off by Valentine’s Day and then create a budget to do so.

#4) Make a shopping list. If you make a list you will organize the items you need to buy and what stores you need to go to instead of wandering from store to store spending more than you planned for.

#5) Think outside of the box. Gifts don’t always have to cost a fortune. Why not make greeting cards for your favorite grandma or a holiday CD for a friend? Many fun gifts can be handmade and much more special.

I hope these holiday tips help relieve a little bit of the shopping stress, as well as save you time and money. Now go shop…but don’t overspend. Before you hit the door pay yourself first by depositing into your savings account for a rainy day.

Do you have any ideas on how to spend wisely this holiday season? Let us know by posting a comment!

I’ll admit it…I haven’t started saving for retirement yet…oops!

As a responsible, 23-year-old – you would think that I’d already have a 401k or IRA account started. Especially because since I entered high school I’ve been hounded about saving as early as possible, with statistics like: if you start saving in your 20’s, about 10% of your paycheck will set you up for a comfortable retirement, if you don’t start saving until middle age you need to put away 15-20%, and gasp…if you wait until after middle age you would need to save everything possible.

Since I’m still in my 20’s and I’d like to take away as little of my paycheck as possible – it’s my New Year’s goal to open an IRA ASAP! I was excited when Numerica announced its’ 60-month, high yield IRA special, plus you can bump the rate one time during the term of the certificate. All I need is a minimum of $500 and I’m all set.

So I’m gonna start the New Year off right and start saving for my retirement that seems oh so far away.

What are some New Year’s resolutions you’re putting to good use?

Presidential Inauguration 2009 with Numerica

Our Gen-Y correspondent will text updates fromthe Capitol ALL day!

When: Tuesday, January 20

Time: Updates ALL Day

Where: Right Here – Check Back for New Posts and Pics

 

Numerica VP, Gene Fitzpatrick, is trekking across the country in a Winnebago to attend the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. There, he’ll meet up with his daughter, a sophomore at American University…and she’ll be updating us all day!

 

Keep checking back to get the latest inside look at Inauguration Day – with a Gen-Y perspective.

 

Numerica’s your backstage pass to Obama’s Inauguration – enjoy the show!

Gene has arrived…

My father is arrived and situated!

To the Capitol…

We traveled down to the Capitol today to pick up our tickets and the National Mall was filled with thousands of people all getting excited for the big day. Here are some pictures from the day including a photo with Representative McMorris-Rodgers.

Inauguration Day Has Arrived!

Update – 1/20/09 – 10 a.m.

The ceremony has ended and we just watched Bush leave. Patches of the crowd began singing “hey, hey, hey…goodbye.”

Inauguration Day Facts…

• 20 JumboTron screens are set-up on the National Mall.
• The parade route on Pennsylvania Ave. can hold 350,000 people.
• 273 Bars/Clubs/Restaurants have been approved to stay open extended hours tonight!
• President Obama is having an Open House at the White House tomorrow – to get in you have to register via a website. I’m registered - who knows…I may get selected.
• Vendors are selling EVERYTHING Obama – prices are on the high side. Obama Bobble Head Dolls are available.
• And in case you were wondering…there are 7,000 Porta Pottys set-up. The police escort the pumper trucks in/out of the area.

Unfortunately this is the best pic I can get…the black box in the background is one of the jumbotrons.

Keep checking back for more updates  and pics from Inauguration 2009!

An easy way to keep track of your spending…

I’m in my early 20’s and just starting out in the “real world.” It can be hard at times to keep track of what I’m spending and staying within a budget.

Reloadable Visa Cards allow me to put a certain amount on the card and only spend that much. I can use it at any Visa ATM and get cash, use it at the mall or even online. Also, when the balance is low, I can easily reload it at any Numerica branch or online (which is really convenient). I shop A LOT online and using myReloadable Visa Card is a really secure way to make my purchases.

Because things are tight, I’m always trying to find ways to help me budget my money. What are some ways you budget your money?

Yummy Food on a Budget…

The Numerica branch that I work at is located in the front of a grocery store, so I am constantly looking at food and trying to decide what I want for dinner. That’s when it came to me! What are some of the quick, cheap and easy recipes I made when I was younger. So I came up with a list of my youth favorites…mostly involving ramen noodles and then asked around my branch for other ideas. Here’s a few of the recipes we came up with:

DIRT ~ Instant Chocolate Pudding, Tub of Cool Whip and Oreos…Make the pudding up and crumble the oreos. Mix all three ingredients in a big bowl and serve.

MEXICAN SPAGHETTI ~ Can of Chili Con Carne, 1 Package Ramen Noodles (Use your favorite flavor and experiment with number of packages to find your prefered ratio)…Another easy one…Cook up the chili, cook up the ramen and drain the broth. Mix together and serve.

STIR FRY ~ Bag of Mixed Frozen Vegetables, 1 Kielbasa Sausage, 2 Packages Ramen Noodles…This one is a bit more complicated, but here it goes…Thin slice the sausage and brown in a frying pan. Drain out the fat and put sausage on a different plate for now. Take frozen veggies and cook in pan that you cooked the sausage in (it adds good flavor). While those are cooking, boil your ramen and get it all loose and cooked. Once veggies are heated to proper temperature and the noodles are cooked to your prefered consistency, turn off the heat and mix together…Serve!

RAMEN + EGG ~ 1 Package Ramen Noodles (I’m sensing a pattern here…), 1 Egg…Bring some water to a boil. When boiling, add ramen and cook till it’s almost done. Add seasoning and egg while water is boiling. The water will almost instantly cook the egg. Enjoy!

There are some quick, easy and cheap recipes that should help anyone get through these tough times when you might be a little strapped on cash. If you have any of your own cheap recipes or suggestions…feel free to post them here!

10 Crazy Ways to Earn Some Extra Cash!

Virtual Farming – For the gamers out there, this one is just for you! Kids in China are making a huge amount of money just by playing video games all day! They are trading the “fake” money they make in the game and exchanging it for real money to the gamers that want some extra cash in the game to get to higher levels or hidden places!

Doggles – This one is for the dog lovers! I’m sure you already guessed by the title – doggles are goggles for dogs! This idea was created online and has since earned millions of dollars and also expanding into actual stores all across the U.S. Including doggles, they are now offering vests, jewlery and sunglasses.

Million Dollar Homepage - This is the craziest but smartest idea I have seen out there to earn a million dollars. A young guy decided to set up a site and sell one million pixels for $1/each. The best thing about it? It worked! He sold every single one of them after people caught on and he got tons of publicity in the process – now he is a big time entrepreneur!

Myspace Layouts - A young girl set up a website offering layouts for myspace. She now gets over 7 million hits a month to her page! She now has numerous advertising contracts, some exceeding 1.5 million dollars.

My Yearbook - Two teens had the idea to set up an online yearbook. The idea turned into much more than they had expected and became a social networking site for people from your hometown or school to come to. They have now raised more than 4 million dollars, have 45 employees and 3 million members!

Cameron Johnson - This kid is amazing! At the age of 9, he started making homemade greeting cards and selling them. Then by the age of 12, he was reselling Ty Beenie Babies and was able to sell his online company for an undisclosed amound after bringing in more than 3.5 million dollars a MONTH while he was in business.

Lucky Wishbone - We all know about the tradition on Thanksgiving to snap the wishbone and make a wish. Well…what if you didn’t have to wait until the holiday? This person makes and sells plastic wishbones and their sales have reached over one million dollars selling close to 30,000 wishbones a month.

Craving Pods - This girl made a business out of loading music onto peoples i-pods after a friend had asked her to do it for her. She now makes more than 100k/year!

Santa Mail - Some might think this is mean, but for the kids I think it is totally worth it! At $10 per letter, a guy has made millions since he started.

Amazing Butterflies - This one started as a bet! Someone’s friends bet he couldn’t sell a butterfly to someone. He now sells butterflies for a living and has made millions!

This just goes to show you can make money out of almost anything these days! If anyone has any other money making ideas I would LOVE to hear them!

WIN tickets to the Taylor Swift concert!

Numerica is teaming up with KIX 96 FM to give away 2 FREE 5th row tickets to the sold-out Taylor Swift concert! The show is Thursday, May 14, at the Spokane Arena, and you could be there!

All you have to do is visit a Spokane or North Idaho Numerica branch April 25 - May 1 and enter the drawing. Plus, while you’re at the branch enter to win $100 cash!* Numerica is giving away some mad money for your night out.

Listen to KIX 96 during the afternoon of May 4. The drawing will be held on-air, and you’ll have only 9 minutes and 61 seconds to call in and claim your tickets before another name is drawn.

Find all of the details at numericacu.com!

 

*Entries must be submitted by 5 PM (PST), May 1, 2009. No purchase necessary to win. Need not be a member to enter to win. Need not be present to win. Odds of winning determined by number of entries. Winner will be chosen by random drawing on May 4, 2009. To the extent required by law, Numerica will report the value of the award to the IRS. Winner is responsible for any applicable taxes. Must be 18 or older to participate. Limit 1 entry per person. Numerica Credit Union employees, officials, families, and family members of employees or officiating families are not eligible to participate. Drawing is taking place at Spokane and North Idaho branches. By entering, Numerica is given the right to use required entry information in conjunction with the contest. Written inquiries can be mailed to PO Box 4000, Spokane Valley, WA 99037.