Winner’s Corner

  • Elizabeth Erskine from VA won $100 in our quarterly new member drawing
  • James Padgett from VA won $50 in our Money Manager Survey drawing
  • Travis Gathers from SC won $300 in our Membership campaign
  • Belinda Mason from VA won $100 in our Member Love campaign
  • Angelique Moore from VA won $50 in our St. Patrick’s Day Facebook contest

Teach Your Children The Importance of Saving

Need help teaching your kids the basics on managing money? With a little time and effort (and some assistance from your credit union), you can set your kids up for financial success. Check out our age-based recommendations below to get started!

Ages 4-5: Kids are most susceptible to everything you tell them at this age, so make sure you teach them good habits now. Buy them a piggy bank and encourage them to save a portion of any money they receive. It’s also a good time to encourage giving.

Ages 6-12: Help your child open their own savings account and be sure to show your child the account statements, so they can see their money grow! Start to include your child in decision-making – when shopping, explain why you chose the generic brand or bulk items.

Ages 13-19: Teenagers Be a Credit Union Saver & your savings will never Go Extinctare old enough to have their own jobs and can start to take guided control of their finances. Help your teen open a checking account and use a debit card, and teach them methods for avoiding impulse buys.

Learn more on how to help your child make money moves by visiting our Life Empowered Blog on our website.

Learn more about mortgages & home equity loans

4 Credit Tips to Know Before Buying a Home

Lenders will check your credit score before you buy a home to determine whether they will lend to you and at what interest rate. Knowing your credit score and fixing any discrepancies on your report may qualify you for a better deal.
CHECK YOUR SCORE. Get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three main credit bureaus and pay a few dollars to also check your score (we recommend www.annualcreditreport.com). A few points can make a big difference in rate.
DON’T CLOSE OLD ACCOUNTS. Many lenders want you to have at least three credit lines that you’ve had for at least a year. Keep old accounts open; they can help boost your score and balance out newer lines of credit.
PAY DOWN YOUR CREDIT CARD BILLS. Aim to get all balances below 50% of your credit limit. Since approximately 33% of your credit score is based on the amount you owe, work on paying down your debt.
DON’T OPEN NEW CARDS THAT YOU DON’T NEED. Avoid opening new cards at department stores or gas stations and remember that new cards can bring down the average age of your credit, lowering your score even more.



Did You Know?
Did You Know? Visa’s zero liability policy doesn’t apply to payment apps like Cash App, Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, etc. This means that fraudulent purchases using your payment information on these apps, or payment mistakes like sending money to the wrong person, are not insured by your debit or credit card provider. Using Member-to-Member transfers or Popmoney® are alternative ways our members can safely transfer funds to friends and family.
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