Could $25,000 Change YOUR Life?

When Neighborhood Credit Union member Tiniska Brooks opened her Prize Savings Account last year, she was hoping to win a plasma TV. That’s the quarterly prize awarded to one lucky member with a Prize Savings Account. Ms. Brooks never did win that TV. Instead, we surprised her by showing up at her home on New Year’s Day with a $25,000 check. She was our 2008 Grand Prize winner. What a way to start the New Year!

And talk about perfect timing. Ms. Brooks had recently left her job and was getting ready to start down a new path in life. Her $25,000 prize made it possible to pursue her passion, and all she had to do was save money. That’s how she won. That’s how all of our prize winners have won, and that’s how you can win in the coming year.

Plain and simple, our Prize Savings Account rewards you for saving money. Neighborhood Credit Union gives away $2,000 in prizes every month, a plasma TV every quarter and one $25,000 grand prize each year to members with a Prize Savings Account. You get one (1) entry monthly for every $25 average daily balance in your Prize Savings Account for monthly prizes. If your average daily balance is $200, you get 8 chances-if it's $2,000 you get 80 chances. The more you save, the more chances you have to win big each month!

Good luck and Happy New Year!

 

Merry Christmas From Neighborhood Credit Union

Merry Christmas from your Neighborhood Credit Union family. We hope this holiday season brings you peace, joy and love (a little something extra under the tree). Your membership is a gift to our credit union every day, and we thank you whole heartedly for continuing to trust us with your financial well-being.

This holiday season, we hope you’ll remember that Neighborhood Credit Union exists for your benefit. Our job is to be your financial partner, and we take that job seriously. Our employees are dedicated to helping you with whatever financial needs you may have.

We know this has been a challenging year for some of our members. We want you to know you’re not alone. If you’re having problems making ends meet, lean on us. We have ways to help you lower your monthly payments on loans, credit cards or even your mortgage. Our solutions are as unique as your needs, so please lean on us for support. For other needs you and your family may have, there are organization listed below who may be able to help you.

If you are fortunate to be in a healthy financial state, we encourage you to help someone in need this holiday season. It could be as easy as providing a holiday meal for a family you know, or purchasing gifts so they can have something under their tree this year. There also are many local organizations which could still use your help this holiday season.

North Texas Food Bank

This local food bank supports people and programs in 17 North Texas Counties. Each $1 donated to the North Texas Food Bank feeds four hungry people. Donations of money and food are always needed. To date, the organization has provided 5.6 million meals just this year.

DFW Salvation Army

This organization helps families in crisis, the homeless, children and youth, senior citizens and others with food, shelter, clothing and money. Monetary gifts are accepted online. Of course, you can always drop money into the red kettle you see outside of many local retailers this time of year. Many locations now have cashless kettles where you can swipe a debit or credit card to make a donation.

Mission Arlington

Mission Arlington provides gently used clothing, household items, baby items, toiletries and more to local families in need. Monetary donations are always accepted, as well as the items listed above.

Our wish for all of our members this holiday season is that you have what you need and that you give to others when you can. Have a very Merry Christmas.

8 Ways to Save $50 Per Month Now (Part Two)

Note: This is part two. Please see post below for part one.

When your budget is tight, it can seem impossible to save $50. Here are eight ways to help you do it quickly and relatively easily. Give it a try. You might be surprised at how easy it can be.

 5. Groceries

Coupons can save you a fortune when matched with weekly sales, but it does take time that some people are not willing to spend. What if you could do it electronically? Several stores in the area, including Kroger, Tom Thumb and CVS give you the ability to upload manufacturer coupons directly to your store cards. That saves you both time and money. Check out http://shortcuts.com/stores or Proctor&Gamble Everyday Solutions. You can also sign up for free daily e-mails from Never Pay Retail Again, which tells you what coupons match sales at various grocery stores nationally. It also provides information on deals at other retailers.

 6. Entertainment

Movies and eating out add up quickly – especially if you have a family. Brown bagging your lunch just one or two days a week is all it takes to save $50. Or, instead of take-out, buy from the deli at your local super market. Often, you can get the same thing for half the price. Also, look for restaurant coupons in your local sale papers or at restaurant websites.

Movies are another big budget buster. You can rent three of four movies for the cost of seeing one movie at a movie theater. If you’re not willing to sacrifice the big screen, consider the matinee, which is significantly less expensive than regular price.

7. Jobs and Hobbies

If you have a job that offers overtime, working just one extra hour a day can really add up. If you do not work outside the home, consider which of your hobbies may earn you some extra money. Are you an excellent cook? Try selling your cooking services to busy families for a small fee once a week. Do you make jewelry? Sell your wares at a local boutique or on Ebay or Craigslist. Do you have children? Offer babysitting services in your home one day a week. Do you sew? People are always looking for a reliable seamstress. Which of your hobbies can you turn into a money maker?

8. Debt

Credit card or other revolving debt can take a serious bite out of your budget. If your credit is good, look for offers to transfer your balances to credit cards with lower interest rates. Just be sure to make your payments on time or that low rate will quickly rise to double digits. Refinancing a car or a mortgage could also save a bundle on monthly payments.

8 Ways To Save $50 Per Month Now (Part One)

When your budget is tight, it can seem impossible to save $50. Here are eight ways to help you do it quickly and relatively easily. Give it a try. You might be surprised at how easy it can be.

1. Pay Yourself First

Some people have the $50 but spend it before it gets saved. The best rule of thumb is to pay yourself first. If your household receives regular paychecks, have a specific amount automatically deposited to your savings account. You’ll be surprised how fast it adds up.

2. Do It Yourself

Are you paying people for services you can do yourself like yard maintenance or house cleaning? If these services are taking a significant bite out of your budget, you might try doing them yourself or cutting back on how often they are performed by someone else.

3. Utilities

Review your monthly bills for cable, internet, cell phone and similar providers to see if you are being billed for services you don’t use. You could easily save $50 a month by cutting out internet access on your cell phone or reducing the number of channels you subscribe to on cable, FIOS or Satellite television. Pay for what you use and drop all the extras you can do without. Switching providers could also save you a bunch. That includes electricity.

4. Transportation

Gasoline expenses and auto loan payments can really impact your ability to save more money. If you are paying on an auto loan from another financial institution, see if you can refinance it at Neighborhood for a lower interest rate and lower monthly payment.

The easiest way to save on gasoline is to drive less, but that’s not always practical in the Dallas area. Other options include the DART rail. Many companies in the area purchase monthly rail passes for their employees and some will even purchase them for spouses. Toll Tag expenses can also add up. See how much you spend a month on the Tollway and figure out if it’s more cost efficient to take another route.

The Kroger chain of supermarkets gives fuel discounts to customers who shop with their Kroger card, which has helped some people cut their gasoline expenses in half. Tom Thumb and Wal-Mart offer so many cents off per gallon when you use their card.

 

Note: Stay tuned for part two as we will reveal four additional tips to start saving money now.

Welcome To The Neighborhood CU Blog

Welcome to Neighborhood Credit Union’s blog. Here at Neighborhood Credit Union we’re about “world-class service and neighborhood convenience.” As part of that service we are now bringing you a new blog.

The blog is not about us—it’s about you. This is a place to find financial information specific to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and to use a new method to communicate with the credit union.

With that in mind, we’re going to cover topics we think you’ll find interesting, such as:

• 8 ways to start saving $50 per month now
• How to get from an apartment to a house in one year
• Cheap and fun places to take your kids on a three day weekend
• Help, my credit is in the toilet

Those are just a few samples. We plan to offer new posts frequently. And please let us know what information you’d like to see on the blog.

We don’t want our blog to be one-way communication. In fact, we hope you’ll post a comment or e-mail us at blog@myncu.com.

As you come back to our blog on a regular basis, we’ll continue to post stories, interviews, videos and other relevant information about financial issues that matter to you.

We look forward to our conversations,

Chet Kimmell
CEO