Why It’s Important to Know How to Manage Your Money

By Dana O. Crandell,

In today’s electronically-oriented society, a surprising number of people never learn to create a budget, balance a checkbook or handle other everyday tasks to keep track of finances. Many of us are simply too busy with our fast-paced lives and believe we can’t afford to take the time. The fact is, though, it’s more important now than ever to know how to manage your money. The high-speed, digital society we live in brings new pitfalls to avoid and the old ones are still there, too. Let’s look at a few good reasons to know where your money is going.

You May Spot Theft Before It’s Too Late

It’s far too easy to become a victim in today’s world. Watch the evening news on any given day and you’ll probably hear at least one story about someone being robbed of their hard-earned money and/or identity. There are new risks around every corner and modern thieves use subtle, intelligent methods that are hard to spot. The best way to know something is wrong is to always know how much money you should have. Spotting discrepancies early means you have a better chance of finding out what happened and taking steps to correct the situation.

There’s Less Chance You’ll Pay For Someone Else’s Mistake

Banks make mistakes. So do creditors, stockbrokers, and cashiers. If you’re always aware of what should be happening with your money, you’ll see the red flags when something goes wrong. Were you charged an extra fee on your checking account this month? Is this month’s water bill significantly higher than normal? There are hundreds of ways you can lose money because of human or machine error. Unless you’re managing your finances, you may never know when it happens to you.

You’ll See Problems Before They Become More Serious

If you’re always aware of where your money is going, you’ll know when too much of it is going to a particular area. If you’re suddenly putting too much gas in the car, maybe it’s time to have it tuned up. Are the heating bills soaring while the temperatures are about the same? Maybe it’s time to check weather-stripping and change the furnace filter. Keeping abreast of your spending will give you a chance to nip potential problems in the bud.

You’ll See What’s Working For You

Managing your money also gives you the opportunity to identify your good investments. You may find that using one credit card pays better dividends than another, or that your recent changes to your checking account are saving you a few dollars a month. Knowing you’re improving your financial status is a good feeling. The best way to know is to see it for yourself.

You’ll Know Where You Have Room For Adjustment

If you’re budgeting and tracking your money correctly, you’ll know what changes can be made when a need arises. If there’s an emergency or any sudden change in your cash flow, you’ll have a better idea of what you can do to maintain stability. A little spending cutback here or there could help you avoid serious damage to your finances and reputation with creditors.

You’ll Improve Your Overall Security

By handling your money management tasks yourself, you limit the number of people that have access to your funds and information. That in turn reduces the risk that information or funds will find their way into the wrong hands.

Your Financial Status Follows You Everywhere

One of the disadvantages to living in the Information Age is the fact that your credit score and financial history are far from private. Those records can affect your buying power, your living accommodations, and even your job. If they’re that important to the people you deal with, it stands to reason that they should be doubly important to you.

It’s Easier Now Than Ever To Manage Your Money

On the positive side of living in today’s world, you have easy, convenient access to all the tools you need to manage your funds. Banking, buying and selling, stock trading and almost anything associated with financing can be handled online, from the convenience of your home or office.

Your Goals Will Be Easier To Realize

The simple, everyday tasks you perform to keep your finances under control will serve as a constant reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ll be “keeping your eyes on the prize”, which we all know is the best way to win.

You Aren’t Going To Live Forever

This has always been one of the best reasons to keep your finances in order and it’s even more important today. Whether you’re raising a family of your own or still single, when you die, someone you leave behind will have to be responsible for the expenses associated with your death as well as settlement of your estate. It’s simply not fair to your loved ones to leave nothing behind but debts and it happens far too often – life insurance benefits only go so far.

No matter how small or large your bank account, managing your own money makes sense. It’s your future. Who better to build it than yourself?

(Photo courtesy of meddygarnet)

10 Reasons Credit Unions Are Better Than Banks

If you still have your money in a big bank, you may not be getting the most out of it. More and more people are moving their money from the big corporate banks into smaller credit unions for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the more popular ones:

Member Focused

The great thing about credit unions is that they’re not-for-profit, meaning that they’re owned by members and customers instead of by stockholders. Because credit unions are member focused, they offer more benefits and options for customers. Banks, especially large banks with multiple chains across a state or country, are focused on making a profit instead of helping the customer. Credit unions care about their members and try to give them the best possible products and services.

Better Service

One of the benefits of being member focused means that credit unions can provide better customer service. Large corporate banks are often impersonal and sterile. Since credit unions are smaller, employees tend to know their customer base by name and can provide them with services that accurately match their financial needs. Additionally, credit unions offer face to face interaction instead of automated systems. While automated systems might be great if you have a crisis at an odd hour of the morning or night, sometimes they can’t solve a problem the same way an in-person interaction could.

Bonus Programs

Since credit unions are not-for-profit, they’re allowed to offer customers bonus checks or bonus programs. The profit they make during the fiscal year isn’t shared with stockholders, so it goes right to the members! The offered bonus programs vary depending on the credit union, but they can include bonus checks, “money back” programs (where you receive money for spending money), or rewards programs for credit or debit cards.

Flexibility

Keeping in line with the benefits of being member focused and having better service, credit unions offer you more flexibility. Banks generally have a strict policy to follow when they offer loans, credit cards, or accounts. They’re less likely to overlook previous financial mistakes, even if you’re currently in good standing. Since credit unions are focused on giving the customer what they need, their guidelines aren’t as stringent as a bank’s. If you’re someone who has a troubled financial past or a less than exemplary record with money, a credit union will be more likely to overlook these issues.

Fewer Complications

Banks are all about enforcing strange rules, weird fees, and strict account guidelines. Fortunately, credit unions are about keeping everything simple. A bank might state that in order to maintain a checking account, you need to make at least ten purchases with a debit card or write two checks a month, or log into online banking at least once a week. Most credit unions offer accounts without any over the top guidelines. The terms are easy to follow and don’t inconvenience you.

Low or No Product Fees

If you currently use a bank, you might have noticed fees that suddenly pop up when you make a transaction. Or you might suddenly be penalized with a different fee for doing the same transaction you do every week. Banks are sly about inserting new rules or fees into their products, and they usually do it without informing their customer base. You won’t find these actions happening at a credit union. Most credit union products come without a fee, and if there is a fee (for a bounced check or overdraft protection, for instance), the price is usually significantly lower than what a bank charges.

Low or No Minimum Balance

Unlike banks, most credit unions don’t require a minimum balance to open or maintain an account. The ones that do require a minimum balance usually request a small minimum balance of between $5 to $50, which is a lot less than banks, who can sometimes request a minimum balance of $200 or $500.

Low Interest Rates on Loans

One of the benefits of being a small, customer owned and oriented business is that credit unions can offer lower interest rates on loans and credit cards. Many large banks make a significant portion of their money off of accrued interest, so it’s in their favor to hike up the interest rate. As they’re non-profit, credit unions won’t raise the interest just to make a profit.

Higher Interest Rate on Savings Accounts

Just as they can offer lower interest rates on loans, credit unions can also offer higher interest rates on savings, checking, and money market accounts. Interest rates at banks are usually around 2% or 3%, but credit unions typically offer at least twice that amount. Banks are in the business of making money, so they’re not interested in giving more of it away to you. As a non-profit organization, credit unions can’t keep any of the money, which means you benefit by receiving a higher interest rate.

You Save Money

The biggest reason why credit unions are better than banks is because you save money when you use them! With better interest rates and eliminated or reduced fees, you’re earning and saving more money. Banks are more interested in charging you fees for your products, but the customer oriented credit unions are more focused on keeping your finances happy.

If you haven’t checked out the local credit unions in your area, it is definitely worth taking the time to do so. What’s the worst that can happen? You might find a better place to keep your money.   Sterling Van Dyke Credit Union is waiting to help you achieve your financial goals.    Please give us a call.

The Need for Objective Reporting of Consumer Credit

The Need for Objective Reporting of Consumer Credit by Nicole Kellner-Swick

June 1, 2012, 9:00 am
Filed under: Fair Credit Reporting Act

By Tracy Schwotzer, Attorney

Consumer credit is an indispensible part of our society.  The average consumer relies on credit each day, not only for the financing of a business, house or car, but also for everyday purchases like gas and groceries.  In this country, these transactions would be difficult, if not impossible without the extension of credit to consumers, and the consumer report is a fundamental safeguard for businesses that extend credit.[1] 
Creditworthiness is used to determine whether a consumer qualifies for a loan, it determines the costs of insurance, and is often reviewed by potential employers.  Moreover, consumer reports are an important tool businesses use to make sure they extend credit only to consumers likely to repay the debt.  With the role that credit plays in our daily lives, the importance of a credit rating, either high or low, cannot be minimized.  The flip side, the decision to lend credit, receives less public attention but is equally important to maintain our current system of lending.
The credit rating system was developed to investigate and evaluate the creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character and general reputation of consumers.[2]   This consumer credit information is acquired, maintained, and distributed by Consumer Reporting Agencies[3]  and is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).[4]   The FCRA was adopted as part of the Consumer Credit Protection Act and has the purpose to “ensure fair and accurate credit reporting, promote efficiency in the banking system, and protect consumer privacy.”[5]   However, the needs for consumer protection must be balanced with the needs of the credit industry to manage its risk.

Banks, credit unions and other credit lenders depend upon complete and accurate credit reporting in their lending decisions.  “Inaccurate reports directly impair the efficiency of the banking system, and unfair credit reporting methods undermine the public confidence which is essential to the continued functioning of the banking system.”[6] 
Despite this importance, consumer reports are only a compilation of data and are not without errors, sometimes including inaccurate or outdated information.  To protect consumers, the FCRA establishes procedures for correcting those errors.  The most common route of challenging an item on a credit bureau is to dispute a specific item on the report.  Disputed information that cannot be verified must be deleted from a file.  However, a consumer reporting agency spokesman estimates that “at least a fifth” of the alleged “inaccuracies” being disputed are actually consumers attempting to have negative but accurate information removed from their report.[7]
Manipulation of consumer reports has also become an important bargaining tool in negotiations with the creditor.  A consumer may seek to have an account reported more favorably in exchange for repayment, or may request that the account be deleted upon settlement.
Removing negative information on an account, or deletion of the account as a condition for resolving pending litigation is not a settlement term to be taken lightly.  The deletion of the negative information will obviously boost a consumer’s credit rating and make them more eligible for credit.  While deletion of negative information may be a necessary tool in negotiating settlement of a dispute, the long-term cost to the industry as a whole is potentially devastating.  Without accurate information, a consumer may receive an undeserved credit limit, the interest rate may not accurately reflect the credit risk involved, and the terms of lending may be more favorable than the terms that would be otherwise justified by the consumer’s actual credit history.  By agreeing to deletion of negative information without a verifiable dispute, the lender has accomplished the short-term goal of resolving the dispute, but put the industry at an increased risk for flawed loans.
Finally, consumer reporting agencies are required to “follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy” of information on a report,[8]  and failure to do so is actionable.[9]   Thus, if more favorable reporting or routine deletion of otherwise negative information becomes commonplace in the industry, the consumer reporting agencies will be more wary of the information provided to them for fear of the liability for an inaccurate report.
Credit reports have recently been featured in the news and lenders will undoubtedly find themselves subject to increased regulations on how debts are reported.  For more information, see J. Riepenhoff and M. Wagner’s series in The Columbus Dispatch.

http://thatcreditunionblog.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/the-need-for-objective-reporting-of-consumer-credit/

Posted by Sterling Van Dyke Credit Union