It's Time For Your Financial Physical

It’s time for your annual finance physical!  Great news, though!  This physical is one you can do from home without having to don a medical robe.  Honest self-reflection and setting clear goals are both included in this physical, though, and asking yourself these three questions will help get you started on assessing your financial health:

1.     How much did I save last year?  Look at your last twelve months and tally up what you were able to save.  Did you touch that savings or let it keep stacking up?  Automatic deposits from each paycheck directly in to your savings can help you stay on track, and keeping a solid budget and savings plan can help you keep that savings growing.

2.   What are my bad money habits?  Doctors can’t help cure you if they don’t know your ailments, and the same goes for your finances.  What are three things you did over the past year with your finances that you would do differently next year?  It could be as simple as keeping a more up to date budget to keep your spending in line.  Budgeting tools, like Honor’s Money Desktop, can help you look at your overall financial picture including what you spend on, what you save, and your total debt.

3.  What is my financial health goal?  Goals are important both in your health and your finances.  Do you want to save more? Spend less? Pay off debt?  Everyone’s definition of success is different, but part of every physical should include looking ahead and setting goals and benchmarks of where you want to be by the time your next physical rolls around.  Once you set your goals, make a plan to get achieve them.  Need help with this?  Stop by your local credit union.  Tell us your goals and we can help you make a plan that fits your situation to get there!

Self-reflection isn’t always pretty, but trust us – if you are honest about your financial situation with yourself, identifying your goals and making a plan to get there will be a lot easier!  Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about next week using #askhonorcu! 

Treat Your Valentine - On A Budget!

 

Valentine’s Day 2015 netted a whopping 18.9 BILLION dollars! Whether you think that’s crazy or not, odds are you probably contributed to a bit of that spend in one way or another.  Did you treat your loved one, your best friend, your dog, or yourself last year?  If the answer is yes, and you are planning on doing something special again this year consider these ideas to treat your valentine without breaking the bank:

·         Giving flowers?  Not surprising, the largest chunk of change spent on Valentine’s Day is on flowers.  Get the most value from the petals you choose by selecting a less popular bloom.  Roses are beautiful, but choosing a more unusual but still beautiful flower on Valentine ’s Day can save you big.  Make sure you inspect whichever flowers you choose for stale or less than energized petals to get the most out of the bouquet you give after the holiday passes.

 

·         Cook Your Fancy Feast At Home – One of the biggest areas that you can save not only on Valentine’s Day, but every other weekend too is as easy as getting creative in the kitchen.  Make your Valentine’s favorite meal together and enjoy a meal together in the comfort of your own home.  Switch it up from any other dinner by taking your feast to the living room or another room out of the ordinary to make the evening feel more special!

·         Pampering your pooch? Try homemade treats instead!  Don’t forget your furry family members this Valentine’s day!  If you want to show your family pet some love on a budget this Valentine’s Day, try some homemade treats in their favorite flavor.

                                                                                                                      

How else are you saving pennies this Valentine’s Day?  Let us know!  Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about next week using #askhonorcu! 

Keep Identity Theft At Bay

According to a new nationwide survey by Experian, awareness of identity theft and concerns about becoming a victim have increased. However, despite this, consumers don’t plan on taking the steps to prevent identity theft from happening to them! Here are a few ways that you can protect yourself and your family from identity thieves:

• Protect (& shred) Your Garbage - Everything you toss, including credit card offers, ATM receipts, bank statements, credit statements/receipts and utility bills, all contain personal information. To protect yourself, buy a shredder and use it- better yet, attend one of Honor’s Community Shred Days! This is an effective, FREE way to safely & securely dispose of confidential or secure info. Look for the schedule on our website, coming out soon!
• Protect your Social Security Number - Your SSN is critical personal info. Do not print it on any form of personal ID. Never carry your SS card in your wallet, and avoid using it as a personal identifier if at all possible.
• Beware of the Telephone - NEVER give out ANY personal info over the phone, unless YOU initiated the call and know who you’re talking to.
• Protect your Computer - Always use virus protections & passwords. Change passwords frequently & never share them.
• Protect your Wallet - Keep a close watch on your credit card balances/statements. This way you can catch any unusual activity immediately, and get the issue resolved as quickly as possible. An easy way to stay on top of any strange card activity is to check your credit score, often. Honor members can simply sign in to online banking and view their current score, which is updated quarterly.

Becoming a victim of identity theft can be completely devastating. Your money, your possessions, and you, yourself, are stolen. ID thieves are very skilled at finding out personal information, so don’t let yourself become a victim! Take these steps to prevent it!

Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about next week using #askhonorcu!