You've heard us say it before, and we're gonna say it again...it is never too early to start thinking about your retirement plan! If you find yourself wondering what that magic number to retire is, how much should you have saved, where do you even begin then keep reading because Honor Financial Group is here to help:
What is
Honor Financial Group?
Whatever
stage of life you may be in, Honor Financial Group can provide you with the
options and one-on-one financial planning that will help you pursue the future
that you want. Some of the options that we offer include:
Retirement
Plans
Mutual Funds
IRA
Consolidation/Rollovers
Annuities
(variable, fixed, index)
Insurance
(life, disability, long term care)
And more!
What is the
Check Up Tour?
Honor
Financial Group’s Financial Representative, Greg Hildebrand, will be making the
rounds to EVERY single Honor CU branch to give members (and non-members) the
opportunity for a free investment check up.
How do I
sign up?
Stop by any
Honor CU branch location or call the Member Solutions Center at 800.442.2800 to
schedule your free, no obligation, investment check up!
Did you catch Greg Hildebrand, Honor Financial Group Financial Representative, chatting with 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill on Mason Jar Monday this week? If not, no worries! You can listen to their full conversation here!
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @honorcu and use #askhonorcu to ask us any questions you may have or let us know what you want to hear talked about on Mason Jar Monday next week!
It’s a New
Year, and time to make those New Year’s resolutions! Two of the most common New Year’s resolutions
have to do with financial health and physical health. Starting a new year on the right foot is
important, so getting your finances and your body right are both fantastic
goals. As you think about getting your
wallet and yourself in shape, here are a couple of similarities between your
local credit union and the gym to get you on the way to achieving your new
year’s goals:
All The
Tools To Succeed – One reason people join a gym is to get access to all the
equipment to get in shape that they just don’t have at their own house.You can get a better workout when you have
access to many of these machines, and your wallet can get in better shape with
access to all of the products and services that credit unions have to
offer!
Work
Independently or Utilize a Personal Trainer – Some people prefer to work out on
their own, while others like a personal trainer with them every step of the
way.At a credit union, like Honor, we
can give you both scenarios, too!Our
team is here waiting to walk you through our products and services if you want,
but we also give you the tools to manage your finances on your own with easy to
understand and use technology like our mobile app, or online bill pay!
No Judgment Zone
– A good gym will welcome you with open arms regardless of your physical
health.They will help you achieve your
goals, no matter how big or small they may be.You can expect the same at a credit union!We are here to help you get in the best financial
situation possible, no matter your starting point!No two people’s finances are exactly the
same, and you can have confidence that there will be no judgments or
comparisons at Honor! Every member matters!
Don’t forget
to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about
next week using #askhonorcu!
Listen to Honor's Scott and 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill talk about their financial fitness tips in Mason Jar Monday!
Christmas is
behind us, and 2014 is coming to a close! As hard as it is to believe that the
next Mason Jar Monday will be in 2015, the holidays are tapering off. We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with
their family and friends that left you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated and
ready to start the New Year! If,
however, you (and your wallet) have been left with an “after-holiday” headache,
here are a few tips to get back on track in time for the New Year!
Assess The
Situation – If the holidays put a bit larger of a dent in your wallet, savings,
or credit card balance than you anticipated, the first step is to make a new
plan.Instead of stressing over your
after holiday situation or living in denial of how much you spent, accept it
and breakdown your current situation so that you can make a plan to get back to
your pre-holiday situation.
Set Goals –
So you’ve assessed the situation, and you know the areas that need
improvement.Now it’s time to set some
goals.What area of your finances took
the biggest hit this holiday season?Your savings, your credit card, ect.?Set a savings goal or a debt payoff goal that includes an end date so
you make a new monthly budget given your new goals.
Don’t Be
Afraid To Ask For Help – If assessing your situation and setting goals has you
with a bigger headache than you started out with, swing on in to your local
credit union for some help.We are here
to put you in the best financial position possible, and have tools that can get
your new year started off right.If your
credit card took the biggest hit this holiday season, Honor’s Visa balance transfer could help you consolidate your debt into a more manageable monthly
payment to help you achieve your goals faster.If building up savings is what you are after, an account specialist can
help you set the savings goals you need with a plan to get you there!
Don’t forget
to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about
for next week’s Mason Jar Monday using #askhonorcu!
You can listen to the last Mason Jar Monday of 2014 below! 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill and Honor's Scott talk about their tips to avoid the "after-holiday" headache!
Arguably one
of the best things about the holiday season are the baked goodies that come
along with it! While we’re not sure
there is a bad Christmas cookie, we definitely all have our favorites that we
hunt for on that cookie tray in the break room every year. Whether you are a sugar cookie with green and
red frosting type or if a peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate is more your
forte, I’ll bet you didn’t know that your local credit union and your favorite
Christmas cookie actually have a lot in common!
Both have
really great recipes!Your favorite
Christmas cookie is a work of baked art that all starts with following a few
simple guidelines and ends with sugary perfection.Your local credit union has the recipe you
need to achieve your financial goals that all starts with a visit or phone call
and ends in you achieving financial success!
Every cookie
is unique, and so is your financial situation!Even the most dependable sugar cookie recipe might turn out different if
you bake it or your Grandma bakes it, making each batch of Christmas cookies a
little bit different than the rest.The
same goes for your financial situation!Your local credit union understands that everyone’s financial goals and
situation is unique to them, and we want to help you achieve your goals,
whatever they may be!
Both are
dependable!Have you ever sat down with
a cup of tea and your favorite Christmas treat and NOT enjoyed yourself?Christmas cookies are dependable and tend to
make you feel good, and that’s exactly what your local credit union’s goal is,
too!Reliable, dependable, and
trustworthy are all words that can describe the member experience you will
receive visiting your local credit union!
What’s your
favorite Christmas cookie? Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @honorcu and
let us know using #askhonorcu!
Listen to 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill and Honor's Scott talk about the similarities between Christmas cookies and credit unions with two special guests!
First thing
you’re probably wondering is what the heck is a millennial? That’s an easy answer – anyone born between
1980 and the early 2000’s. A harder
question to answer is why this group of people has such trust issues regarding
their finances. Nearly 40% of this group
regularly worries about their finances, but 25% trust “no one!”* Credit unions
are here to help, and here are four reasons that millennials can (and SHOULD)
trust credit unions.
Credit
Unions are nonprofit organizations.What
this means for members, including those that fall in the millennial category is
that any profits made off of credit union’s financial products is reinvested
into the credit union, NOT put in the pocket of a select group of shareholders.
Credit
Unions want to educate members, not take advantage.It truly is in the best interest of the
credit union to have members that are confident with their finances and
educated on how to manage their money.More financial confidence and stability means less defaulted loans and
lower interest rates for the members!
Credit
Unions provide members the tools to succeed.On the same note as educating members, credit unions not only talk the
talk, but give members the tools they need to succeed.Contrary to some beliefs, credit unions have
many tech-savvy tools to help members manager their money and feel more
confident with their financial plan in whatever way suits them best.From the mobile app to mobile deposit
capture, there are many way that millennials can keep tabs on their finances and
still keep up with their busy demanding lives.
So many
millennials don’t think they even are eligible to join a credit union, like it’s
a special club that they haven’t been invited to.This could not be more wrong, especially at
Honor!Anyone in the great State of
Michigan, no matter their age can become an Honor Credit Union member!
Don’t forget
to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about
next week using #askhonorcu!
Listen to 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill and Honor's Scott talk more about millennials and why they should trust credit unions on Mason Jar Monday!
Especially this time of year when
consumer spending is at an all-time high, many Americans are looking for quick
and easy ways to add a little cash to their wallet to fill the gas tank, fit
all those bills in for the month, or simply put food on the table. If you are struggling to fit holiday shopping
in and still make ends meet, looking for some extra cash isn't a bad thing, but
here are a few traps to avoid*:
Payday loans – while getting a
small loan that you plan on paying back your next paycheck may sound simple
enough, there are usually HUGE catches.
The fees and interest rates on these types of loans can be massive,
leaving you in a bigger hole than you started in when you go to pay it back
with your next paycheck. These loans can
cycle out of control very quickly, so approaching your credit union for an
alternative that doesn't include those huge fees is a much safer bet. Low
balance loans, like Honor’s current Cash For Christmas loan special, can get
you the same result as a pay day loan with a better interest rate and a much
more reasonable repayment plan.
Car-title loans – like
payday loans, car title loans are small dollar amounts that can come with HUGE
interest and fees, but instead of holding your next paycheck hostage, they hold
your car title AND a set of keys hostage.
If when the amount of money you borrowed is due, you find yourself in
another situation, they can come and take possession of your car no questions
asked. Once again, come visit your
credit union if you find yourself even considering one of these types of loans
for a safer and smarter alternative.
Credit Card Advances – there is
a lot of confusion on the difference between
using your credit card for
purchases and taking cash advances on your credit card. Cash advances often come with a higher
interest rate and that interest starts accruing right away. If a credit card is your solution, it would
be wiser to make purchases with your card and make a plan to pay them back
quickly to avoid the cash advance trap.
If you find yourself in need of a few
extra bucks this Holiday season, or any season for that matter, make your local
credit union, like Honor Credit Union, your first stop. We can
help you assess your personal financial situation and come up with the best
scenario for you and your family!
Don’t forget
to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about
next week using #askhonorcu!
Listen to 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill and Honor's Scott talk about cash traps on Mason Jar Monday!
The holiday season is upon us, which
means additional shopping, spending, and traveling for many. These increased
transactions are looked at as a golden opportunity in the eyes of scammers. To
better keep our members protected and well-aware this holiday season, Honor has
put together a list of potential consumer scams to watch out for this shopping
season.
Home Delivery Scam
Scam: The homeowner finds a delivery notice on their front door
notifying of an "unsuccessful" attempted delivery which directs the
homeowner to call a number.
Prevention: Never call back nor provide any type of personal or financial
information. If you were expecting a delivery, research it further to find out
if it's legitimate.
Coupon Scam
Scam: Consumer responds to an offer for online coupons requiring
personal or financial information including card or password information.
Prevention: If responding to online coupons, never provide personal or
financial information including card or password information.
Fake Charity Scam
Scam: The consumer receives mail or in person to give money to a
charity. The letter or person asking for the donation doesn't give up. Don't
give money to a charity until the consumer has researched them. Take extra
caution when asked in person or at your home.
Prevention: Don't give money to a charity until the consumer has researched
them.
Gift Purchase Scam
Scam: Scammers advertise popular gifts on websites and social
networks, even if they don't actually have the popular items.
Prevention: Take extra caution when considering the purchase of a popular
item. Researching the website and social networks is a must.
Gift Card Scam
Scam: Consumer purchases a gift card on a online site or at a retail
location. When the gift card is used, there is no value on the card/card
number.
Prevention: Consider purchasing a gift card at your credit union. This will
help secure the value placed on the gift card when used.
Technology Support Scam
Scam: Consumer is contacted and advised to provide information because
of a threat to their computer/mobile device.
Prevention: Never provide any information when a technology support team is
contacting you. If you are having technical problems, the consumer should do
the contacting to the technology
support service.
Fraudulent/Fake Check Scam
Scam: One of the most popular scams involves scammers convincing
unwitting victims to accept fraudulent/fake checks. Checks are much higher than
the amount expected. Scammers then used a variety of creative, clever stories
to explain the compensation discrepancies and convince victim to send back
overpayment via cash-like payment methods or wire transfer.
Prevention: Never send funds back on any overpayment check.
Electronic Holiday Greeting
Card Scam
Scam: Clicking on a phony online greeting card can result in
downloading a keystroke logging program.
Prevention: Take extra caution before clicking on an online greeting card.
Check with the person who is sending it to confirm it was from that person.
You can also view this list and up to date fraud alerts on Honor's website. If you think you have been a suspect of fraud, contact your financial institution right away! If you are an Honor member, you can call our Member Solutions Center at 800.442.2800.
Don’t forget
to follow us on twitter @honorcu and let us know what you want to hear about
next week using #askhonorcu!
Listen to 97.5 Y-Country's Wild Bill and Honor's Scott talk about some holiday scams on Mason Jar Monday!
