Summer is upon us, and if you have a family, a lengthy vacation might be time prohibitive. Maybe it’s more feasible to pack the entire summer full of fun activities! So we’ve taken it upon ourselves to throw a few low or no-cost summer activities out there for you. So, get ready for to have some summer fun…family-style! Continue reading ‘Family Fun…the Whole Summer!’ »
Family Fun…the Whole Summer!
Get On Your Way to Financial Freedom, and Win a $250 Gift Card!
Everyone could use a $250 Gift Card, right? We’ve got an easy way for you to win one…and to become educated and inspired about finances at the same time!
On Your Way is a website allows young adults to learn from the experiences of their peers as well as from traditional sources. It provides a wide variety of tools to help young adults learn to manage their financial affairs effectively. On Your Way shows how to “get there” when it comes to achieving financial hopes and dreams.
Now, use your Facebook sign on, “like” and “share” the informative financial articles and blogs across your Facebook page. The more times you “like” or “share”, the more points you will earn towards a $250 Gift Card!
The contest will run until June 15th. Visit daily to increase your changes of winning, increase your awareness of financial issues, and to explore the many products offered by your credit union to help you a long the way.
Who couldn’t use $250? Start earning and learning today! START HERE!
Tips For Planning The Perfect Family Vacation
“Perfect” family vacation? Well, maybe not. There’s always those fun mishaps along the way that make for great memories. But, it is possible to prepare and make it a family vacation for the books!
Here are some great planning tips:
1- Have a Discussion about expectations with your children. let them know where you’re going, the activities you’re planning, and the behavior you expect out of them. This can nip a lot of issues in the bud!
2- You Can Make It Special by allowing everyone in the family to choose one activity they would like to do while on vacation. This will make it special for everyone! Continue reading ‘Tips For Planning The Perfect Family Vacation’ »
Kentucky Derby Fun Facts
It’s Kentucky Derby time here in Louisville, and the world’s eyes are upon us! For two minutes (give or take a few seconds), our hearts will stop as we wait to see which horse crosses the finish line first.
On the first Saturday in May, everyone is a horse racing fan. Here are a few fun facts about the Derby (compiled by Wesley Eversole at KYForward) that you may, or may not, already know… Continue reading ‘Kentucky Derby Fun Facts’ »
Combating Credit Card Fraud
Who carries cash anymore? We all use our credit and debit cards for almost everything: grocery shopping, dining out, ordering a pizza, shopping online. We throw the plastic around like it’s an extension of our arms!
And because of the increased use of credit cards, there is now an increased chance of credit card fraud. So what can we do to prevent it?
The FTC gives us some great tips for preventing fraud:
- Don’t give your account number to anyone on the phone unless you’ve made the call to a company you know to be reputable. If you’ve never done business with them before, do an online search first for reviews or complaints.
- Carry your cards separately from your wallet. It can minimize your losses if someone steals your wallet or purse. And carry only the card you need for that outing.
- During a transaction, keep your eye on your card. Make sure you get it back before you walk away.
- Never sign a blank receipt. Draw a line through any blank spaces above the total.
- Save your receipts to compare with your statement.
- Open your bills promptly — or check them online often — and reconcile them with the purchases you’ve made.
- Report any questionable charges to the card issuer.
- Notify your card issuer if your address changes or if you will be traveling.
- Don’t write your account number on the outside of an envelope.
If you notice any unusual activity on your card, report it immediately to the issuer of the card.
Are you a Park Community member? You can keep up with the latest Fraud Alerts on our website!
Financial Spring Cleaning
Spring is FINALLY in the air, and we all know what that means. Time to start fresh with a strong round of Spring cleaning! But while you’re tidying the house, why not give your finances a good Spring cleaning, as well? After all, April IS Financial Literacy month.
Here are some tips to get you started:
-Check Your Wallet/Purse. There may be a hidden treasure of receipts or other small documents you may need, and all they’re doing now is stretching the seems! Why not start scanning them so that you have a digital record of what you spend?
-Find Unused Gift Cards. Statistically, the average person has $300 of unused gift cards laying around the house. If you’re not going to use them, consider selling them. Craigslist and eBay are good places to accomplish that. Or, try a site such as Gift Card Rescue.
-Shred! Go around the house and shred all those old documents you no longer need, but are taking up valuable space. You may also discover old bills that got lost, but need to be paid. This may help you save $$$ on late fees.
These are just a few ideas to get you started.
Visit our Financial Learning center for more help with you finances.
What Are You Doing With Your Tax refund?
So, you spent weeks and months worrying about doing your taxes, and when you finally finished them, you found out you have some moola coming back from Uncle Sam! (If you haven’t done your taxes yet, don’t forget you get get Turbo Tax at a discount through Park Community HERE)
So, what are you doing with the refund? Taking a vacation? Home improvements? Fancy dinner? Well, no matter what you do with it, congratulations…you earned it!
Did you know Park Community has a Tax Refund Share Certificate? That’s right! If you want to give your tax refund a lift, open a Tax Refund Share Certificate today! Choose from a 48-month certificate that pays 1.50% apy* or the 60-month certificate which pays 1.75% apy*. It’s available as both a Regular and IRA certificate, but it’s only available for a limited time. Call or visit your local branch to open a Tax Refund Share Certificate.
Find out more HERE, or come in and visit us for details. And again….congratulations on the refund!
*Annual Percentage Yield. Rates as of March 19, 2013. Minimum deposit $500. If not withdrawn, certificate will automatically renew to a standard 48 or 60-month certificate. Penalty for early withdrawal. Limited time offer.
When Is It Time to Get a Newer Car?
There’s something to be said about hanging on to a car until it can go no further. No car payments. Sentimental value. No car payments. (Did we already say that one?)
But, there also comes a time when trading up to a newer model may make more sense. Here are a few reasons it may be time to do just that:
-Insurance: Many times, it’s less expensive to insure a newer model because of updated safety equipment and reliability.
-Gas Mileage: With gas prices bouncing between $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon, with no relief in site, buying a newer, more fuel efficient model may make sense.
-Repair Costs: How much is that older car costing you in routine, and not-so-routine, maintenance?
-Peace of Mind: Are you worried about that car breaking down while you, or a loved one, is driving it? Peace of mind is an immeasurable factor!
-Great Finance Deals: When the above factors are taken in, current deals on financing a newer model car may make it hard to resist going for it!
Did you know Park Community Members have a great opportunity through March 31, 2013 to get a great deal on used vehicles during the Spring it On event? Check it out HERE!
Tips For Managing Your Checking Account
Whether you use online bill pay, or still enjoy writing checks, managing your checking account can still be a monumental task. But, there are simple ways to make sure you maintain a positive balance, and make your banking experience stress-free!
-Non-check Transactions: Make sure to record these transactions, such as withdrawing cash from an ATM or getting extra cash back from your debit card at the cash register.
-Record Your Checks! This seems like a no-brainer…but it’s the easiest to forget!
-Transposing Numbers: Be careful…when recording a check manually, it’s easy to write $545 instead of $554!
-Laziness: Sometimes it’s easier to leave off the “cents” when balancing manually. Don’t do it!
-Putting off Reconciliation: Our memories aren’t like they used to be! The longer you put it off, the easier it is to make mistakes.
These are just a few of the mistakes that can send our checking accounts plummeting into a bottomless pit of chaos. But the good news is it’s easy to correct…especially if you catch the mistakes early enough!
Are you familiar with the Checkright program offered to Park Community Members?
Among other things, the program will help you learn how to:
- Open an account
- Write checks
- Make deposits
- Reconcile your account
- Create a spending plan
And, if you have questions about checking accounts that are tailored to your needs, find out more HERE.
Press Release: Ben Rhodes Becomes Spokesperson for Park Community Federal Credit Union
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (February 21st, 2013) –Fresh off his second-place finish in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series UNOH Battle At The Beach event at Daytona International Speedway (FL), Ben Rhodes, on his 16th birthday, has signed a partnership with Park Community Federal Credit Union. Headquartered in Rhodes’ home town of Louisville, Kentucky, Park Community provides a full range of financial products for the Louisville Metro Area and beyond.
Rhodes will carry the Park Community logo in all events he races in during the 2013-2014 season, which includes the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, and UARA-STARS Late Model Stock tour. He will also make promotional appearances at Park Community branches this year.
“We are excited to bring Ben on as a spokesperson for Park Community,” said Jim Spradlin, President/CEO. “We have been impressed with his demeanor on and off the race track. He is such a great individual and represents Park Community Federal Credit Union’s family values.”
“I am looking forward to working with Park Community Federal Credit Union and being a spokesperson for their company,” said Rhodes. “They are well known and have a great reputation in our community. I appreciate their support of my racing career and look forward to being a part of their marketing program.”
To keep up to date on Ben Rhodes’ racing career at visit www.benrhodesinc.com, follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/benrhodesinc and Twitter at www.twitter.com/benrhodesinc.