Credit Union Blog

Nearly half of cardholders (47%) reported that their personal information was exposed in a data breach over the last year, with 14% experiencing this more than once. Consumers may want to take stronger steps in protecting their identity to avoid being a victim. Credit card comparison site CompareCards offers these tips:

“Where does it all go?” is a question asked by many working Americans who seem hard-pressed to save any money toward emergencies and retirement. However, the answer may be steaming in our hands each morning.

In today's hyper-connected world, and especially now during the global pandemic, it's important to think about a new, improved digital you. Cyber scams related to COVID-19 are online, but by taking some smart, simple steps, you can greatly impact the safety and security of your online identity, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

The coronavirus situation has created a number of new challenges for our society. Among other things, many people are now facing the reality of a reduced household cash flow. If you're accustomed to operating with a set budget for your monthly expenses, you've no doubt seen how it affects your efforts to make ends meet, but if you've never really put it down on paper, now may be the time to get started. While it might seem like a daunting task at first, once you have a budget in place you'll find how it makes everything easier, and maybe even wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

While the coronavirus situation has brought an upheaval to society, it also presents a perfect opportunity for fraudsters to deploy scams upon the general public. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received reports of text message campaigns and phone robocalls offering bogus cures and other virus-related items, all with the intent of scamming the consumer.

Consumers can almost tell what time of year and month it is by the seasonal sales advertisements. We live in an age where there are literally “shopping holidays” such as Black Friday. We all know that one occurs the day after Thanksgiving, and the savings can be huge. Other industries also promote certain times to buy. Real estate tends to be hot during the summer months because families often want their children to start fresh at the beginning of the school year.

Dealerships are one of the last strongholds of pure price negotiation. Negotiating a price on a new truck, however, isn't like deciding on a price with a private seller; the dynamic of negotiating at a dealership is much different. A truck salesperson deals with hundreds of negotiations every year and they really know their stuff, while the average person shopping for a new truck only does so once every several years. 

While casual dress codes are gaining ground in the workplace, job applicants shouldn't put away their power suits just yet, according to research from global staffing firm Accountemps.

For many people, texting is the favored – and sometimes only – way to connect with friends and family. Now research from Robert Half Technology suggests that it may also be a common communication method between employers and job candidates.

More and more travelers are returning home missing something of significance, according to a national survey on traveling with jewelry conducted by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group.