SafeAmerica Credit Union

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• By Kevin Alvarez

Don’t Let Back-To-School Shopping Stress You Out

The National Retail Federation (NRF) is expecting this year’s back-to-school shopping season to be the most expensive ever.

Parents are feeling pressured to overspend and many are worried about hitting the stores this year. The good news is that with a little planning, you can successfully manage these additional expenses while managing your stress.

According to their survey, K-12 families will be spending about $36.9 billion in back-to-class spending. An average of of $846 per household while back-to-college spending is expected to reach $73.9 billion, an average of $1,199 per household both. the highest ever recorded by the NRF.

Here are three steps you can take to plan for the upcoming back-to-school shopping season:

1. Make A Plan Before You Shop

Take some time to assess your financial situation. GreenPath’s budgeting worksheet is a great way to get started, click here to view and download. Once you have good handle on your current financial state, determine how much you truly feel comfortable spending.

2. Take Stock of What You Have Versus What You Need

Prioritize your needs list. What do you need to buy before school starts and what can you purchase later? What really needs to be replaced versus what can be reused? If new clothes are a need, many stores will be clearing their shelves to makes way for winter clothing. This is a good time to stock up at a discount.

3. Avoid Impulse Buys

Take your needs list with you and stick to it. If your kids will be shopping with you, share the list with them beforehand. Better yet, have them help you create it.

If they want something that isn't in the budget, offer them the option to chip in their own money. Generation Z has become more involved than previous generations and are spending more of their own money on back-to-school supplies. Teaching your children about finances plays a critical role in forming a healthy attitude about money and setting them up for long-term success.

2022 Back-To-School Webinar Trends - (Webinar Recording)

Information brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

Greenpath Financial Wellness

Sources:
National Retail Federation Trends

• By Kevin Alvarez

Coping with Inflation

Inflation continues to put pressure on household budgets. From groceries to gas, record-breaking inflation means the purchasing power of your money is decreasing each month. Below you will find guidance on how to best navigate a time with high inflation.

1. Take Inventory of your full financial picture. Has your household income changed? have you adjusted your budget for rising groceries, transportation, or other expenses? Check your existing budget to see where you stand and where your money is going. If you don't have a budget, it can help to create a simple spending plan or roadmap of monthly expenses. A good place to start is to use resources like a budgeting worksheet track your monthly income against current expenses.

2. Continue to build an emergency fund to tap into when unexpected circumstances arise like a medical expense or costly home repair. An emergency fund helps reduce the chance of taking on debt to cover an unplanned expense. It might be tempting to pause monthly savings as rising prices take a bigger bite out of your monthly budget, but resist the urge. Put savings on auto pilot with each paycheck. Even a small amount will add up over time.

3. Prioritize monthly spending in a time of rising prices. Rethink certain monthly expenses such as subscription or streaming services. According to researchers, the average household has 4.5 streaming services and spends an average of $55 on them per month. This may not seem like much, yet $55 a month adds up to more than $600 per year. If you’re trying to cut expenses in the face of higher prices, ditching underused subscriptions can be a good place to start. As essentials get more expensive, figure out your new baseline. Limit credit card use and curb discretionary spending (dining out, entertainment). GreenPath’s Aligning Priorities workbook can help you make these decisions.

4. Monitor debt, especially as interest rates rise. Paying off high-interest credit card debt saves you money in interest, improves your credit score, and frees up room in your budget. Choose a debt payoff strategy that works for your situation. Consider GreenPath’s Debt Management Plan which helps you pay off unsecured debt in 3 to 5years. GreenPath can work with many creditors to bring your ac-counts current, lower interest rates, and eliminate fees.

5. Shop smart. Research the best sales, coupons, and specials, especially on products that are low in inventory. Check dollar stores for deals on household items and stock up on those items where possible. Bulk retailers or wholesale clubs might be a good way to stock up on items in large quantities for a lower per-use cost. Strategically plan your higher-cost purchases. Swap out brand-name items for generic as much as possible.

6. Keep tabs on your credit history. In times of rising prices, it pays to keep tabs on credit history, which is used to calculate your credit scores. The three digit number of your credit score helps determine whether lenders approve you for new credit and what interest rates they offer. Annualcreditreport.com is a trusted “one-stop-shop” to check your reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – the three industry-standard credit bureaus. You can also work with GreenPath to review your credit history.

7. Get independent guidance from a nonprofit financial counseling agency like GreenPath. Counselors look at your entire financial picture to help you ease financial stress and uncertainty, through access to clear information and a personalized action plan.

Information brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

GreenPath Financial Wellness

• By Kevin Alvarez

What To Do If Your Credit has Fallen – Five Tips

Your credit score can affect your life in a lot of ways, from whether you are eligible for a loan or credit card, or qualified for a security clearance. If your credit score has fallen or you want to improve your credit score, these tips can get you started.

What is A Credit Score?

A credit score uses historical information about a person’s past use of credit to calculate the likelihood that they will pay back what they owe on time and in full. Credit scores are used to determine qualification for borrowing money as a loan or on a credit card, and they can affect your interest rates, insurance premiums, leases, or eligibility for a job or security clearance. 

Ranging from a low of 300 to a high of 850 (sometimes referred to as “perfect credit”), credit scores are calculated based on payment history, amount owed, length of credit history, types of credit used, and new applications for credit. 

In general, a score of 660 and above would make a borrower eligible for credit with favorable interest rates. A score below 600 may result in difficulty getting approved for credit and is likely to be subject to high-interest rates.  

If you don’t know your credit score, you might be able to find it on your bank or loan statement or credit card bill. You can also purchase your credit score directly from one of the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian or Transunion. Click here for a Credit Score Guide

5 Tips to Improve Your Credit Score

#1. Get Your Payment in Before The Buzzer

Paying your bills on time is the biggest single factor used to calculate your credit score. Late payments (even a couple of days), past due accounts and accounts in collections, have a negative impact on your credit. Regular, on-time payment of the minimum amount (or greater) will improve your credit score. A positive payment history in the range of 18 months or longer will begin to show results in a growing credit score.

If you are falling behind on your bills, look for ways to get back on track. Use a monthly budget to plan your spending and make sure that your bills are covered. Automated payments can also help you avoid late fees and ensure on-time payment. If you know you will miss a due date, call your credit card company or lender. They may be able to help by moving your due date out.

#2. Pay off Debt

How much you owe is another big factor in calculating your credit score. If you have a large amount of debt or are carrying balances on credit accounts for long periods of time, it can negatively affect your score. Paying off the debt will help improve your credit score.

Start by prioritizing your budget to pay down your debt. Look for places you can redirect non-essential spending to pay extra on your credit accounts. A credit counselor can walk you through different options for dealing with debt and may be able to help you pay it off more quickly.

#3 All Things in Moderation - Use 30% or Less of Your Credit Limit

The amount of credit you use (also called credit utilization) also affects your score. Our financial counselors suggest using less than 30 to 40% of your available credit. Spending above that threshold, maxing out your credit, or carrying high balances relative to your credit limit will cause your score to fall. However, regularly using small amounts of credit and paying it off will increase your score. Generally speaking, having credit cards or installment loans and paying them on time and in full will improve your credit score over time. People without established credit typically receive lower credit scores. 

If you are using more of your credit limit than you would like, take a look at how and why you are using credit can help you make adjustments in your budget and spending choices to reduce your reliance on credit.

#4 Talk to A Credit Counselor

Talking to a credit counselor won’t have a direct effect on your credit score, but it can give you insight and information that you can use to improve your credit. We will work with you to understand your financial situation, explore different options, and make a personalized plan. We can help you review and understand your credit report. If debt is preventing you from making progress, we can help you explore debt management plans and other options that can accelerate your path forward. 93% of people who talk to us leave the conversation with a plan for achieving their goal.

#5 Stick with It! Credit Building is a Long-Distance Run

A history of credit that you have paid back on time and accounts that you have held for five years or longer have a positive effect on your credit score. Quickly opening multiple accounts, suddenly carrying balances for a sustained period, or even closing unused accounts have a negative effect on your score.

Events like foreclosure and bankruptcy, while they serve a very important purpose for those with severe debt, have a significant and lengthy impact on your credit score. (We are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice. If you are considering one of these options, we encourage you to consult a legal professional and to investigate other alternatives as well.)

Your credit score is based on patterns over time, with an emphasis on more recent information. Improving credit and rebuilding a credit score that has fallen will take some patience, but it can be done! Credit scores can and do change.

Help is Here

When it comes to building your credit history, you don’t have to do it alone. Through our partnership with GreenPath Financial Wellness, you have direct resources for improving your financial wellness, including FREE financial counseling.

Learn more by clicking the button below.

GreenPath Financial Wellness

GreenPath Financial Wellness

• By Kevin Alvarez

What to Know About Financial Hardships

Financial stress can be a very uncomfortable issue to deal with. The process of regaining financial control seems like a steep climb but as with any problem, finding guidance with your financial hardship can provide the framework towards regaining control.

If you're struggling to pay your bills every month, you might be dealing with a financial hardship.

What is a Financial Hardship?

A hardship can be defined in a few different ways and usually depends on a number of factors.  Typically, a hardship refers to a situation in which you cannot keep up with your financial obligations due to a circumstance that is beyond your control.

What Causes a Financial Hardship?

There are many reasons for a financial hardship and more often than none, they happen to be a result from an uncontrollable life circumstance. Some of the common reasons for a financial hardship include:

  • Loss of job
  • A cut in hours or pay
  • Divorce of death of a spouse
  • Injury or medical illness
  • Unexpected events/family matters

Common Signs

There are also a handful of identifiers that can serve as a warning that you may be headed for financial distress such as:

  • Not making the minimum payments on financial obligations
  • Continuously making late payments
  • High credit utilization (high credit balances)
  • Using services as payday loans and/or cash advances
  • Using credit to pay for daily essentials
  • Lack of emergency funds

Acting on the warning signs will serve as a preventative strategy that will allow you to plan, organize and eliminate the possibility of falling into a financial nightmare. Simply doing the corrective measures of the previous mentioned warning signs will place you into a better financial position.

Financial Hardship

What To Do

If you experience a sudden change of income, it is often recommended to create a baseline budget that will cover all of your priorities. Writing out your priorities, in order of importance, and labeling them as such, will provide understanding on which priorities have a certain amount of flexibility. While it is never easy, making the needed budget cuts will allow you to keep the baseline income flowing into your priorities.

Speaking to your lender/financial institution about your specific circumstance will help determine the best solution for you and can provide some financial relief when it’s needed most. There may also be other programs and resources in your community that could be taken advantage of.

SafeAmerica Can Help

As a member of SafeAmerica Credit Union we have resources available to assist you.

Begin the process of a healthy and stress-free financial way of living through our nonprofit partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness. They can assist with:

  • Creating a debt management plan
  • Financial Counseling
  • Housing Services
  • Student Loan Counseling
  • Credit Report Review
  • Financial Education
GreenPath Financial Wellness

Financial hardships are deemed as a last resort resource and are not structured to be supplemental to any variations of money saving methods. To increase the possibility of being accepted for a financial hardship, one should be able to provide details and/or documents from resources they took advantage of before making contact for a financial hardship.

Important Links

GreenPath Financial Wellness
Foreclosure Prevention Strategies
Financial Hardship Assistance

If you need insight, guidance or a plan of action with your SafeAmerica Credit Union loan, our collections department is available at CollectionsDepartment@safeamerica.com.

• By Kevin Alvarez

How to Plan for Back to School Expenses in a Time of COVID-19

Information brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

As families track the latest news about their communities K-12 reopening plans, it’s clear this is a school year like no other – especially as families plan for back to school expenses.

Will students return in the classroom? Will a K-12 student school year involve a mix of online and in-class learning? Or will school districts mandate that the school year be online, virtual learning?

A national organization that monitors retail activity shows that households tentatively plan to spend a record amount to prepare students for school and college. If districts aren’t providing laptops, many families will buy laptops and computer accessories in anticipation that at least some classes will take place online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The retail survey shows that parents with children in elementary school through high school anticipate spending an average of $789.49 per family, topping the previous record of $696.70 they said they would spend last year.

While it isn’t a typical year when it comes to back to school shopping tips, with the right information, families can reduce their stress.

6 Steps to Plan for Back to School Expenses

The good news is that with a little planning, you can successfully manage additional expenses even in the midst of a pandemic.

As you plan for back to school expenses, shared here are six steps you can take.

1. Check in with your school district.

Whether preparing for online or in person, be sure your spending plan reflects what technology tools might be needed. Watch the news or local websites to keep tabs on what your district is planning for back to school. Check with your district if they will be providing school-aged children with laptops or other technology.

2. Think about your spending plan.

The pandemic has changed household finances, given unexpected loss or changes in monthly income. GreenPath’s budgeting worksheet is a great way to get a handle on the situation in terms of tracking income against expenses. Once you have a good handle on your current financial state, determine how much you truly feel comfortable spending.

3. Is it a “want” or a “need?”

Prioritize your needs list. What do you need to buy before school starts and what can you purchase later?

When thinking about virtual learning, does the family already have access to high-speed internet and a family computer, or are these items that need to be purchased? Will your district provide needed technology? What really needs to be replaced or what can be reused?

If new clothes are a need, watch for sales or online stores offering the most competitive pricing.

4. Avoid impulse buys.

Whether heading to the computer store to support online learning or buying a new backpack, stick with the plan.

Make it a family affair. Write out the shopping list together. If the kids want something that isn’t in the budget, offer them the option to chip in their own money.

Look at school shopping as an opportunity to get kids more involved or even suggest spending more of their own money on back-to-school supplies.

5. Watch those credit card balances.

If you use a consumer credit card, keep a close tab on the balances. This can be a simple process of assembling printed receipts in an envelope after each shopping outing. That way you’ll have a clear reminder of the credit card balances as they are incurred.

6. Consider teaming with a helpful resource.

Families looking for additional support before they head to the stores this fall have another option.

GreenPath’s professional, caring Financial Wellness Experts will assist you in assessing your financial situation and guide you to create a personalized plan to achieve your goals.

GreenPath works with thousands of people each week to pay off debt, improve credit, and lead a financially healthy life. When looking ahead to an uncertain school year, it’s helpful to start a conversation with a GreenPath a Financial Expert.

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