SafeAmerica Credit Union

education

• By Kevin Alvarez

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

As a SafeAmerica Credit Union member, we want you to be armed with the tools you need to keep yourself safe on the internet. Protecting your financial information is important, you already know that. But it's a good time to remind ourselves about cybersecurity and protecting our identity too.  There are tools and tips we can all use and put to good use when we're on the web.

A Little About Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Held every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, is a collaborative effort that reaches from the White House to individuals to raise awareness about cybersecurity and to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to be safe and secure online. As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, October is the ideal time to learn about your cyber presence and the role cybersecurity plays in keeping you and your friends and family safe and secure.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) lead a collaborative effort to raise cybersecurity awareness nationally and internationally.

Cybercrime

Cybercrime is defined as any crime committed electronically, such as theft, fraud and even physical threats and endangerment. It is important to know your cyber basics and know how to take action to protect yourself. Being safe on the computer is similar to being safe in your daily routine. You would not leave your car unlocked in the middle of a crowded city, so why not apply those same safety principles to your online life?

Physical Cyber Attacks - What Are They?

Cyber attacks do not always have to come from the internet, and malware can hide easily on some of the data storage devices we trust and use daily. Physical cyber attacks use hardware, external storage devices or other physical types of attacks to infect, damage or otherwise compromise digital systems. The attack can hitch a ride on USB storage devices or flash drives, CDs, hard copies of video games and Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as smartphones, smart watches and even signal devices such as key fobs.

 

Why Should I Care About Cybersecurity?

These kinds of attacks are frighteningly versatile, challenging to identify and detect and painfully difficult to remove. Always try to keep track of where your storage devices have been, and do not plug "lost-and-found" USB drives into your computer. Keep your personal and workplace data storage and other devices separate to avoid transferring malware from one system to another, just like washing your hands to prevent the flu from spreading!

cybersecurity

Password Tips

One of the first lines of defense for keeping your information safe online is the use of a password.

  • Use different passwords on different accounts. One of the leading causes of unauthorized access to accounts is the reuse of login credentials
  • Use the longest password allowed. The longer and more complicated a password is, the harder it will be for someone to access your accounts. Use 11 characters or more, a short sentence or a mix of letters, symbols and numbers to strengthen your passwords.
  • Reset your password every few months. Reset your passwords regularly, especially when these passwords allow access to confidential accounts, such as banking or medical data. It is vital to reset passwords as it takes most companies an average of six months to notice that a data breach has happened. By the time a data breach is reported, a threat actor could already be using and/or selling your data.
  • Use a password manager. With just one master password, a password manager can generate and retrieve passwords for every account that you have – encrypting and protecting your online information, including credit card numbers and their three-digit Card Verification Value (CVV) codes, answers to security questions and more.

Ways to Protect Yourself

  1. Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFRA)
    You need more than a password to protect your online accounts, and enabling MFA make you significantly less likely to get hacked.
  2. Use a strong password
    Use passwords that are long, unique, and randomly generated.
  3. Recognize and Report Phishing Attacks
    If a link looks a little off, think before you click.
  4. Update Your Software
    Don't delay — if you see a software updated notification, act promptly.
  5. Staying safe on Social Media
    Use discretion when you post, Your posts will be on the internet forever. Limit what you post online. Do not share your personal information. Turn location notification off and only post what you feel safe and comfortable sharing.
  6. Identity Theft and Internet Scams
    A common internet scam is identity theft, leaving your bank account, credit card or even your social media profile vulnerable. The most important thing you can do is keep your personal information to yourself — avoid providing personal information to any unknown sources or acquaintances.
  7. Working From Home
    With the large shift from tradition to remote work since 2020, people must secure their devices with usernames, passwords and MFA to protect personal and professional information.
  8. Protecting Your Digital Home
    Every year, more of our home devices, like thermostats, door locks and lighting, are connected to the internet to create a smart home. These advances in technology improve efficiency and safety but pose a new set of security risks.

You're Safe With Us

SafeAmerica Credit Union takes your cybersecurity very seriously. We have plans and processes in place to keep your financial information safe. You can rest-assured your accounts are safe with us.

Educational Videos

• By Kevin Alvarez

The 5 Factors That Affect Your Credit Score (And Simple Ways to Boost Them!)

Information is brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

Whether you’re looking to get your first credit card for everyday expenses or take out a mortgage to purchase your first home, credit is an essential tool for helping people to meet their financial goals.

When applying for a line of credit, the higher your credit score, the more likely you will be to qualify, and the more options you will have available to you.

Here, we’ll breakdown the 5 factors that affect your credit — in order of most heavily weighted to least—and the simple  yet effective steps you can take to give your score a boost.

Understand Your Current Credit SnapShot.

Federal law requires each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies -Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -provide you a free credit report every 12 months if you ask for it. While these reports don't contain your actual score, they can be very helpful in identifying what might be affecting it (as well as any inaccurate information that may need correcting). Request yours at annualcreditreport.com.

1. Payment History (35%)

Payment history 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 all have a negative impact on your credit. Regular, on-time payment of the minimum amount (or greater) will improve your credit score. A non-time payment history in the range of 18 months or longer will begin to show results in a growing credit score.

Set up automatic payments.

If your late payments are due to forgetfulness, this is the easiest way to ensure you never miss a future payment.

Change your billing due date.

Suppose you have multiple bills due on the same day of the month. In that case, it may be worth changing your payment due date to align better with your personal situation (e.g.,spacing out bills to make them more manageable, or ensuring your payment date is after an income deposit date.)

Explore hardship/deferment options.

If you’re having trouble making ends meet, call your creditors and request a forbearance or payment deferral. They may also be able to waive late fees or even allow a lower payment for a period of time.

2. Amount Owed (30%)

Your credit utilization is determined by the amount you owe—not relative to your income but, compared to the total credit limit available to you, expressed as a percentage.(For example, if your card balance is $600 and you have a spending limit of $2,500, your credit utilization is $600/$2,500 or 24%.) As a rule of thumb, your credit utilization should be no more than 30.

Quick Tips for Improving Amount Owed:

Pay down your balance early.

If you can make small payments throughout the month, this can help keep your balance down and lower your credit utilization.

Decrease spending.

Find areas where you can cut back on spending to lower your utilization. Our Prioritizing Expenses Worksheet can help you to determine what to cut.

Ask for a credit line increase.

Increasing your credit limit is the simplest way to decrease your credit utilization with out having to cut back on spending.

3. Length of Credit History (15%)

Although not the most heavily weighted category, the length of a borrower’s credit history is important. It’s an indication to the financial institutions what kind of borrower you maybe in the future. In addition to the overall time an individual has had credit accounts open, credit history is also determined by how long specific types of accounts have been open, and how long it’s been since those accounts have been used.

Quick Tips for Improving Credit History:

Get a secured credit card.

Backed by a cash deposit, a secured credit card can be an excellent low-risk way for those who have not had a credit card previously to start building credit.

Keep credit cards open.

Closing a credit card can negatively affect your score. If you have cards you aren’t using, placing a small recurring charge on them (such as a phone bill or streaming subscription) can help to keep the card active while keeping your overall credit utilization low.

4. Credit Mix (10%)

Credit mix is determined by looking at the types of credit you are carrying (this includes credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, mortgage loans,etc.) as well as your payment history in each area.

Quick Tips for Improving Mix:

Explore loan options that work best for you.

Your credit mix isn’t the most impactful category, and you shouldn’t pursue loans unless they make sense for you and your personal needs. In fact, you may already have a fair credit mix—things like credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, and mortgage loans are all considered different types of credit.

Make sure you pay loans on time.

A good credit mix is moot if you aren’t making timely payments–ensure you are making at least the minimum payments on your outstanding loans each month.

5. New Credit (10%)

Research shows that opening several credit accounts in a short amount of time represents a more significant risk—especially for people who don’t have an established credit history.

Quick Tips for New Credit:

Open new credit accounts only as needed.

Every time you apply for a new credit card,this creates a hard inquiry on your credit,which will automatically lower your score. Having more credit than needed can also encourage unnecessary spending and lead to increased debt.

Understand how hard inquiries show upon your report for different types of loans.

While multiple inquiries over a short time frame for credit cards may result insignificant score damage, other types of inquiries—such as home or auto loans—are reported a little differently. Since lenders know people often shop around, these types of inquiries won’t hit your report for 30 days, and when they do,they’ll be counted as a singular inquiry.

So, there you have it. If you implement these tips, you should start to see a gradual increase in your credit score. Remember: Your credit score is based on patterns over time, with an emphasis on more recent information. Improving credit won’t happen overnight, but with persistence and consistency, your score should gradually improve over time!

Free Credit Report Review

Need some extra help navigating your credit report? GreenPath’s NFCC-certified credit counselors can walk you through a free review of your credit report. They’ll explain how to read the report and help you to make a plan for managing your credit score to support your goals.

Learn More

• By Kevin Alvarez

Today Marks the First Federal Juneteenth Holiday

June 19 is now officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, a US federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

It commemorates June 19, 1865: the day that Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and told slaves of their emancipation. That day came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Even after Lincoln declared all enslaved people free on paper, that hadn't necessarily been the case in practice.

Because June 19 falls on a Saturday this year, most federal employees will observe the holiday on Friday, June 18 in the U.S. The law makes Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday.

Juneteenth serves as a day of remembrance for those who made sacrifices in the name of freedom and to recognize the progress that has been made in our nation through the power of community and the work it takes to make change.

To learn more about Juneteenth, click here.

Juneteenth

• By Kevin Alvarez

SafeAmerica Credit Union 68th Anniversary

May 20, 2021 marks our 68th anniversary, from starting with ten Safeway Employees to now 35,800 members strong today! Those ten Safeway employees came together in 1953 with the goal to create a financial cooperative that would benefit their coworkers with savings and low interest loans. By May 20th 1953, the formal approval was given and the rest has been nothing but great history.

We would not be able to reach this great accomplishment without our members and employees from both past and present. We have learned, grown and will continue to evolve.

Thank you all for allowing us to serve and assist you in reaching all your financial goals. From home and auto loans, to checking and Visa cards as well as many other services we offer. We have done our best and will continue to be as resourcefully available to you as possible.

Thank you for 68 years
Here’s to many more
and
remember
You are safe with us

Learn more about our history by clicking here

• By Kevin Alvarez

Understanding and Preparing a Savings Account – Financial Literacy Month

Have you been keeping an eye out on the housing market? What about the auto industry? Well before you can purchase your first home or a brand new car, taking control and understanding your debt is needed. The journey of reaching your next financial goal may sound like a daunting task, but having the understanding of what it will take to reach those goals is the mindset to strive for. Through then, you can create short term goals which will assist with building up to the overall financial goal.

In order to be properly set for the financial path forward, there are a few initial organizational concepts that need to be accounted for first.

Understanding Your Monthly Income

Do you know the difference between net pay and gross pay? Net pay is the amount you take home AFTER pay roll deductions and tax with holdings have been made. Gross pay is the amount that is shown BEFORE tax deductions like state tax, federal tax and social security.

The number to be aware of is your net pay. As the amount of money you are actually taking home is known and acknowledged, you can create a budget from a true dollar amount and track accurate financial habits.

Understanding and Cutting Your Spending Habits

Are you aware of any habits that add a burden to your wallet? When it comes to finding where you can save money, coffee is a common expense people adjust first. You don’t have to cut coffee completely, but you can easily save by making coffee from home. Purchasing coffee from your favorite café is costly compared to a home brewed pot which could even save you time, eliminate transportation costs and reduce the cost of coffee itself.

Gym passes are also a typical expense that could be adjusted to aggressively save. There may be a numerous amount of reasons for a gym pass, yet there is an equal amount of alternatives that could be implemented in order to save. Switching to a home workout and using online videos and blogs can provide structure to your workout all while saving again, on transportation costs, time and of course, gym fees.

These are both conceptual ideas that could translate to other aspects of monthly expenses, in order to start cutting your spending habits.

Understanding Your Saving Habits

Now that you understand your spending, you can focus on your savings habits and take advantage of different accounts that pay dividends at better rates than traditional big banks. Your typical savings account at a big bank does not offer the same interest rates as a credit union, so it’s often advised to open either a Share Certificate Account or Money Market Account to maximize your monthly savings through dividends.

Understanding How to Move Forward

Everyone’s financial situation is different and some situations require to pay debt down aggressively, with a small consistent stream going into savings. It is recommended to do both collectively even if the monthly deposited savings amount is small. As a member of SafeAmerica Credit Union you have numerous resources readily available to help keep you, financially on track. Being financially healthy is a goal in and of itself and allows the path to financial milestones to present themselves. Keeping to strict saving and spending habits allows you to keep debt down and reach your financial goals.

Learn how you can use a Share Certificate to your advantage as well as the liquidity of a Money Market below.

Share Certificates
Money Market

• By Kevin Alvarez

Financial Tools for Success – Financial Literacy Month

Information is brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

April is Financial Literacy Month –  a good time to consider the importance of financial literacy education, especially with the economic uncertainties caused by the ongoing pandemic. Continuing our series of blogs sharing information as part of Financial Literacy Month, the focus today is on finding the right financial tools for success – whether the resources help us with budgeting, setting financial goals, or managing credit card debt, loans, or other debt.

Check out these financial tools to begin understanding options to figure out your finances.

Financial Calculators

A healthy financial future begins with an understanding of a person’s current situation. Online financial calculators help people run the numbers and answer questions related to financing their home or comparing how a debt management plan can help manage credit card debt.

Financial Wellness Resources

Being able to make healthy financial choices is about having good information at your fingertips. Much of that education is available online, but it’s important to tap into trusted resources. As an example, as a national nonprofit, GreenPath makes available a library of resources including worksheets, guides, educational on-demand webinars about managing finances, online learning experiences to help set a simple spending plan or prioritize expenses, and other educational tools.

Financial Counseling and Debt Management

Teaming with a trusted financial counseling agency gets the right information to help people make the best decisions about their future.

As a national nonprofit, GreenPath Financial Wellness provides free one on one financial advising with certified counselors. You’ll improve your financial literacy education with credit card debt counseling, debt management plans, student loan counseling, housing counseling, foreclosure mitigation, and debt management counseling

Based on a person’s full financial picture, people will understand how to pay down debt, steps to rebuild credit history, tips to create a savings strategy or other specific information to move forward.

As your financial institution, we proudly provide our members with insight through financial education and resources that may be of benefit. Through this, we can equip our members with knowledge to assist with helping to prevent financial stress, especially during when its most unpredictable.

Below is a list of available resources SafeAmerica Credit Union has for members:

Calculators

Here you can learn and calculate:

  • What your loan payments would be
  • What your auto payments would be
  • Should you refinance your auto loan at a lower rate
  • How long it would take to to pay off your credit card(s)
  • Should you transfer your credit balances to a lower rate with us
  • How much could you borrow from your home equity (HELOC)
  • Should you refinance your mortgage
  • Understanding your possible mortgage payment
  • How much would you need for retirement
  • how much should you save to reach your financial goal
Rates and Fees

Here you can stay up to date with our current rates for:

  • Savings
  • Checking
  • Credit & Personal
  • IRAs
  • Auto
  • Home
  • Fees
Educational Videos

Through our How-To Videos you will understand the following:

  • What is a Credit Union
  • How to enroll in Online Banking
  • How to use Our Mobile App
  • How to use Mobile Deposit
  • How to use mobile wallet
  • How to make a payment

Learn about online security through our How-To videos:

  • Getting back your stolen identity
  • Simple Tips for Secure Mobile Banking
  • Protect your Account through Strong Passwords
  • Wi-Fi Network Access Scams
  • What is Multifactor Authentication?
  • Protect Yourself from Phishing Attacks
  • Protect Yourself from Vishing Attacks
  • Protect Yourself from Gift Card Scams
  • Warning! Fake Cashier's Checks
  • How did a Virus Get on My Computer
Blog

Read our blog for continuous financial learning and updates:

  • Financial Literacy for Kids
  • 5 Factors That Affect Your Credit Score
  • What is a balance transfer
  • What is a Debt Management Plan

Our blog is constantly being updated on a monthly basis, so make sure to check back often!

We have also partnered with GreenPath Financial Wellness to provide exclusive and free financial education and counseling.

Learn more about GreenPath by clicking below.

Learn More

• By Kevin Alvarez

5 Reasons to Make a Budget – Financial Literacy Month

Information is brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

Making a budget and following it are two powerful financial habits. It’s not always easy, or fun at first. But it is one of the best steps you can take to successfully manage your finances.  There are many reasons to budget and in the long run, it feels really good to see yourself accomplishing a goal.

 

Reasons to Budget (There's more Pros than Cons)

#1 – A budget helps you gain control of your finances

Think of a budget as a financial roadmap. It will guide you to your destination. It will also reduce arguments and improve relationships because you and your family will know where you are going financially, providing a smoother ride along the way.

#2 – Budgeting helps you achieve goals

Whether it is putting money aside for emergencies, a vacation or a college education, a budget helps you devote resources to those things that you determine are most important. Having a plan also promotes well-being and reduces stress.

#3 – A good budget keeps you honest

Documenting purchases allows you to figure out where your money is going.  It allows you to stay accountable to your goals. By keeping a budget, each dollar you spend is accounted for. That’s a powerful incentive to stay true to your good intentions.

#4 – Budgeting helps improve habits

If you spend more than you earn, you will drain your savings. And if it continues, you will take on debt.  By measuring how you spend your money, you will know for sure whether you’re headed for trouble, and you can take the steps necessary to improve your habits.

#5 – Budgeting helps you avoid debt and improve credit

By truly understanding how much it costs to be you, you can make adjustments to stop living from paycheck to paycheck. You may be able to identify ways to get out of debt and stay out of debt. By paying your bills on time and not taking on too much debt, you will take the most important step toward building good credit.

Use Greenpath's Budgeting worksheet to calculate your monthly expenses and income to get an idea of what you have to work with, what your commitments are, and what they have remaining to devote to their goals.

Click here for the Budgeting Worksheet

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• By Kevin Alvarez

Saving Money Isn’t a Luxury – It’s a Necessity

Information brought to you by our partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness

4 Reasons to Start Saving Now - Plus Tips for Getting Started

Saving money can often be a challenge — especially during times of financial uncertainty. As humans, we’re wired to take care of our needs now, and worry about later ... well, later. However, saving money is a critical component of financial wellness. Here, we break down why saving (even a small amount) can make all the difference:

Saving Helps to...

Prepare us for emergencies

Putting aside a set amount each month helps protect us in a financial emergency. Perhaps it’s a surprise medical bill, car repairs, or temporary loss of income. There are many reasons why an emergency fund is critical to help handle unexpected expenses. Plus, building up emergency savings to cover unexpected expenses is better than using high-interest credit cards or taking out a loan. An emergency fund gives you peace of mind and prevents you from going into debt.

Set us up to manage planned expenses:

For those anticipating making large purchases, saving money can help us prepare our budget to pay for expenses that we plan to take on–such as a down payment on a car, home improvements, or an upcoming vacation. Emergency savings are also useful for smaller cash outlays like costs for pets, car maintenance and other important bills Here again, by saving up for planned purchases whether they be the significant expenses or lower cost items, we can avoid using high-interest credit cards or taking on other debt. When you plan ahead, you take control of managing your monthly income.

Reduce Stress:

Financial stress is real. It can be overwhelming to have bills and expenses that we struggle to pay each month. In fact, many researchers see a significant connection between financial stress and mental health and well-being. During the ongoing pandemic, financial strain is felt by the newly unemployed, furloughed, and those still working but facing an uncertain future. When you build up savings, you reduce the stress many of us feel about our finances and give yourself a gift–peace of mind.

Provide a sense of freedom:

Gaining a sense of freedom might not be the first reason that comes to mind as a benefit of setting up a savings plan. Yet many of the people who contact GreenPath Financial Wellness report enjoying a sense of improved freedom and flexibility after building up savings, no matter the amount. Setting aside even $20 a paycheck is proven to provide a feeling of freedom due to the "buffer" savings "nest egg" exists gives people more freedom to choose how to handle their finances, rather than feeling stuck in a particular situation.

 

How to Jump-Start Your Savings

1. Assess your budget.

Use GreenPath's Budgeting Worksheet to get a  handle on your monthly income and typical expenses, including credit card debt or other loan payments.

2. Commit to a monthly savings amount.

Once you have a complete picture of monthly income, expenses, and debt, consider how much you can set aside each month to build up savings. How much you set aside will depend on your financial goals. For instance, if you're planning for a large purchase, break down the amount over a 6 month or 12-month period, and automate savings to meet that goal.

3. Automate your savings.

Automating your savings makes it more "painless." You'll be able to set it and forget it, by paying yourself first through automated deposits.

4. Maximize Interest

Ensure you're maximizing the interest you're earning by getting a competitive annual percentage yield (APY). Consider a money market or other higher interest account.

5. make it a family affair.

Setting a savings goal with loved ones lets you come to a consensus about goals and dreams. That way, it is easier for you all to plan and encourage each other to save for emergencies, planned expenses, or other goals.

Saving for your future is closer than you think.

Building savings can seem like a daunting task, but you will start to see results with practice and patience.

If you're unsure how much you can reasonably save each month or need a helping hand getting started, you can request a free financial health assessment with a GreenPath NFCC-certified Financial Wellness Expert.

Our professional, caring coaches will work with you to assess your situation, explain the options or solutions available, and help you create a plan to meet your goals. It's free, confidential, and no pressure.

For additional insight view an on demand webinar: 10 Ways to Start Saving Money.

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