Join us April 22nd for a First-Time Homebuyer Educational Session. Presented by Janice Sizemore, this session will cover: The homebuying process Financing Do's & Don'ts Closing Frequently Asked Questions This free seminar is for anyone and everyone who'd like to be better informed on the home buying process but especially for first-time homebuyers. Lenders with [...]
Free Financial Education Webinar: Using Credit Cards Wisely A credit card can be a valuable financial tool. However, before racking up big charges on multiple cards, participants should learn smart ways to handle their credit cards and take a disciplined approach. Session 1: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 Time: 12:30 p.m. Sign Up Session 2: Thursday, [...]
Don’t hit your own debt ceiling - What a maxed-out card does to your credit score The news today is filled with the U.S. government reaching its debt ceiling, which could freeze benefits for millions of American households and send the economy into a recession if not resolved. On a personal level, you can do the [...]
Quick Tips for Paying Down Debt Lowering consumer debt can be a great way to raise your credit score, cut down on financial stress, and put you on track for a more financially fit future. However, it can also be challenging to do with rising costs, limited funds, and sometimes overwhelming interest costs. Despite the [...]
Nine Ways to Master Your Money 1. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals Saving tends to be easier when you have a certain purpose in mind: Saving for your first house, your retirement at a certain age, a child’s college education, or even a trip around the world. The important thing is for your goals to be specific, [...]
Free, Financial Education Webinars Join us for free webinars in 2023! Whether you’re an employee, member, family, or friend, our webinars are packed with useful info and are open to everyone. Just make sure to reserve your virtual seat. Select Sign Up at the links below to register. When prompted please enter ‘Green Country FCU’ as your [...]
10 ways to spend less when shopping online Get what you need without overpaying—or being tricked into overbuying. Key takeaways Retail sites have features that entice you to buy more than you need, but savvy shopping can help you stick to a budget. These tips and habits—including staying focused, carefully timing purchases, and factoring in [...]
Investing In Real Estate Free Educational Webinar Investing in real estate can be a great way to boost income—if done wisely. To help investors turn a profit, we’ll cover the pros and cons of different properties, resources for finding investment opportunities, and financing options Session 1: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 Time: 10:30 a.m. PT / [...]
We’re very excited to announce our free webinars for the second half of the year! Whether you’re an employee, member, family, or friend, our webinars are packed with useful info and are open to everyone. Just make sure to reserve your virtual seat. Select Sign Up at the links below to register. When prompted please enter [...]
Saying “I Do” to Homeownership: How to Prepare for This Big Commitment Buying a home is a major commitment. It’s a bit like, well, getting married: you’ve got to be ready and you have to find the right “one.” And, like a marriage, homeownership is a dynamic experience that requires a tremendous amount of care [...]
Solving the Mystery of Credit Reports MARCH FINANCIAL EDUCATION WEBINAR Credit report scores hold a lot of power—they can help buy that first home but can also take away financial opportunities. This informative webinar provides an overview of credit bureaus, credit scoring, guidance to dispute inaccuracies, improving credit scores, and dealing with identity theft and [...]
Financial Education Webinars All webinars are free and open to everyone - even if you're not currently a Green Country FCU member! Register for the webinar of your preferred time (there’s two each month) but don’t worry if you can’t be there right at 12:30 or 7:30. As long as you’ve registered in advance, you’ll [...]
Have you ever unexpectedly found out you’re going to have less income? It’s enough to throw you into a panic! The best way to get through hard times is to take a few deep breaths and put a plan together. Check out these common targets for quick and effective expense cuts. Food You might find [...]
How to Teach Your Kids About Money and Credit In this article: When Should Kids Start Building Credit? How to Help Your Child Build Good Credit Habits How to Teach Your Kids to Be Smart With Money Getting Your Kids Started With Credit Cards Can a Child Have a Credit Report and Score? How to [...]
5 Tips to Build (and Maintain) a Good Credit Score Like building a house, constructing a financially stable life requires laying a solid foundation. In difficult economic times like these, though, building that foundation can be a challenge. Good credit remains a core part of any financial foundation. Having good credit can make it easier [...]
Yes, credit cards can be dangerous. But credit cards are also a powerful tool if you know how to use them responsibly. How credit cards work A credit card is a revolving line of credit that allows you to make charges at any time up to the amount of a specific credit limit. When [...]
USING CREDIT CARDS WISELY Join us for a free educational webinar focusing on credit cards! A credit card can be a valuable financial tool. However, before racking up big charges on multiple cards, participants should learn smart ways to handle their credit cards and take a disciplined approach. Register to attend in advance to be [...]
Personal finance topics all high school students should know For good reason, high school students are set on an academically rigorous track towards college. Unfortunately, though, personal finance (a topic they need to understand to survive in life) is rarely taught to them in school. As a parent, the duty often falls on you. Not [...]
Skip-a-Pay Season is Here! The Holidays means it's Skip-a-Pay season! Skip-a-Pay is one of the best perks of being a Green Country member. Here are some frequently asked questions we get about Skip-a-Pay and how it works. Apply Now - Skip-a-Pay Application Form What is Skip-a-Pay? Skip-a-Pay is a consumer loan deferral. A [...]
How to buy a house in 2021 Your guide to getting a mortgage and buying a home. Set a budget Get mortgage preapproval Find a house and make an offer Secure your mortgage loan Wait for underwriting to complete Set up a home inspection Sign paperwork and close Buying a home is much [...]
While we're preparing for a financial disaster, it's worth taking a look at how an unexpected disaster hits. Oklahomans have seen their fair share of tornados, floods, grass fires, and ice storms. Here's an article about a house fire. Read through and think about what you would grab if you had less than 2 minutes [...]
Webinar: Score a better future | credit basics with FICO Friday, April 23 @ 11:00 a.m. (CST) We all have financial goals but knowing how to get there can be a challenge. Don’t understand how credit scores impact your financial health, or know your FICO® Score? We want to help! In celebration of Financial Literacy [...]
Teens and Money: Checking and Savings Account One of the first steps toward real freedom (and adulthood) is having a checking and savings account in your own name. These accounts allow you to save money, make purchases, and pay bills efficiently. Both, however, require you to take an active management role, so that you can [...]
Money Missteps - A Great Thing to Happen to a Kid? You Spent Your Money on What?! Any parent with a child old enough to have control over money has probably at least thought that, if not shouted it across a dinner table. While the outrage at a teenager spending an entire pile of birthday [...]
Six Factors That Could Hurt Your Credit Score It's no secret that maintaining a good credit score is essential to strong financial health. It is a must if you ever wish to take out a substantial loan or need to apply for rental properties. Most people know the basics of what may hurt and what [...]
13 Interesting Facts about Credit Reports According to a study from the Federal Reserve, the larger the gap between your credit score and your spouse’s score, the greater you are at risk for divorce. Speaking of spouses and credit scores, you can now find a date based on credit score at CreditScoreDating.com. After all, they [...]
How do I get a copy of my credit reports? You are entitled to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). You can request a copy from AnnualCreditReport.com. You can request and review your free report through one of the following ways: [...]
Free Webinar SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF CREDIT REPORTS Credit report scores hold a lot of power—they can help buy that first home but can also take away financial opportunities. This session provides an overview of credit bureaus, credit scoring, guidance to dispute inaccuracies, improving credit scores, and dealing with identity theft and fraud. Join us [...]
WEBINAR Credit Card Makeover: Getting Out of Debt Please join us for a free educational webinar. Credit Card Makeover: Getting Out of Debt Credit cards can be a great financial tool, but for some, can lead to debt and financial trouble. This session provides an overview of credit card usage, warning signs of credit issues, [...]
Even when rates are low, refinancing your mortgage isn't always the right choice. Here are some points to consider before you refinance. Deciding when to refinance your home loan depends on several factors besides whether you can get a better mortgage rate than you already have. And though there are many reasons people refinance their [...]
No doubt about it—buying a home is a big investment. You’re on the hook for a long-term mortgage, and responsible for repairs and any other unforeseen expenses. But don’t get discouraged just yet. If you have strong money management skills (and cash saved up), you may be ready for homeownership. Here are three signs that [...]
Buying a home is at once an exciting and challenging venture. With commitment and planning, you can become a successful homeowner. This post covers everything you need to know to start the home buying process off right, including: Preparing for Homeownership Understanding Mortgages Getting a Loan Searching for a Home and Making an Offer Closing [...]
If you have been impacted by the national COVID-19 health crisis and are having trouble paying your mortgage payment, forbearance may be an option for you. Forbearance is offered by some lenders to borrowers who have experienced a financial hardship such as a loss of income or increased medical expenses. Eligible borrowers approved for forbearance [...]
Think back to how you formed your financial habits. Did you learn everything you needed in school? From your parents? If you could go back and talk to your younger self, what financial pitfalls would you tell yourself to avoid? If you have children of your own, you may be wondering how and when to [...]
The process of buying a home can be overwhelming—especially if it’s your first time. You want to make sure you’re getting the best house at the best value, but without prior experience, how can you really know? Here are some helpful pointers for first-time homebuyers: 1. Avoid making large purchases before you apply for your [...]
Finally, after all that looking, you’ve found the perfect home and are ready to make an offer. Everything is in order – almost. At the last minute, you discover that your credit report contains incorrect information. Errors have negatively impacted your score to the extent that you can’t qualify for an ideal mortgage. Don’t worry, [...]
If you are among the millions of Americans who have not yet used traditional forms of credit, you may think you have to turn to expensive sub-prime lending institutions in order to borrow money. Without a history of using credit cards or loans, you won’t have a traditional credit score – which most financial institutions [...]
Credit scores have a major impact on our financial lives. Lenders and other organizations rely on these numerical “grades” to make objective and accurate business decisions. Good scores enable you to borrow money easily and with attractive interest rates, while poor scores result in high-interest loans and lines of credit – or being denied the [...]
If you are familiar with the way credit scoring works, you probably know that avoiding being “maxed out” on your credit cards and other revolving accounts generally impacts your score in a positive way. You might also be aware that the FICO score – the most popular model – dedicates 30% of its score calculation [...]
Credit cards are a powerful financial tool. If you use them wisely, they will help you achieve your financial goals. But as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Abuse them and you will find yourself in a world of financial hurt. If you recently got your first credit card, here are nine [...]
If you’re not used to reading them, credit reports can make about as much sense as a restaurant menu printed in a foreign language. At least in a restaurant, you can point to what someone else is having. But if you don’t know how to read your credit file, you could make mistakes that could [...]
