New Horizons Credit Union Blog

The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but they can also be pretty stressful. You have to buy gifts, attend Christmas parties, and be careful not to go over budget. It can get to be a lot. Stress can also make you sick, and we don't want you to be sick during the holidays! Here are some tips you can try out to beat that holiday stress. 1. Watch Your budget Try to not go over your budget. If you're nearing your limit, see if you can DIY some gifts or remove some gifts from your list. Everyone goes through financial hardships at some point in their life, so if someone doesn't receive "the best gift ever" from you, they'll understand. A great gift that you can get your children for a low price is a Savings Account! Opening your child a savings account is the best gift as it teaches them financial responsibility and encourages them to save. Not only that, your child will be ahead of the game when it comes to being financially independ...

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is also the time of year where scammers make the most money! Unfortunately, people tend to fall for "too good to be true" ads or deals online. They also want to make some extra cash to buy those last few presents and fall victim for "easy" jobs. The Better Business Bureau has released a 12 Scams of Christmas list and we want you to be aware so you don't fall prey to these scammers! 1. Fake Shipping Notifications This scam targets everyone. We've all shopped online and received a text message or email about our shipping confirmation. However, you may sometimes get these even if you haven't shopped online. You wonder, did I order something and just forget? Before you click on any links, go to any of the websites you may have shopped from and confirm from there. Or simply ignore the text or email because more than likely it's fake. 2. Alerts About Compromised Accounts Tho...

Thanksgiving is a time to get together with friends and family and give thanks. The pandemic made Thanksgiving look a little different, but this year, we want to get back together with our friends and family to celebrate! Check out our Holiday Loan to wow your guests with the best Thanksgiving gathering! Three weeks before Thanksgiving: Prepare your guest list and confirm how many people will attend. Find out any special dietary needs and plan these dishes accordingly. Place a rental order for tables, chairs, glasses, plates and flatware (if necessary). Two weeks before Thanksgiving: Decide on your final menu. Select dishes that taste good at room temperature, so you won't have to worry about your dishes getting cold or melting. Assign cooking projects to family members who offer to help. This speeds up the cooking process and alleviates some of the stress. Order your fresh turkey in advance so you can pick it up the day before or Thanksgiv...

Are you planning a family road trip this holiday season? Family road trips are fun because it means quality time with your loved ones. However, they can also be stressful when you don't plan accordingly and something goes wrong. We want you to enjoy your family vacations when you choose this affordable way of road tripping  so we've gathered some tips that can help you and your family survive a family road trip. 1. Safety Check You cannot leave for your destination without first conducting a safety check on your RV. Check the engine and tires. Make sure there aren't any leaks and the gas tank is full. Performing safety checks before you leave can save you the stress of breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Also, leave your travel details with someone you trust like your mother, father, sister, brother, etc. in case of an emergency. Always be in touch with this appointed person so they know you and your family are doing well. 2. Plan Your Route Before you lea...

Holiday shopping is a stressful time for many, specially when it comes to Christmas shopping. With the holidays just around the corner, you need to find ways to make this experience LESS stressful, right? Lucky for you we've gathered some helpful tips on ways you can get smart about Christmas shopping!  1. Set Yourself a Budget We wouldn't be a credit union if we didn't always talk about budgeting! To get smart about Christmas shopping, you first have to set aside a budget on how much you're willing to spend on each person. Try not to go over that spending so you can reach your shopping goals stress free! 2. Shop the Sales Ahead of Time Everyone loves a good sale, so why not shop for Christmas gifts then? It's always smart to think ahead and shop before the holidays roll around. You can easily get great deals throughout the year, especially the days AFTER Christmas. This smart way of shopping can save you the hassle of battling the holiday crowds at ...

The Colonial Pipeline and JBS Meat Packing Co. cyberattacks were a wakeup call for all of us. They impacted all of us and it came out of nowhere. You may be asking yourself,  “if those corporations are not safe from hackers, how could I possibly be safe?”  Well, you can take a couple of steps to make sure your information doesn’t get in the wrong hands. 1. Layer Your Protection We all get into the habit of creating easy passwords with our names and birthdates because they’re easy to remember, but that’s our number one mistake! Come up with a strong P@$sw0Rd that incorporates letters, numbers, and symbols to make it harder to crack. If a website or app has multifactor authentication, use it! It seems like a lot of work, but would you rather go through multiple verification steps to make sure your information is safe, or would you rather a hacker steal all of your information? 2. Be Alert! Check your accounts daily! Make sure all your money adds up and you do...

Online and Mobile Banking have taken the banking world by storm. More and more people are accessing their banking information through their computers or smart phones! How convenient is it that you can check your account wherever and whenever you want? You can make check deposits by snapping a picture, transfer money easily between accounts, and receive your work check through direct deposit. Here are some advantages of  Online and Mobile Banking: (Opens in a new Window) 1. Enhanced Security Access to your banking information is protected by multiple protection layers to keep your personal data private and prevent unauthorized access. You can set up face or fingerprint recognition for an added layer of protection. You can also turn on two or three step verification where you'll be asked for a security code and/or security question when you log in. Though it may seem annoying and redundant, it's best to have this to protect your account. 2. 24/7 Convenient Access ...