Video: The Cost of Poor Credit        Book Review     Download our App!     Credit Card Interest 
Video: The Cost of Poor Credit


Check it Out!
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
 
Few books have made the cocktail party rounds and embedded themselves into American culture quite as quickly as Marie Kondo's "Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up."

At the heart of the book is a dedication to mindfulness, best explained by the concept that everything in your life should spark joy. Anything which does not should meet with disposal. Most clearly in the book, and most often cited on the Internet, is your closet. Kondo recommends making a big pile of clothes and taking the time to eliminate anything that doesn't spark joy for you. Pick up your favorite pair of jeans, feel them with your fingers, and put them on. Anything that doesn't make you feel like that has to go.

You've probably heard some version of this recently; it can be used to eliminate excess work, excess clutter, excess stress, and maybe even excess people. An interesting article from Marc Bain in  The Atlantic  argues that every piece of clothing you buy should cost enough money to hurt, for the same reason that it's hard to snack on junk food if you have to make everything you eat from scratch. It's an interesting case, and he illustrates how it can help your budget and the environment. 
  
Exciting Changes Ahead!
GNFCU is launching a mobile app!

With smartphones packing more and more computing power, and security getting better and better, now is the time to switch to mobile banking.  You can pay bills, transfer funds, check balances and accomplish a host of other tasks while riding the train to work or waiting for lunch!  GNFCU's mobile app goes live Tuesday January 19th! 

To Download the Android App:
Go to the Play Store and look for Greater Niagara Federal Credit Union under the category of "Finance"

To Download the Apple IOS App:
Go to the App Store and look for Greater Niagara Federal Credit Union under the category of "Finance"

Other Changes to Look For:
 
Our Home Banking site, as well as our website, will be getting a makeover January 19th.   When you log into your Home Banking account you will see several upgraded features. Most importantly, you will need to update your account information by creating a username and new security questions. 


Living Smart, Living Cheap
Credit Card Interest

You pay off your credit card balance in full each month, so why do you find new interest charges on your next bill?

Chances are, depending on the card, your next statement will include new interest charges. These charges accumulated between the time your last statement was printed and the day the card issuer received your monthly payment. This "residual interest" appears on the next bill even if you made no purchases since the last statement. 

You can avoid these additional charges when paying off the balance by estimating the number of days it will take for your card issuer to receive your payment. Call customer service to ask what the balance will be on that day. Then simply pay that amount.

The Language of Money:
APY



Think About It:  Buying Gifts
If I lost my job tomorrow and couldn't find more work quickly, what would I do?
  • There are several negotiation points you can use to make losing your job easier - ask your employer not to contest unemployment benefits, ask for a recommendation for another position or ask for a little more time to finish a big project.
  • Unemployment benefits provide a percentage of your salary, but only last 26 weeks.
  • Think about some possessions you could sell to raise money quickly if you had to - do this thinking now before stress and depression cloud your thinking.
  • Save enough in your emergency fund to cover your living expenses for 3-5 months in case something like this happens.
Like us on Facebook
Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.