Do you “speak money” like a native or a novice? No matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn in the rapidly changing world of finance.
We can help. GHCU offers a wide range of free resources
so you can get and stay informed.
New, Free Service for Members
Most of us have a general idea of our finances. We probably have a pretty good idea what our monthly income is, though perhaps a less clear idea of our monthly “out-go.” If you’d like to get a better picture of your finances, GHCU is proud to introduce a new service for our members that will help you achieve that.
Debt in Focus is a free, confidential, online program that asks you a few simple questions and provides you with a quick evaluation of your financial situation. You don’t have to provide any sensitive information—no credit card, account or Social Security numbers—just your best estimate of how much you owe versus how much you make.
Based on the information you provide, Debt in Focus can give you
a much clearer idea of your debt-to-income ratio, plus other status reports,
a chart that shows how a revised payment schedule might allow you to pay off existing debt sooner,
a personalized savings plan to help you build your savings with maximum benefit and minimum pain,
links to tools that can help you understand and change your current circumstances, and
a Personal Action Plan that outlines specific steps you can take to improve your financial situation.
It’s difficult to get on track to your future if you’re not sure where you are in the present. Debt in Focus can help you understand what your finances look like now and what steps to take toward a more prosperous future.
Credit University
At GHCU we feel it’s important to educate our community about money management issues, especially our young people. If teens can learn important money and life skills now, they not only build a strong financial base, they can avoid money problems in the future.
Group Health Credit Union is pleased to be a sponsor of Credit University, a joint project of seven Washington State credit unions interested in increasing financial literacy among young people. Financial professionals visit Western Washington high schools and present information about identity theft, the power of compound interest and building a solid credit history. For these young people, learning about money issues is the best step towards avoiding financial problems in the future.
If your child’s school is interested in hosting Credit University presentation, please contact Alicia Diefenbach at ach@aliciahaus.com.
Free Financial Education Seminars
Free and open to the public, our seminars provide in-depth information on the financial issues that matter most. Our experts are also available for lunchtime seminars offered at your place of business. Contact Robert King to schedule a free seminar that will benefit everyone at your workplace: robertk@ghcu.org or 206-650-1306.
Upcoming seminars held at the Capitol Hill branch Build a Basic Budget: The Five Step Spending Plan
Thursday, February 4, 11 am–12 pm
Do you always seem to be out of money by the end of the month? GHCU can help you identify spending leaks, set long- and short-term financial goals, make progress toward getting out of debt and achieve greater financial stability through the magic of the Basic Budget!
Understanding the Mystery of Credit Reports
Thursday, March 4, 11 am–12 pm
Experts say, “get your credit report every year.” But what if you can’t really read it? Credit reports are very complicated, but the information on them may be critical to your financial security. Mistakes happen. So does fraud. Join us as we “untangle” credit reports: learn how to spot problems and what to do to resolve them!
A light lunch will be served. Please RSVP by contacting Robert King at 206-650-1306 or robertk@ghcu.org.
Tips for Keeping Your Identity Secure in the
Information Age
“Opt out” of information sharing when possible.
Make sure your computer has good security, and update it frequently. Don’t use your mother’s maiden name, the name of a pet or part of your Social Security number for passwords. Best to use random passwords with a combination of letters and number, capitol letters and small. The Internet is like an open door for criminals: be sure you have adequate locks.
Order your free credit report at www.annualcredit
report.com. Each of the “big three” consumer credit-reporting companies must provide one free report each year, so get your statements and look them over carefully.
When you give your information on the Internet, check the URL. The “http” that begins most Internet addresses should change to “https” to indicate a secure site.
Write checks with a gel-ink pen. This ink leaves a trace in the paper so that checks can’t be “washed” and rewritten by criminals.
Monitor children’s access to file-sharing and file-swapping programs: some of these can leave your computer vulnerable.
Webcasts:
Learn at your leisure. Watch a webcast whenever you have time: you can stop and start, even “rewind” to make sure you get all the important information. More webcasts are due to be added in the future, so check back often.
Solving the Mystery of Credit Reports
GHCU’s Elaine Ponton guides you through many questions about credit: how to get and understand your credit report, how a credit score is determined and why that number can save or cost you a lot of money. Learn easy, effective ways to raise your credit rating. This webcast is 20 minutes long.
Links/Other resources
There’s a lot of information out there. In this list, we pick out some of the financial resources and articles we think are among the very best.
Ask the GHCU Experts: every month, we put a question to members of the GHCU team. Feel free to ask a question, if you have one. Just send your query to news@ghcu.org. Just don’t include any member information such as account number—we can’t guarantee the security of that email.
Let’s Get Fiscal: Written by a member of the GHCU team, Let's Get Fiscal is an online blog that attempts to untangle some of the knottier questions people have about their finances. Learn about budgeting, establishing or improving a credit history and much more.
BALANCE: A free service offered to all our members. Call 888-456-2227 or visit balancepro.net to arrange a one-on-one confidential discussion with a financial expert. Understand your credit history, learn ways to improve your credit rating or talk about how to finance a house or other major purchase.
News You Can Use: a monthly newsletter sent directly to your email, News You Can Use is a wealth of money management tips, event announcements, special product promotions and news alerts. Sign up at ghcu.org, wherever you see the “sign up for enews” box.
