Happy Halloween from HCCU!

We hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!

Fun, Exciting Sports at a Bargain Price!

HEY SPORTS FANS! Looking for something fun to do this weekend, but aren’t looking to spend a ton of money? Have you ever considered attending a University of Wisconsin- Green Bay’s Women or Men’s basketball game? Basketball season has started at UWGB and they would love to have your support!

The Men’s team plays at the Resch Center located on the west side of Green Bay. The team plays on many different days of the week, including a variety of times. Season tickets, ticket packages, as well as individual tickets are all available for purchase on TicketStar.com or at the Resch Center. Tickets for an individual game are as cheap as $11 for an adult and $7 for those 17 and under. What a deal!

The Women’s team plays at the UWGB Kress Events Center. The beautiful facility has a large arena that holds tons of fans, and let me tell you the games are fun and full of energy! All tickets packages and individual tickets are available on TicketStar.com as well as at the University Ticketing and Information Center on campus. Tickets for an individual game are as cheap as $9 for an adult and $7 for those 17 and under.

Mark the games on your calendar! There’s nothing better than watching some great athletics, for a cheap price, in a great environment! UWGB would love to have your support!

Men’s Schedule: http://www.greenbayphoenix.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=22500&SPID=13663&SPSID=109993&DB_OEM_ID=22500

Women’s Schedule: http://www.greenbayphoenix.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=22500&SPID=13698&SPSID=110176&DB_OEM_ID=22500

Post by: Emily P

School is Back in Session

Summer is over. (Where did it go to?) There’s a chill in the air and the kids are back in school. We have all seen the yellow buses, the flashing lights, and have driven through a school zone. Did you know that if you are exceeding the speed limit though a school zone, when children are present, it will cost you double what a normal speeding ticket would cost? Under Wisconsin Jurisdiction, General Reference:

“Violating the Basic Speed Law, School Area Speed Limits
(See II under Other below.), Pedestrian/Passenger Safety
Zone Speed Limits — first offense — $40 to $300;
subsequent offense — $80 to $600. §346.60(3)”
“II. The above minimum and maximum fines (forfeitures) are
double if a person violates the basic speed rule in a
“designated” school zone (“school crossing”) or exceeds the
speed limit in such a zone. This sanction applies on any type
of highway (road). §§118.08(1) and 346.60(3m)(b)”

Could you image doubling that? That would surely put a dent in your checking account with Horizon Community Credit Union. Make sure that you are on the defense when driving though school zones and watch for the school buses picking up and dropping off children before and after school.

Post by: Karen S. 

Coupon Craze

Need a new hobby that will save you money? Start couponing! It will be worth your time and effort! “I don’t have time for it” is probably what you’re thinking. I said the exact same thing. We’ve all seen, or at least heard, the show “Extreme Couponers” where people fill up their store carts and pay little to nothing for the entire transaction. How can you do that too? Read the tips below to start saving!

Tips for couponing:

· Purchase newspapers. Make sure to purchase 4 Sunday newspapers, this is where you are able to find most coupons. Since most coupons state “limit 4 like coupons per household per day”, a good rule is to purchase 4 newspapers, therefore, allowing you to buy maximum amount of products.

· Per Purchase vs. Per Transaction. When a coupon says “Limit 1 coupon per purchase”, per purchase means per item, NOT a transaction.
          Ex. If I buy 4 toothbrushes, I can use 4 coupons; one coupon per item.

· Stack/combine your coupons. Make sure to use manufacturer coupons and store coupons together. You are allowed to do this unless stated otherwise in the stores coupon policy. You cannot stack a manufacturer coupon with another manufacturer coupon, the same with store coupons.
          Ex. If I buy 4 toothbrushes, I can use 4 manufacturer coupons and 4 store coupons.

· Know the stores coupon policy. You always want to make sure you are up-to-date with updates done by the company.

· Don’t buy everything. Once you get a good deal, you don’t want to stop. However, a good rule is to buy only what you need. Otherwise, you will be spending more money than you need to.

Still don’t see where you can save? Read my shopping trip below for a better idea.

I went to a local store in town which had a sale: buy three (3) oral care products and receive a $5 gift card. I bought three (3) tubes of toothpaste, each for $3.99 bringing me to a total of $11.97 before taxes. I had three (3) manufacturer coupons for the toothpaste each for $2 and three (3) $1 store coupons that I also used for the products, bringing me down to a grand total of $2.97 before taxes. But remember, since I bought three oral care products, I also received a $5 gift card back. So really, I got three tubes of toothpaste for FREE and got back $2.03 as a credit. How awesome is that!

The math:
3 toothpastes @ $3.99 each = 3 x $3.99 = $11.97 (subtotal before coupons & taxes)
3 toothpaste manufacturer coupons @ $2 each = 3 x $2 = -$6.00
3 toothpaste store coupons @ $1 each = 3 x $1 = -$3.00
Total after coupons: $2.97 (subtotal before taxes)
Receive $5 gift card for purchase of 3 oral care products -$5.00
Final Price for 3 tubes of toothpaste: FREE with $2.03 credit

Couponing has now become an exciting hobby for me! Although it does take time to sort through coupons and deals, it will definitely be worth your time! Saving has never been so much fun!

Post by: Kelly V.

Happy International Credit Union Day!

International Credit Union Day has been celebrated since 1948.  The day was started to reflect on the history of credit unions and to promote our achievements.  It is meant to honor those who have dedicated their lives to the credit union movement and to bettering the lives of our credit union members worldwide.

This year's theme for the day is "Local Service, Global Good", and while we aim to live that mission every day, we wanted to do a little something extra today at Horizon Community Credit Union.  HCCU staff and members spent the morning putting together lunches for area non-profits, to be given to the people they serve and their volunteers.  

We would like to give a big thanks to those who helped us prepare the lunches, and to the volunteer and non-profit organizations in the area for the work that they do to improve our community.  

Green Bay Home Building Seminar 10/21/2014

Does your house still fit you?  Have you always wondered what it would be like to have a layout that you designed?  Are you afraid to tackle the building project because you don’t know who to turn to for questions; or maybe you don’t know what questions to ask?  Building a new home can be a daunting task.  We do not want you to tackle that alone.  How would you feel if there were experts available in one spot on one evening in October?

October 21^st, at 5:30 p.m. Horizon Community Credit Union (HCCU) will be hosting a free informational meeting at our Voyager Drive office.  We have assembled some of the best experts in the Green Bay area for a home building seminar.  One of the area’s top builders, realtor, title and homeowner’s insurance agents, and mortgage lenders will be present to answer all of your questions, ranging from some of the most common (listed below) to whatever issue is giving you a headache as you think through the process.

· Will my home fit on my lot?
· Which plan is best for my family?
· How much can I customize?
· What will my new home really cost?
· What are the best rates and financing programs?
· What is the building process?

HCCU is excited to host and be a part of this educational opportunity.  Bring along your questions and thoughts.  If you are planning to attend, you can RSVP by emailing info@horizonccu.com or calling 920-433-0122.  If there is a specific question or topic that you would like covered, please include that as well.  Not sure if you'll be able to make it?  No problem if you find out last minute that you can attend!  All are welcome - you do not need to be a member of Horizon Community Credit Union to take advantage of this educational opportunity!      

We look forward to seeing you.  We are here to help with life’s challenges.  Your success is our destination!

Post by: Pat J

POA & POD - What you should know!

Before I started working at Horizon Community Credit Union, I was employed as a caregiver for seniors. I assisted with daily living needs, but over time I became aware of the type of financial responsibilities seniors have. One of the things that seniors must establish later in life is a financial power of attorney, often called POA’s.

A Power of Attorney for Finances is a person to whom you have granted the right to handle your finances and property. There are a few important things to know about a POA for Finances. First, establishing a financial POA does not mean you relinquish control of your finances and property. You still have the power over your finances and property, but in the case that you cannot act, your financial POA can act for you. Even if you are able to act, your POA can conduct that action for you.  Second, financial POA is durable. This means that, unless you specify otherwise, the POA is still active even if you become incapacitated. Third, you can change your POA at any time. You simply need to revoke the current POA form and complete another one. Lastly, and most importantly, the financial POA has no power over your finances and property after your passing.

There is a form made available by the state of Wisconsin that establishes POA for Finances, and the link for that will be available at the bottom of this post. You need to meet with your lawyer to complete this form. Horizon Community Credit Union requires legal documentation such as the form available thorough the link. I encourage you to look through the form, as there is so much information regarding POA of Finances that I would have to write a short book instead of a blog post.  It is also important to note that this particular POA is for Finances only. If you wish to establish a POA for your healthcare decisions, that is a separate process.

Another term you may hear is POD, which means Payable on Death. In laymen’s terms, anyone you establish as a POD becomes a beneficiary of your account upon your passing. A POD does not have any powers over finances or property.

What I’ve explained only just touches on the subject of POA/POD. If you have legal questions, certainly consult your lawyer. If you have the paperwork required to establish a POA or you have questions about what paperwork the credit union requires to establish a POA, you can stop by the paperwork or call with questions any Horizon Community Credit Union branch during normal business hours. If you would like to set up a beneficiary POD, stop by either of the Horizon Community Credit Union branch during normal business hours. You need to know your POD beneficiary’s information (SSN and the like) or you can bring the person you wish to assign as a POD beneficiary with you.

POA and POD can seem complicated, and sometimes they are. At Horizon Community Credit Union we’re here to help you understand. Though your legal questions should be directed to an attorney, the Member Service Representatives at either Horizon Community Credit Union branch can help clarify any remaining questions.

State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services: Power of Attorney for Finances Form

Post by: Breanna B.

Emergency Savings

What Is An Emergency Fund?

An emergency fund is money that you’ve saved up for the purpose of helping you maintain your normal life through the emergencies that life hands you.

When is it okay to use it?

• When you lose your job
• When an appliance breaks down
• Medical emergency 
• When a car needs repairs

When is it NOT okay to use it?

• Going on a shopping spree
• Buying a new TV
• Going on vacation
• Buying a new car

How to start up an Emergency Fund…

A common mistake made by many who plan to start an emergency fund is that they set their goal too high and often get discouraged when they realize that it will take longer than they expected to reach it.

Set your initial goal low!
Set a goal that you would be able to reach in just a few months rather than a few years. Take into consideration your financial situation and determine how much you can afford to put into your emergency fund each week. Anything is better than nothing at all; the important thing is to get started today!  

Where to save your emergency fund?
After you decide what amount you want to start off with, think about where you want to keep your money. Since it is an emergency fund it would be smart to keep it somewhere where you can get access to it easily. We can help! You can open up a savings account, money market account or short-term certificates here at Horizon Community Credit Union. Any of these accounts will give you easy access to your money, while earning you some interest!

How often should you deposit money into your emergency fund?
When deciding how much to start putting into your savings fund, try to make sure you are able to deposit that amount weekly. For example, $40 a week would get you to $500 in three months! It doesn’t have to be $40 a week though; it can be what you can afford and make sure it challenges you a bit, just not something impossible.

Don’t have the time to stop in every week?
Sometimes life gets a little busy and you may not find the time to be stopping by every week to deposit your weekly addition to your emergency fund. It happens to all of us! Something that Horizon Community Credit Union offers that you could find useful would be reoccurring transfers. When you open up an account you can set a reoccurring transfer to transfer your specific amount every week without you having to worry about stopping in! And when you reach your goal you can choose to stop the reoccurring transfer.  Or if you are feeling ambitious you could set a higher goal and continue putting money into your emergency fund!

How to keep track of your emergency fund?
You can use our online banking and keep track of how much your emergency fund is growing! It’s fast and easy and you can use it on your computer at home or on the go with your phone!

Saving money shouldn’t be as hard as it seems. With the help of the accounts and services Horizon Community Credit Union offers it is convenient, reliable and safe! 

Post by: Karla C.