Traveling, Money and Your CU

Traveling season seems to be in swing. “Snowbirds” (read: smart people) are heading south to warmer climates, and college students will be going the same direction during spring break. Many things cost money, especially while traveling, so having quick access to yours is important. To make your travels a bit less stressful, call or come in to talk to a Horizon Community Credit Union Member Service Representative. We can place a travel alert on all of your accounts so that your transactions will not be rejected when you travel. If you are residing somewhere  for an extended period of time, make sure you leave us with an alternate address and/or phone number, in case we need to contact you. If you have any loans, it would be a good idea to set up some automatic transfers to be sure that those loan payments are made on time.  We offer some additional products and services that can help you manage your money from wherever you may be.

A very common way to access money today is an ATM/debit card.  When making purchases with your debit card, confirm that merchants have the correct zip code for your address.  Also keep in mind that you have a daily ATM withdrawal limit.  Our standard ATM limit is $210/day.  If you will need more than $210 in one day, contact a Team Member to learn what other options we have for you.  Lastly, remember to tell HCCU that you will be traveling and verify that we have your current contact information!

As an additional protection for members, we utilize an automated debit card security system, which recognizes unusual transactions and possible fraud.  If this occurs, you will likely receive a phone call. The system is considered “smart,” and tries to recognize patterns and typical usage. It is quite a shock when it knows that you live in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but your card is being used in Fort Worth, Texas. This security measure can protect you from identity theft.  I have seen it in action, and it really does protect well. As it is said, it is better to be safe than sorry!

If you are not already set up on our ItsMe247 services, it would be wise to enroll before traveling. Online banking offers the most flexibility and service, and allows you to keep an eye on your finances, make payments and transfers with ease.  The new Promise Deposit feature is done through online banking, and that may be useful on your travels as you can deposit checks for instant credit and then mail the paper document in. You can access the online banking through your phone’s Internet browser, as the site will automatically convert to mobile form.

Our automated phone banking system, CU*Talk allows you to call a specific number that will tell you, based on the security information you enter, your account balances. You can also make transfers, loan payments, and verify cleared checks. To clarify, CU*Talk is different than calling the credit union. It is available 24/7, while the MSR’s are only at Horizon Community Credit Union during business hours. Lastly, there is text banking. At this time, its main purpose is to give balances of accounts and send eAlerts as text messages. You can enroll/un-enroll in text banking through your online banking. All of these services allow you to perform transactions on your own time and offer the convenience of 24/7 service.

Don’t’ spend your vacation worrying about your money—stop by or call a Horizon Community Credit Union Member Service Representative today and let them help you set yourself up for a relaxing vacation.

Post by: Breanna B.