Celebrate International Credit Union Day with us!

• 
  Treats and giveaways will be available daily in our branches for all of our members.

• There is a coloring contest for kids with winners receiving $20 VISA Gift Cards.  Members of HCCU under the age of 13 who complete the International Credit Union Day Coloring Sheet and return it to either branch of the credit union by Saturday, October 22nd will be entered into a drawing for a $20 VISA gift card! Stop at a branch or go to http://horizonccu.com/MemberServicesDetail.php?SID=97 to print a coloring sheet.

• HCCU Employees will be performing 84 Random Acts of Kindness in our communities in the weeks leading up to International Credit Union Day.  That’s 1 act of kindness for each year we’ve been a credit union!
  

HCCU VISA Gift Cards

The right size…

The right color…

Goes with everything…

VISA® Gift Cards…

http://ow.ly/TbhIl 

The perfect fit every time! 

They are perfect for everyone on your list this holiday season! It’s the gift of choice that can be used almost everywhere including online merchants.

You choose the dollar amount, from $10 - $500, and they choose where to spend it. Since you choose the amount, there’s no overspending and there’s no fighting for parking spaces or standing in long checkout lines at the mall!

Post by: Cari J.

Holiday Shopping Tips!

Holiday shopping is just around the corner, and HCCU has a few tips for you this holiday season:

http://ow.ly/TbdyC 

Tip #1—Use the Right Card.

Before you start shopping check your credit cards and see which card has the best rewards program so that you get the most back.
If you spend more than you saved, check which card has the lowest interest rate before you start charging.
HCCU offers VISA® Credit Cards with lots of great benefits! If you don’t have one yet. get the details or apply today: visit our website at www.horizonccu.com or call (920) 433-0122.

Tip #2—Check out the EXTRA perks your HCCU VISA® Credit Card get you.

Yes, there are all the regular benefits our card offers; low rates, no annual fee, no balance transfer fee, and Scorecard Rewards Points, where you earn 1 Scorecard Point for every $1 you spend with your HCCU VISA Credit Card on purchases.
In addition, VISA® is giving away a Grand Prize trip to Super Bowl 50 and a 1st Place Prize of $5,000 to throw a Super Bowl bash to be remembered. All you have to do is use your VISA® card between now and 11/30/2015.
If that isn’t enough, HCCU is also giving you a gift this season! Use your HCCU Credit Card between 11/1/15 and 12/31/15 and earn DOUBLE REWARD POINTS! That means 2 Scorecard Reward Points for every $1 you spend! When you’re done with your shopping you can redeem your points and get yourself a little something at www.scorecardrewards.com.

Tip #3—Use It’sMe247!

Our online banking is a fast and easy way to get current account balances, transfer money between accounts, reconcile your checkbook, and more, plus it’s available 24/7. Did we mention it’s FREE? Try it today—contact us to activate your online account.

Tip #4—Ditch Checks.

We have a MUCH better solution for you than writing out paper checks at the store—a VISA® Debit Card from HCCU. You can use it at merchants and if you select credit the money still comes right out of your checking account. By selecting credit and signing instead of entering your PIN, it VISA offers you more fraud protection. If you have direct deposit, are a student, or you’ve celebrated your 50th birthday already, your 1st debit card is FREE. Apply today!

Post by: Cari J.

YOU COULD WIN $5,000!

There’s still time to win $5,000!

Have a Horizon Visa® credit or debit card? Use your credit or debit card now through May 31, 2015 to be entered into the CSCU 2015 Spring Thing Sweepstakes to win $5,000! You will automatically be entered into the drawing for each eligible purchase! You don’t have to buy anything, just use your card! The more you use it, the more chances you have to win!

Stop in Horizon Community Credit Union and ask our MSR’s for more information today and official rules!

Hurry! You still have time, but the clock is ticking!

Post by: Kelly V.

Debit or Credit-Which should you choose at the checkout?

So many people carry a debit card (aka check card) these days. They’re so convenient, they’re safer than cash, and the card allows the vendor to take the money right from your checking account. But at the checkout you are often asked Debit or Credit. Which should you choose & what’s the difference?

You might think that since it’s a debit card you have to say debit, but that’s not true. The best option for you is to choose Credit! (Yes, choose credit even though you are using your debit card) The result might seem the same either way, since the money will still be deducted from your checking account, however there is a BIG difference.

Choose Credit and you will be asked to sign for your purchase. Signature transactions are routed through the VISA network, which comes with the additional security offered by credit card companies, fraudulent use protection, and VISA’s Zero Liability Policy.

Just so you know, because we want you to have all the facts before deciding what to do. The credit union does get paid a small amount for each transaction that is routed through as credit, but remember we are a credit union! We don’t give the money we earn to a couple people on our board. Any money we earn is returned to ALL our members by bringing you new products and services, keeping our fees low, our loan & credit card rates low and our deposit rates high.

Choose Debit however, and you will be asked for a 4-digit PIN number. These purchases are processed through an EFT system like STAR or NYCE which don’t provide the additional liability protection offered by VISA.

While it’s great for us to get that little bit of extra income, the real bonus is the added protection choosing Credit offers you. So unless you are going to use the cash back option on your transaction to avoid an ATM fee, choose Credit, and be assured that if sticky fingers get a hold of your card or card number, you will be protected!

Post by: Cari J.

The Perfect Gift

Photo Courtesy of digitalart at freedigitalphotos.net

Paper or Plastic?   Replace those paper gift certificates with plastic VISA® gift cards today!  Gift cards are the perfect gift for any occasion or time of the year … birthdays, graduations, showers, weddings, and all holidays.  Buying a gift card is easy and requires very little thought or time.  Shopping for gifts can be a real dilemma.  Just what do you get your significant other, your child, or your co-worker?  Gift cards may be the answer: one size fits all, and the receivers can get exactly what they want.  Our prepaid VISA® cards range from $10 to $500 and can be purchased for $2.50 at both Horizon locations.  So come in today & pick up that perfect gift!  

Post by: Beth B

What is 3" x 2", flat, and made of plastic?

Going grocery shopping, out for supper, or on a well-deserved vacation and don’t want to carry a bunch of cash? Boy do we have the solution for you! Instead of carrying a bundle of paper, carry a 3”x2” piece of plastic! It’s our VISA® debit card. It fits nicely in your wallet without all the bulkiness. It’s convenient and easy to use. When you make your purchase, you can sign as credit or use a PIN for debit. The money comes out of your checking account either way!  And  then, when you’re on that vacation and you are running low on gas, do not fear, that little 3”x2” debit card is here! You can get gas 24/7 with the plastic pump attendant!

Post by: Alice E

Free Stuff?!?!?! Everyone loves Free Stuff! How can I get some?

When you use your Horizon Community Credit Union Visa® Credit Card every purchase earns you reward points. And with those reward points, you can get free stuff. Since I have started using my Horizon Credit Card, I have accumulated many points. Which means I probably use my credit card way too much. :) With those points I have purchased two sets of pans for all the cooking I do, and a set of diamond hoop earrings (what girl doesn't want jewelry), and I still have points left to use!

You’re automatically enrolled in Scorecard® Rewards when you get a Horizon Community Visa® Credit Card so all you have to do is start using it. When you are ready to cash in some points or if you’d like to see what’s available to you, just visit www.scorecardrewards.com to set up your account. The website will let you know how many points you have and let you see the numerous items available, from housewares to jewelry, clothing and electronics, just to name a few. In the months of November and December, when we are all doing our Christmas shopping, Horizon offers double points. And now this summer, gas purchases will also double your points. So get out there and start adding up your points by using your Horizon Visa® Credit Card, and check out the great free stuff you can get.

Post by: Karen S

Will that be debit or credit?

You just swiped your debit card – should you choose debit and enter your PIN, or sign for credit?

Did you know you are more susceptible to an attack if you use your PIN?  When you choose debit, you could fall victim to PIN harvesting by a “Man-In-The-Middle” attack.  Fraudsters can intercept your information and PIN as it passes through the electronic network.  They can then use that information to create a fake debit card and withdraw your money using your actual PIN.  Even if a transaction was fraud, it is a lot harder to recover those funds when a PIN was used.  

If you are looking for a safer way to make your transactions, choose credit and sign rather than entering your PIN.  Signing at POS prevents PIN harvesting from happening.  Also, signing for your transaction gives you additional protection from VISA or MasterCard.  All HCCU debit cards carry VISA Zero Liability coverage for signature transactions that will cover you in case of fraud; PIN-based transactions do not receive the same level of protection.

So whenever you can, choose credit and sign on the dotted line rather than punching in a PIN code for purchases.

Post by: Lori S