NATIONAL CUT YOUR ENERGY COSTS DAY

A smart way to pay for energy-saving updates

The tenth of January marks the annual observance of National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, and it’s a great time to take a closer look at your home and see what you can do to lower your energy costs.

Some changes are easy and cost very little to make. For example, lowering your thermostat by just one degree can reduce your heating costs by as much as 3 percent, according to the Energy Department. Caulking your windows can reduce drafts that let heat escape and bring cold air in. During the summer months, using window coverings in rooms that receive the most sunlight can cut your air conditioning costs.

NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DAY

Security begins with you

January 9 is National Law Enforcement Day, an opportunity for Americans to call attention to the brave men and women who are dedicated to watching our communities and protecting us from criminals.

It’s always reassuring to know that law enforcement professionals are a call away when we need help, but it’s also important to remember that our personal security actually begins with our actions. The police can help after someone steals from us, but we can minimize the chances of that happening if we follow some simple steps.

NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY

Celebrate National Technology Day online with us

You may not realize it, but Sunday, January 6, is National Technology Day in the United States, a day created to help us focus on all the ways technology has affected our lives. An excellent example of that is the way technology has made managing your money more convenient, such as all the great Online Banking services you’ll find at Indiana Members Credit Union!

Our online NetTeller system, which is free to all members, gives you secure online access to all of your IMCU accounts from any computer or mobile device. That means you can check balances, transfer money between accounts, pay your bills, see if checks have cleared, or review your monthly statements from home, work, or wherever it’s convenient.

The Retirement Mindgame

The Retirement Mindgame
Your outlook may influence your financial outcome.

Provided by Gregg Perrey and Jeff Olbina

 What kind of retirement do you think you’ll have? Qualitatively speaking, what if the success or failure of your retirement begins with your perception of retirement?

A whole field of study has emerged on the psychology of saving, spending, and investing: behavioral finance.  Since retirement saving is a behavior (and since other behaviors influence it), it is worth considering ways to adjust behavior and presumptions to encourage a better retirement.

An IMCU Lifestyle Guide: Dealing with Identity Theft

DEALING WITH IDENTITY THEFT

If it looks like someone may have stolen your identity, you need to take action as quickly as possible for two reasons: first, you want to stop the criminal from stealing from you, and second, you need to protect your credit rating.

Indiana Members Credit Union knows how important it is to take action in this situation, and we know that it can be confusing and overwhelming. That’s why we created this basic guide to spell out the steps you need to take right away, and what you can do to protect your identity and your credit in the future.

An IMCU Lifestyle Guide: Ready for Retirement?

READY FOR RETIREMENT?

Whether retirement has finally arrived or it’s approaching rapidly, you’ve worked hard
for a long time to get here. Bringing your career to an end (or even cutting back on the
amount of time you devote to work) leads to all sorts of changes and forces you to make
many important decisions that will determine the quality of the years ahead. Indiana
Members Credit Union created this guide to help you make the right choices for your
situation and needs.

HOW WELL HAVE YOU PREPARED?
While most people will spend plenty of time thinking about what they’d like to do in their retirement years, far fewer actually take the time or the steps to prepare. According to Money Magazine, one-third of Americans have no retirement savings, and another 23 percent have only been able to save less than $10,000. (Only 13 percent have managed to put away at least $300,000.)

Let Us Help Find The Right Mortgage Option For You

FHA LOANS

• Minimal 3.5% down payment
• Down payment can be a gift or loan to the borrower from an eligible source
• Sellers may pay 6% towards closing costs
• Cash reserves are not required

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is an agency within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. FHA loans are designed to help low-to moderate-income creditworthy families by offering a mortgage with lower down payment requirements and less restrictive qualifying criteria.

Why Do People Put Off Saving for Retirement?

Why Do People Put Off Saving for Retirement?

A lack of money is but one answer.

Provided by Gregg Perrey and Jeff Olbina

Common wisdom says that you should start saving for retirement as soon as you can. Why do some people wait decades to begin?

Nearly everyone can save something. Even small cash savings may be the start of something big if they are invested wisely.

Sometimes, the immediate wins out over the distant. To young adults, retirement can seem so far away. Instead of directing X dollars a month toward some far-off financial objective, why not use it for something here and now, like a payment on a student loan or a car? This is indeed practical, and it may be necessary. Even so, paying yourself first should be as much of a priority as paying today’s bills or paying your creditors.

 Some workers fail to enroll in retirement plans because they anticipate leaving. They start a job with an assumption that it may only be short term, so they avoid signing up, even though human resources encourages them. Time passes. Six months turn into six years. Still, they are unenrolled. (Speaking of short-term or transitory work, many people in the gig economy never get such encouragement; they have no access to a workplace retirement plan at all.)

HELOC: Just Like Borrowing From Yourself

If you’re a homeowner who needs to borrow money for home improvements, debt consolidation, or a major purchase such as a new vehicle or boat, there’s a smart financing tool you may want to consider. It’s called a home equity line of credit, or HELOC for short, and it gives you an easy way to tap into the equity you’ve built in your home when you could use some extra cash.

Indiana Members Credit Union Celebrates Greenwood Branch Grand Re-Opening

Indiana Members Credit Union is celebrating the grand re-opening of its Greenwood Branch located at 1115 N. Madison Avenue, Greenwood, IN, on Friday, August 24, 2018 and Saturday, August 25, 2018.  The public is invited to join us as we celebrate our newly remodeled branch.

Events for the Grand Re-Opening Celebration include:

• Ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, August 24, 2018 – 10:30 am.
• Grand re-opening celebration Friday, August 24, 2018 – 9 am-6 pm and Saturday, August 25, 2018 – 9 am-1 pm including: refreshments, enter to win $500 in grand prizes, door prizes and giveaways.
• Friday, August 24, 2018, special appearance by Indiana Pacers Mascot Boomer and the Indiana Pacers Fan Van- 5 pm-6 pm.
• Saturday, August 25, 2018, a live remote by 99.5 WZPL – 9 am-11 am, special appearance by Indianapolis Indians Mascot Rowdy – 10 am-11 am, and Indy Eleven Mascot Zeke – 11:30 am-12:30 pm.