Category Archives: COVID-19

Financial and Preparedness Tips for Summer Roadtrips

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Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, as bigger trips get cancelled and flights are limited – some may be considering road trips to other states as this year’s family summer vacation. While the CDC still urges limited travel, those who decide to take a roadtrip should consider the following before hitting the road:

  • What’s actually open? Planning is especially important this summer because many state parks and businesses in certain states may still be closed. Do your research ahead of time.
  • Face masks – Bring one for every passenger, and wear them in public. Even places where it looks like social distancing is in force can become crowded in a hurry.
  • Call ahead – Be sure to confirm any potential restrictions for where you are traveling.
  • Call the hotel – If you plan to stay overnight at a hotel, call ahead to make sure it is still open and will have rooms available.
  • Stop early and often for fuel and breaks, just in case. Check online to see which state-run highway rest stops are open and which facilities are operational.

Auto Maintenance Tips for Traveling by Car:

  • Bring your own protective equipment – This includes gloves for pumping your own gas, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper. Some gas stations/rest stops may be limited in what they have available, so be sure to bring your own just in case.
  • Prepare in advance – Be sure to stay up to date on oil changes and have your tires checked before you go. Also check your windshield washer fluid level, coolant, light bulbs, battery life and so forth. Book a service appointment for your vehicle prior to leaving.
  • Do you have a roadside assistance plan? If not, you may want to enroll in one before your trip.

Packing and Preparedness Suggestions:

  • Don’t overload your car, and store the heaviest items low (or opt for a rooftop cargo carrier).
  • Be sure to bring a car phone charger, basic tools, road flares, a flashlight, spare tire and changing kit, and jumper cables.

Did you know that First Financial’s mechanical repair coverage can help you limit out-of-pocket costs should you ever have a covered breakdown? Be sure to check it out before you hit the road this summer. To research, compare, and buy Mechanical Repair Coverage, visit creditunion.forevercar.com/firstffcu or call 855.927.0224

*Mechanical Repair Coverage is provided and administered by Consumer Program Administrators, Inc. in all states except CA, where coverage is offered as insurance by Virginia Surety Company, Inc., in WA, where coverage is provided by National Product Care Company and administered by Consumer Program Administrators, Inc., in FL, LA and OK, where coverage is provided and administered by Automotive Warranty Services of Florida, Inc. (Florida License #60023 and Oklahoma License #44198051), all located at 175 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago Illinois 60604, 800.752.6265. This coverage is made available to you by CUNA Mutual Insurance Agency, Inc. In CA, where Mechanical Repair Coverage is offered as insurance (form MBIP 08/16), it is underwritten by Virginia Surety Company, Inc. Coverage varies by state. Be sure to read the Vehicle Service Contract or the Insurance Policy, which will explain the exact terms, conditions, and exclusions of this voluntary product.

Article Source: Patch.com

Smart Reasons to Live Below Your Means Right Now

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Having things and buying items is great, but life can still be amazing even when it’s simple. Cooking meals at home more often will definitely help you save money, and many are probably realizing that due to the recent pandemic. When was the last time you used your credit card just to shop? You are most likely not doing it as often as you used to. Living a modest lifestyle can actually be very satisfying. Even if you haven’t missed a single day of work due to COVID-19, here are a few reasons to live below your means anyway.

You’ll pay off debt faster: Debt is not cheap, which you probably know. If you’ve ever had to swipe your credit card for an unexpected bill you know it can sometimes take years to pay it back. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, it’s probably even worse. These days during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re spending has probably slowed down – but if you focus on cutting back even more, it will provide you with an opportunity to pay down your debt even faster.

You can still have amazing experiences: Sometimes we remember the items we spent our money on years ago, and may regret those purchases thinking that we actually wasted our hard earned dollars on them. However if you really think about it, what most individuals remember are the people and experiences in our lives. Once things start to return to normal, most will want to have those experiences with the people that they’re unable to spend time with right now.

You’ll teach your children: Don’t let your kids see you trying to “keep up with the Joneses,” it only teaches them that material things and spending money are important. You want your children to learn to appreciate the little things in life. Recently staying at home and spending time together as a family and playing outside has probably shown them exactly that. Plus, this may also teach them to be a lot more frugal when they’re spending their own money one day.

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

Costs You Can Cut to Save Money During the Pandemic

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If you’ve been affected by COVID-19 due to unemployment or reduced hours (or even if you haven’t been affected in this way), it’s extremely important to focus on saving money and not spending money on items that are not absolutely necessary during this time.

Here is a list of suggested items you may want to consider cutting out during the Coronavirus pandemic:

  • Subscriptions – You might be stuck at home, but if paying for a multitude of subscription services like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, and the like are strapping your monthly budget, it’s time to temporarily suspend them. Or, if there’s one you use more so than some others in particular – keep one subscription service you are actually using.
  • Gym membership – More than likely your gym has been closed for the past two months, are you still paying for a facility you haven’t been able to use and may not be able to use for some time? See if you can have a hold placed on your membership, or if you can cancel and take advantage of exercising outdoors in the nice weather or utilizing free online workouts instead.
  • Services you can DIY – If you’re home on a daily basis, are you still paying for a lawn mowing service or yard maintenance? If so, this might be something you want to consider tackling yourself to save on monthly bills. Plus – you’ll get to enjoy the sunlight and fresh air.
  • Expensive cable packages – If you are paying for extra sports channels that aren’t even showing any sports right now because they’re cancelled, or premium channels like HBO and Showtime – call your cable company and temporarily suspend them. Anything you can do to make your bill less during this time is advisable. If you can cut out cable TV altogether and just pay for one streaming service, even better. Also, try not to order on-demand movies either during this time. That will continually make your monthly bill increase. Instead, see what free movies might be available.
  • Non-essential food expenses – Cooking at home is a big money saver. If you are continually having food delivered or buying takeout for your meals, costs can really add up. If you can, try to cook your meals at home and only order takeout once in awhile for a special treat on a weekend.
  • Shopping – While retail stores and malls are closed, you may instead be doing a lot of online shopping these days. Even if an online retailer is having a sale, is the item something you really need? Really evaluate all your expenses before you click “add to cart.”
  • Driving around – You might be itching to get out of the house, but driving around and burning through gas is going to eventually add up. Unless you have to get in your car to go to work or to an essential business, walking or jogging outside on a nice day is a much cheaper option.
  • Vacation fund contributions – If you’ve been saving money toward planning a trip, pause it for now. Since traveling is out of the question for the near future, put these contributions into an emergency savings account instead.
  • Seasonal memberships – Take a look at what might be coming up that you won’t be able to participate in like usual (swim club, sports season, theme park, etc). Make sure you aren’t being automatically billed for events you won’t be able to partake in this spring and summer.
  • Gifts – Since celebrations have been put on hold, take the funds you would have spent on them and put it in your emergency savings account.
  • Bottled water – This is a nice to have, but definitely not a necessity. You’ll save a great deal more money by making a one-time purchase on a refillable filtered water pitcher.

By reducing expenses of non-essential items, you can increase the amount you save to make sure you’re still able to pay your bills or have some money in savings if you need it. The last thing you want to do in a financial environment like the current one we are in, is to put yourself in debt. Stay financially safe and healthy!

Article Source: Gabrielle Olya for Gobankingrates.com

Business Owners: Watch Out for COVID-19 SBA Loan Scams

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If you’re a business owner, you may have already applied or are still planning to apply for a loan to assist your business by paying employees through the SBA’s (Small Business Administration) CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program. Both programs recently got billions of dollars in new funding. However, while you’re focused on getting a loan – scammers may be hoping to trick you into giving them sensitive business information, like your bank account numbers, employees’ Social Security Numbers, and your money.

Below are some guidelines to prevent you and your business from getting scammed as you apply for a small business loan.

Things to Do:

 Things You Shouldn’t Do:

  • Never pay for information. All the information from the SBA is free at sba.gov/coronavirus.
  • Don’t pay in advance for a government business loan. You will never have to pay anything up front to get an SBA loan.
  • Don’t give your information to anyone who calls, emails, or texts you. The SBA will not call unsolicited to find out information about you or your business, or to ask you to apply for a loan. The SBA will not send you emails or text messages asking for sensitive information. If you get an email or text like this, it’s a scam.
  • Don’t apply for a loan without verifying the lender. Only SBA authorized lenders can provide PPP loans, and the other loans (bridge loans, debt relief loans) that may be available through SBA directly. To find an SBA authorized lender in your area, use this SBA tool.
  • Don’t click on links or reply to emails or text messages from unknown senders. If you click on any links typically sent in these types of communications, you could download malware to your device or be connected to a scammer. Also be on alert for fraudulent calls. If you think your business has been contacted by a scammer, report it at ftc.gov/complaint

To inquire about applying for a PPP Loan for your small Monmouth or Ocean County NJ business, please email our Business Development Department at business@firstffcu.com. First Financial is an SBA approved lender.*

We are here to help our local small businesses during this difficult time!

*Please be advised that due to high volume in regard to requests with PPP Loans, our response time may be delayed. We will get to each inquiry in the order in which it was received.

Article Source: Rosario Mendez of Consumer.FTC.gov

More Ways to Make the Most of Your Coronavirus Stimulus Check

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If you already received your stimulus payment directly deposited into your bank account, or even if you are still awaiting a paper check in the mail – it’s a good idea to have a plan on how you will use this payment. Everyone’s financial situation is different, but here are four additional ways to consider spending your coronavirus relief check.

First and Foremost: Cover Your Needs

If there were ever a time to prioritize needs over wants, it’s right now. This is especially important if you’ve lost income due to unemployment, reduced hours or slow business. If this is the case for you, your stimulus money should go toward making sure you have a roof over your head and food on the table.

Create a budget and add up the cost of your essential expenses. Then look at how much money you have in your bank accounts as well as your stimulus check, to get a good picture of how long your money will stretch. Feeling overwhelmed? Create a budget that works for you with our budgeting guidebook.

If you are having trouble paying your bills, reach out to your financial institution or lender as soon as possible. Many are offering payment deferments and other relief options during this time.

Increase Your Savings

If you’re still working and bringing in enough money to cover your essential needs, look to using your stimulus check to boost your emergency fund.

No one can predict how long this pandemic will last and shelter-at-home advisories have forced many industries to change how they do business or temporarily shut down.

While the typical advice is to have at least three months’ worth of living expenses in an emergency fund, you might want to increase that if you can. Your emergency fund should help you feel financially secure. You will also want to separate your emergency savings from your spending money. A higher yield or money market account will earn interest while your money is sitting in the bank.*

Think About Your Future

If your finances are in good shape and you have an emergency fund, consider spending the money you’ll get from your stimulus check to set yourself up for a better financial future (i.e. going toward that side or start up business you’ve always wanted to get off the ground).

Making a dent in your debt up front could also help you save money in the long run. You also might want to think about using your stimulus money to cover initial expenses that’ll help you save money over time (i.e. buying gardening supplies so you can grow your own produce and cut costs on groceries while also staying out of the store right now).

Help Others

If you’re in a financially stable situation with a healthy emergency fund, another good use of your stimulus money could be to help others who need it.

Use the extra cash to help a family member or friend in need, or donate to a reputable charity. You could also spend your money to support local businesses and restaurants — whether that’s through online orders or purchasing gift cards for future in-person visits.

*A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details. A First Financial membership is required to open an account or loan and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean counties.

Article Source: Nicole Dow of The Penny Hoarder

3 Credit Score Tips During COVID-19

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COVID-19 will undeniably have an impact on consumers’ lives and finances in the coming months. Now is a critical time for people to take the appropriate actions to protect and monitor their credit. How can you keep your credit score in check during this time? Keep reading.

Review your credit score and report regularly.

Monitoring your credit score and report is just as important as monitoring your account balances. Noticing a sudden drop in your bank account balance without any action on your part, is a major indicator that there could be fraudulent activity on your account. The same goes for your credit. Do a monthly review to ensure that all the information on your credit report is accurate, and immediately dispute anything that is incorrect with the credit bureaus – before it has a negative impact on your credit score. It’s best to be proactive!

Sign up for a credit monitoring service.

It’s important to have a credit monitoring service working behind the scenes for you, and in between any periodic reviews. A credit monitoring service will immediately notify you of any unexpected changes or activity that could negatively impact your credit. In today’s world, these alerts are typically in real-time – giving you the ability to stop any fraudsters as soon as possible. Growing unemployment and financial strain during this time will increase fraudulent activity around the globe, and could also up your chances of being hacked or scammed – so please stay on top of your credit report.

Monitor your rates to find more savings.

It’s always recommended to have a rainy day fund for times like the present. Could savings be hidden in your auto loan with a refinance or using the equity in your vehicle (cash out auto loan)? Rates are at historic lows, which means it’s the perfect time to revisit the interest rates you are paying. If you live, work, worship, volunteer, or attend school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties in NJ – contact us to inquire about refinancing your credit card debt into a fixed low-rate personal loan. An auto or mortgage refinance can also often shave dollars, sometimes hundreds – off your monthly payment.*

Staying on top of your credit is important to do for both yourself and your loved ones. Your current credit decisions will have an impact on your finances for years to come. A late payment can stay on your credit report for up to seven years and costs the average person hundreds, if not thousands more in interest. Check out our credit management guidebook, be sure to review your credit report – and if you have questions, reach out to us! We are here for you.

*APR = Annual Percentage Rate. Not all applicants will qualify, subject to credit approval. Additional terms & conditions may apply. Actual rate may vary based on credit worthiness and term. A First Financial membership is required to obtain a First Financial loan and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties. See credit union for details. A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account/loan. First Financial FCU maintains the right to not extend credit, after you respond, if we determine you do not meet our guidelines for creditworthiness. Current loans financed with First Financial FCU are not eligible for review or refinance.

Article Source: Chris Fraenza for Savvymoney.com