9th Annual Warming Hearts & Homes: You Click, We Donate!

Community Financial Credit Union is excited to kick off the holiday season with the return of our 9th annual Warming Hearts & Homes charitable campaign! Throughout the month of December, Community Financial will donate up to $40,000* to local nonprofit organizations that provide heat, food, shelter and clothing to Michigan families in need.

During the winter months, cold weather puts extra strain on families, some of whom are forced to choose between paying utilities and putting food on the table. Not only that, but COVID-19 has put strain on many households as well, which means this may be the hardest winter yet. Community Financial remains dedicated to supporting the fight against cold and hunger in Michigan each winter.

Financial Health in a COVID World

As the world continues to adjust to the new normal, it's more important than ever to make sure that you and your finances are both healthy! Being financially fit is crucial for a well-balanced, stress-free life. Here’s why (and how):

School Spotlight: Rosedale Elementary, A Partner in Creativity

Community Financial creatively continues its school partnerships with our Student-Run Credit Union program during these unprecedented times.  This year, our school partnerships look different, but creativity seems to be the one constant throughout. 

How to Celebrate Thanksgiving During COVID-19

It’s turkey season! Here’s how to celebrate Thanksgiving 2020 without compromising the health and safety of you and your guests.

Beware Jury Duty Scams

Jury duty is a responsibility that enables courts to serve justice in a fair and efficient way. Unfortunately, it is often used as a cover for scams. Here’s all you need to know about jury duty scams.

How the scam plays out

A scammer impersonates a court or law enforcement official, claiming the victim has failed to show up for jury duty. They threaten immediate arrest unless a fine is paid by credit card, prepaid debit card or money transfer. Unfortunately for the victim, the money they pay will go directly into the scammer’s pockets.

#ThankfulThursdays are Back!

#ThankfulThursdays are back! November is “National Gratitude Month” and Community Financial is so grateful for our members and the communities we serve. With the Thanksgiving season upon us, it’s the perfect time of year to practice gratitude and appreciation for what we have around us.

When Does it Makes Sense to Pay a Bill with a Credit Card?

Credit cards and debit cards offer incredible convenience, but is it a smart idea to pay monthly bills with them? Choosing to pay a bill with a card can have a significant impact on your general financial wellness — for better or for worse. It’s important to consider the many variables of this decision before going ahead with it.

Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons.

8 Ways to Spot a Counterfeit Bill

Everyone loves a stash of cash — unless it’s fake. Unfortunately, there’s been a surge in the spread of counterfeit bills during the coronavirus pandemic. Bogus bills can be difficult to spot. Here are some signs to help you determined if it’s the real thing:

A hologram of the face image on the bill: When held up to the light, the hologram on the bill should match the face on the front of the bill. Scammers will often bleach a lower denomination bill and try to pass it off as a bill of a higher denomination — but they can’t change the interior hologram. Check to make sure the face matches the one in the center of the bill to be sure it’s authentic.

School Spotlight: Staying Positive at Wixom Elementary!

Community Financial’s Wixom branch opened to members in 2018.  Since then, our school partnerships within the Walled Lake Consolidated School District have begun!  Wixom Elementary joined in partnership with Community Financial in the fall of 2019.  Wixom Elementary’s Student-Run Credit Union volunteers and members demonstrated how to be positive, and have fun, all while learning valuable work skills.

International Credit Union Day: Inspiring Hope for a Global Community

Each year we come together to celebrate International Credit Union Day (ICU Day) and raise awareness about what it means for members everywhere to partner with their local credit union. This year, with the coronavirus pandemic and health crisis on a global scale, communities around the world have seen their lives turn upside down. During this time, credit unions have stayed true to our cooperative principles and stepped up during the economic uncertainty.

Hope is a global resource that everyone has a right to feel and experience. This year’s ICU Day theme, “Inspiring Hope for a Global Community,” reflects how we as credit unions work to create a brighter future through financial empowerment, education, and support.

In the spirit of ICU Day, let’s take a look at just a few of the perks members receive by entering in a relationship with their local credit union:

DIY Halloween Décor

With Halloween close at hand, you might already be thinking about how to make your home look scary good. The great news is that creative Halloween décor doesn’t have to break the bank. Check out our list of cheap DIY ideas that will turn your house into the spookiest haunt on the block.

1. Mummify Your Door

Turn your front door into a bona fide mummy with toilet paper and masking tape. This project is easier with a helper, so get your kids in on it!

5 Side Hustles Anyone Can Do

Working one job may be turning into a thing of the past. According to a 2019 study, almost 45% of Americans (roughly 70 million people) report having some sort of side hustle. About a third of those surveyed also indicated that their side income went toward regular living expenses. For Millennials, this number is even higher with 50% reporting side hustles—and nearly 40% of these individuals are using the money to pay for monthly expenses such as utilities, rent, and student loan debt.

With side hustles becoming a regular part of life for millions of Americans, we’ve compiled a list of some of the easiest ways to start earning extra money in your free-time.

Celebrate the First Day of Autumn in Style

Today marks the first day of autumn, the season of apple cider, donuts, pumpkin patches, hay rides, and everything Halloween. If you’re like the majority of Americans (as nearly every survey done in the past twenty years has shown), this is the season you’ve been waiting for! Whether you’ll be first in line to get a mug of pumpkin spice latte at your local coffee shop or you’ve got apple orchards and pumpkin carving on the brain, we’ve compiled some of our favorite ways to celebrate this amazing season below!

How to Create Your First Elevator Pitch

Elevator pitches take humble-bragging to a new level. At its core, the concept of an elevator pitch is to squeeze all you can about your talents, strengths and work experience into the time it takes for an elevator to travel from one floor to the next.

The beginning of the new school year is a great time for polishing your elevator pitch until it is perfect. You can use it to answer common interview questions as you job hunt, or just have it handy if you happen to run into a potential new employer, anytime, anywhere. Working on your elevator pitch will also help you clarify your work goals as you prepare to transition to a new stage of life.

To make this task easier, we’ve broken down the process of creating a killer elevator pitch into seven simple steps. While reading through each section, jot down a few sentences that cover the details of that category. Don’t worry about the writing or syntax here; we’ll get to that.

3 Reasons to Switch to Digital Wallet Purchases

As credit and debit card purchases become more prevalent than cash transactions, you may think that pulling out your plastic is more hygienic than paying for your morning coffee with cash. Think again! According to a 2019 study, the amount of bacteria living on the average credit card is about twice as much as that on the average dollar bill. 

With COVID-19 still on the front of many minds, looking for a healthy, safe alternative to cash and cards should be a priority. Thankfully, Community Financial has the answer: Digital Wallets! With a digital wallet you can securely store your Community Financial debit or credit Mastercard in your phone and use it just like your physical card—but without the added germs! Below, we’ve compiled the top 3 reasons to switch over today.

Learn New Skills Without Spending a Penny

For some, the COVID-19 shutdown provided extra downtime to learn new skills. Now whether that be a skill they’ll be able to utilize in the future (like a new language) or one that’s more fun than anything else (such as throwing a ping-pong ball over your shoulder sinking it into a cup), people have been utilizing their own creativity and online resources this summer.

Just because you didn’t jump onto the pandemic-learning bandwagon doesn’t mean you can’t start now! Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn a new language, but the Rosetta Stone price-tag kept you from committing? Don’t worry! Learning new skills doesn’t mean you have to break open your piggy bank. Teach yourself something new without even spending a penny with our resources below.

The Back to School Guide for These Unconventional Times

This year, back-to-school season is all about getting ready for a school year that promises to be unlike any other. Whether your child’s education is gearing up at home or in the classroom, here’s our guide to helping your child prepare for the new school year in these unconventional times.

Stay 6’ Away from Scammers as the Country Reopens

With states continuing to work toward reopening, as usual, scammers aren’t far behind. Keep your finances safe and watch out for these trending scams as the country continues to reopen:

Account Takeovers

Shorter hours and percentage-capacity rules mean many consumers are still shopping remotely. This leads to an increase in online retail scams like account takeovers, where scammers hack a company’s database to break into a customer’s account. Using the customer’s remembered payment information, the scammer goes on to place large orders to their own address — all on the client’s dime.

5 Ways to Celebrate National Financial Awareness Day

This Friday, August 14^th is a little-known holiday: National Financial Awareness Day. With all of the uncertainty and financial ups-and-downs this year has given us, it’s about time that we take a step back and reevaluate, reassess, and regroup.

Financial awareness means different things to different people. For some, it comes with the awareness and monitoring of a savings or nest-egg balance. For others, awareness is found in financial education and learning new savings habits. Whatever your view of financial awareness, we’ve compiled 5 ways to help you celebrate National Financial Awareness Day.

My Savings Has Been Wiped Clean; How Can I Replenish It?

With country-wide shutdowns and lay-offs this summer due to COVID-19, many Americans are finding their finances in a rough spot. This financial struggle has caused many to use their savings to get by; with emergency funds and savings accounts dropping to zero. 

For many, this August is bringing a plateau, if not an upturn, in financial situations. As situations return to normal, it’s imperative to build savings accounts back up again. As such, many may be asking the same question: Where do I begin?

Preparing for an Interview

You’ve fired off your resume to a potential workplace, and they’ve contacted you to set up an interview. You’re super-excited to prove yourself, but also super-nervous. What if you mess up and jeopardize your chance at landing the job? What happens if you get tongue-tied and can’t answer the interviewer’s questions?

There’s no need to panic; Community Financial is here to help! Here’s how to prepare for an interview that will have you presenting yourself as polished, professional and capable to any potential employer.

Kid’s Corner: Building a Budget

Though it’s hard to believe it when you’re knee-deep in their laundry and begging them to do their homework, your little ones won’t be young forever. Someday, they will be all grown up and have homes of their own. And while you can lecture them about budgeting, spending their allowances wisely and saving up for the occasional expensive item, running the finances of an entire household is a whole different ballgame. This simple yet challenging activity can help you teach them this crucial skill.

Summer of Sharing Donation Helps Families Connect with Free Movie Nights

Community Financial’s 10th annual Summer of Sharing campaign is under way and thousands of
dollars have already been donated to local charitable organizations throughout Michigan!

Running through the end of August, Community Financial is donating $60,000 to organizations that make a difference in their communities. Recipients are chosen based on nominations submitted at SummerofSharing.org, where we ask you to consider, “What GOOD could you do with $1,000?” As we celebrate #10YearsofSharing, we’re excited to spotlight one such organization, Gaylord’s VFW Post 1518.

How Can I Use a Job Loss as a Stepping Stone for Growth?

Losing a job is never easy. Regardless of how it comes about, choosing to view this time as an opportunity for growth can help you more than you would think. Let’s take a look at some practical steps you can take while embarking on a new direction in your career path.

Take a Step Back

Take a moment to look at where you stand career-wise. Where do you want to go next? Would a complete career pivot be in your best interest, or would you do better with a small shift, such as a change in position within the same field?

The Complete Guide to Prioritizing Bills During a Financial Crunch

If you are one of the millions of Americans on furlough—or just getting back to work—due to the coronavirus, you may be scrambling to cover your bills. Let’s take a look at what some financial experts are advising so you can make an informed decision about your finances going forward.

All You Need to Know About Closing Costs

With stay-at-home orders being gradually lifted, realtors have started work back up in many states. So if you’re in the market for a new home, don’t forget to budget for closing costs! This includes all fees and charges incurred while officially transferring a property from one owner to another.

Here’s all you need to know about closing costs:

School Spotlight: New School High Learns Real-Life Skills with the Student-Run Credit Union Program

Education Partnership Coordinator, Kristen La Forest,
brings financial education to NSH students via the
Student-Run Credit Union program.

New School High (NSH), a charter high school located in Risen Christ Lutheran Church in Plymouth, is in their fifth year of partnership with our Student-Run Credit Union program.  Education Partnership Coordinator, Kristen La Forest, works with teachers to provide financial education to students throughout the school year.  Presentation topics include: checking, money management, and credit.  Kristen also helps facilitate the Student-Run Credit Union once a month at NSH during lunch. 

Creative Dine-In Cooking: Spaghetti Pizza

With families home more often, cooking the same meals can get boring. So give your classic spaghetti a fun new twist with this creative, budget-friendly recipe!

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 8 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Cost per serving: $1.75

Why Is There Still a Shortage on Some Goods?

As the calendar turns from April to May to now June, Americans are finally getting used to living with the new reality of the coronavirus pandemic. And part of that reality means empty store shelves.

Customers’ growing frustration has reached such extremes in some places that it has escalated into physical confrontations and actual larceny — over rolls of toilet paper. In mid-March, Florida sheriff’s deputies arrested a man for allegedly stealing 66 toilet paper rolls from a Marriott hotel. In early April, Beverly Hills cops found 192 rolls of toilet paper in a stolen SUV. Customers are clearly fed up with seeing empty store shelves.

Summer of Sharing 2020: 10 Years of Sharing

2020 has been a year of unprecedented firsts. And while many things have changed and our summer activities may not be the same, Community Financial remains committed to the community now more than ever. Summer will be here soon, and with it the return of Community Financial Credit Union’s 10^th annual Summer of Sharing campaign.

This year, we’re celebrating 10 Years of Sharing and we’re excited to support another 60 great organizations this summer—with your help! Community Financial will donate $60,000 to nonprofit, educational and community organizations throughout Michigan! That's $1,000 a day every Monday – Friday from June 8, 2020 – August 28, 2020.

Creative Ways to Save on Energy Costs

With being home more often during the COVID-19 stay-at-home measures, you might find your energy bills skyrocketing. Community Financial wants to help you find creative ways to “beat the heat” while you stay safe and healthy at home this Spring.

Ways to Kick the Quarantine Blues

If you’re having a hard time with the quarantine during these unprecedented times, you’re not alone. The COVID-19 outbreak has changed a lot of things, including our daily routines, which can trigger stress and health problems for many individuals. While we at Community Financial are always available to help with your financial stressors, we have also come up with a variety of ways to help kick those annoying quarantine blues.  

School Spotlight: Hillman High School Students Learn about Budgeting

While Community Financial can’t be in the schools right now due to stay-at-home measures put in place throughout the state, we are grateful to look back on the financial education our school partnerships have provided throughout the year.

Community Financial’s school partnerships provide financial education to many students in Northern Michigan.  Our school partners include: Gaylord Intermediate School, Lewiston Elementary, and Hillman Elementary School.  Hillman High School has enlisted Community Financial’s help with providing financial education to their students as well.  Hillman High School’s eleventh and twelfth grade students last year participated in a Community Financial sponsored “Reality Fair,” where students were asked to navigate the world of finances as adults!

COVID-19 Texting Scam

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been raging on American shores for several months, but scammers are still finding new ways to exploit the panic, fear and uncertainty surrounding the virus to con people out of their money. The latest in a string of coronavirus scams involves a simple text message with criminal intent.

How Should I Spend My Stimulus Check?

The stimulus checks promised in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act are starting to land in checking accounts and mailboxes around the country. The $1,200 granted to most adults is a welcome relief during these financially trying times.

Many recipients may be wondering: What is the best way to use this money?

To help you determine the most financially responsible course of action to take with your stimulus check, here is a list of advice and tips from financial experts and advisers on how to use this money.

How to Build Up Your Credit From Scratch

If you’ve never had a credit card and your credit history is non-existent, where do you start? Building
a credit history from the bottom up can be tricky business. It may take a while until you see results. But, with time, effort and responsible financial choices, you can build an excellent credit history, which will positively impact your financial health for years to come.

Here are 5 steps you can take to get the ball rolling on your credit file.

How to Care for Your Car During a Lockdown

With stay-at-home orders imposed in many states, millions of cars are sitting motionless in garages and driveways across the country. While staying home is the best way to stay safe these days, it might not be the best thing for your car.

David Bennett, manager for repair systems at AAA, says cars won’t need any major maintenance during a lockdown, but there are several important steps drivers can take now to ensure their vehicles don’t deteriorate due to non-use.

School Spotlight: Plymouth Scholars Partnership Goes Beyond Saving Money

PSCA Student-Run Credit Union middle
school winter volunteers.

Schools may be closed for the year, but that doesn't mean celebrating our partnerships with them is! During these unprecedented times, it's more important than ever to look back at the way we teach our youth, the educational tools at our fingertips, and the way our future leaders have grown this school year.

Community Financial’s school partnerships extend to several National Heritage Academies within the Plymouth, Canton, and Westland areas. Our NHA partners include: Plymouth Scholars, Achieve, South Canton Scholars, and Grand River Charter Academies.

Ways to Productively Spend Your Time at Home

For many people, navigating the COVID-19 crisis successfully means being stuck at home as they
wait out in quarantine. Sitting at home without much to do can quickly get old. If you’re waiting out the crisis at home, be proactive about spending your time productively. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Call an old friend.
Socializing in person may be out, but the old-fashioned phone still works just fine. A leisurely chat with an old friend can be a wonderful way to pass the time. You can also set up a video conference to talk face-to-face and reconnect.

April is Financial Literacy Month

“April showers bring May flowers,” goes the saying. It’s also a great lesson about the importance of saving – where weathering some showers can pay dividends during the nicer days that are to come.

April is Financial Literacy Month, and a great time to think about some important lessons everyone can learn about finances. Whether you’re a parent looking to make talking money with your kids easier or a professional looking for a few tips, there’s always something to learn. Here are a few Community Financial Resources you can use to build your financial knowledge this month. Plus a few ways to get your kids involved!

Fun Activities for Kids at Home

It isn’t always easy to be holed up at home with just your family for company. After a few days, you may be running out of ideas on how to keep your kids busy and engaged. As the parent, you have the unique opportunity to set the tone in your home and decide if these weeks will be a nightmare for everyone, or filled with precious memory-making and family-bonding activities.

Here are some fun activities to keep your kids busy while you wait out the pandemic at home:

Tips for Working at Home

The coronavirus pandemic has taken the world as we know it and turned it upside down. As part of this upheaval, millions of Americans have been sent home from work with laptops in hand and strict instructions to remotely tend to their usual workload.

Unfortunately, this can prove to be a lot harder than it sounds. If you find yourself struggling to complete your workload from home during the outbreak, we can help!

Here are some tips on how to stay focused, on-task and productive as you work from home.

School Spotlight: Gallimore Volunteers Multitask at the Student-Run Credit Union!

Gallimore Elementary Student-Run Credit
Union winter volunteers with Education
Partnership Coordinator, Julie Blaylock.

Gallimore Elementary School in Canton has been a partner with Community Financial for ten years! Since the Student-Run Credit Union’s program introduction in 2010, Gallimore has evolved from being a standard K-5 elementary school, to a 3-5 district school for talented and gifted students. Community Financial’s involvement at Gallimore has evolved as well.

Education Partnership Coordinator, Julie Blaylock, works with student volunteers who typically embrace challenges with open arms.

Julie finds creative ways to challenge Gallimore students’ abilities and thinking, usually by multitasking. Here are some pictures of student volunteers multitasking on the job!

Beware of Coronavirus Scams

Scammers are notorious for capitalizing on fear, and the coronavirus outbreak is no exception. They have already set up fake websites, bogus funding collections and more in an effort to trick the fearful and unsuspecting out of their money.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published on its website a warning against email scams connected to the coronavirus. The agency claims it has received reports from around the world about phishing attempts mentioning coronavirus on an almost daily basis.

Why You Should Never Abbreviate 2020

It may be a new year, but scammers are still looking for ways to con you out of your money. Experts are warning of a new scam that involves changing the date on important documents.

Most of us are accustomed to abbreviating the date by using just the last two digits when we need to write it. While it was fine to do in the past, continuing this practice in 2020 can be problematic. With the two sets of digits that make up the new year being identical, abbreviating the date on documents opens us up to multiple scams.

"Thumbs Up for Charity" Starts March 9th!

We often give a “thumbs up” to things we like such as Facebook statuses and Netflix shows. During the month of March, Community Financial is making it easy for you to give a “thumbs up” to your favorite charity with our 7th annual “Thumbs Up for Charity!” program! So how can you get involved?

Starting Monday, March 9th, you can nominate a local organization that's doing great work in your community for a chance to receive a donation up to $10,000! Nominations will be accepted at cfcu.org/thumbsup until Friday, March 27, 2020.

9 Germy Places to Avoid or Disinfect This Winter

As winter settles in, it’s time to brush up on your disinfecting smarts. Harmful bacteria can lurk in places you’d never suspect, and knowing which places to be wary of can help you avoid getting sick this winter.

At home 

There are harmful microbes all over our homes-and most are found in the kitchen. 

Kitchen sink
According to microbiologist Charles Gerba, there is more fecal bacteria in your kitchen sink than there is in your toilet after flushing it. Gerba recommends regularly scrubbing your sinks with diluted bleach, or with a kitchen cleaning product that contains bleach. For best results, allow the cleaning solution to sit for a bit before wiping, or use wipes for a more targeted cleanup. Be sure to clean the entire sink and all nearby surfaces, as well.

School Spotlight: Hillside Middle School Students Continue to Save

Hillside Middle School Student-Run
Credit Union first semester volunteers

Hillside Middle School in Northville provides students with the continued opportunity to save their money at school with Community Financial’s Student-Run Credit Union program. Many students have been saving their money since elementary school at Thornton Creek, Amerman, and Moraine within the Northville School District.

So, what are middle school students saving for these days? A phone, a down payment on a car, video games, college, and clothing are just a few examples. Although the list is wide-ranging, maintaining good money-saving habits during middle school is important for a student’s future financial success.

How to Create a Budget in 6 Easy Steps

If you’re always wondering how you’re going to pay the next bill, feel guilty when you indulge in overpriced treats and you just can’t find money to put into savings, you might need a budget.

A budget will help you gain financial awareness, which will help facilitate more responsible decisions. Here are 6 easy steps to create a budget:

Step 1: Gather your financial information
Collect all your financial documents and receipts for three consecutive months. This includes all account statements, bills, pay stubs, receipts and more.

Create Your Own Photo Shoot

Professional pictures can cost a pretty penny, but captured memories are priceless. Have your pictures and your money, too, by creating your own photo shoot.

Where should you look for props? 

• Your best bet for cheap props is your local dollar store 
• Try discount shops like Five Below 
• Most box stores have an aisle of clearance or 5-and-under items 
• Make something at home! Take empty boxes, paint, scissors and glue and create something new 

Beware of the Fake Check Scam Targeting College Students

Making the transition from high school to college isn’t easy. Unfortunately, scammers are making it even more challenging. In fact, there’s recently been an uptick in fake check scams targeting new college students. Don’t be the next victim! Here’s how you can recognize a fake check scam.

How does the scam play out? There are several variations of the fake check scam, but all of them ultimately lead to the victim cashing an extra-high fake check and returning the difference to the scammer.

Making Your Own Luck

We all can point to that one person in our lives for whom everything seems to come easily. He or she has a good income, great house, beautiful children and the checkout line they choose always moves the quickest. You probably really wonder about that person. Why are they so lucky? Why not me?

Well, why not you? Research has confirmed that we have more power over our own luck than we think.  We can make ourselves into the type of successful, powerful, happy people that everyone else will wonder about with these three easy tips: