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Winterizing To Protect Your Home
August 10, 2020
Be prepared by making improvements now that could protect your home during our chilliest months.
1. Prevent water pipe freeze-up.
2. Install leak alarms.
3. Be prepared with backup power.
4. Prevent ice damming.
Finance Habits Everyone Should Have
August 7, 2020
- Keep the cash in your wallet to a minimum.
- Pay your bills online if possible.
- Before any online purchase, conduct a search for coupons or discounts.
- Regularly check your credit report for errors.
- Treat your household like a business.
Take Your Credit Union to College
August 5, 2020
When you’re a credit union member, it’s easy to take your credit union with you to college! With Shared Branching taking your credit union to college is easy.
Saving for Retirement After a Late Start
August 3, 2020
If only it was easy to follow the nicely planned, easily mapped steps to retirement. You simply put away 15% of your salary every year, get an annual raise, and put more money away into your company matched 401(k) plan. And when you’re 65 years old, you’re ready to retire, financially secure! Well, it’s not always that easy. In fact, it rarely is. Contributing to a retirement plan can be difficult when you have to balance a mortgage, student loans, car payment…the list goes on and on. Whether you didn’t have the money to contribute over the years, or retirement savings just slipped your mind, it’s not too late to get started. If you’re nearing retirement and haven’t started saving, here are some tips for you:
What to look at each month to keep your finances in order
July 31, 2020
Are your finances in shape? If not, here’s what you can do to get everything in order.
Get your credit report
Have you looked at your credit report lately? This is one of the most important steps to take each year to keep your finances in order.
At Maine Savings you have access to our Savvy Money® portal as a credit union member. To lear more go to mainesavings.com/savvymoney.
Not only will this important number help you know what types of credit you’ll be eligible for, but our loan officers can also go over the factors that affect your score and anything you may want to do to improve it.
7 tips to help kids learn to budget money during back-to-school spending
July 29, 2020
American families spend close to $600 a year in gearing up the kids for school, according to the National Retail Foundation. Yet by getting the kids themselves more involved, many of us could not only reduce the cost but also help our children learn a life lesson (as adults, they’ll need to know how to stretch a dollar when money is tight). To get the most from the strategy below, it’s best to start early—in early August, if you can.
Make your teen’s first paycheck a teachable moment
July 27, 2020
For teens who land their first job, that initial paycheck is quite a thrill. Or maybe not. What happened to all the money I earned? What’s FICA? Look at how much tax I paid!
Stay free of overdraft fees
July 24, 2020
Overdraw your account? The last thing you want to do is have to pay overdraft fees, which can cost anywhere from $20 to $45 per instance. Each year, the American people pay billions in overdraft checking fees. Beyond the extra money that you could spend in overdraft fees, they also can cost members the ability to open accounts in the future.
7 not-so-obvious questions to ask about a balance transfer
July 22, 2020
Some credit card offers promote a low rate (sometimes zero) when you transfer a balance from another credit card or loan. Should you go for it? We suggest asking yourself these seven questions first:
Common elder fraud warning signs
July 20, 2020
Every year, crooks bombard older Americans with sweepstake scams, junk mail, phony investment schemes, bogus charity fundraisers, Medicare fraud, and predatory reverse mortgages. And that’s just a few of the con games and hoaxes that cost people over 60 nearly $3 billion a year, according to AARP.
How much are you worth?
July 16, 2020
Do you know how much you are actually worth? Most people don’t. The actual number isn’t as important as the way your net worth trends over the years.
To calculate your net worth...
The Mobile Wallet Experience
July 13, 2020
Easy, simple to set up, and secure. These are the top features that users of mobile wallets are seeking. Users are looking for a streamlined experience from the moment they load their cards into a mobile wallet or an app such as Amazon or PayPal. Once it is set up, the default card entered is likely to be used more than any other.
The secret of successful retirement savers
July 10, 2020
What makes the difference between retirement savings account that gets steadily plumper over time, compared to one that struggles along in fits and starts?
Here’s the secret: Put it on autopilot...
Buying a car at 0% interest - Good Idea?
July 8, 2020
When you’re in the market for a new car, nothing can be more tempting than the words, “0% Interest!” Whether it is shouted from a television screen, written in bold letters in the newspaper, or waving on a dealership banner, it’s a deal that seems amazingly too good to be true. The truth? It often is...
Apply Online for Medicare
July 6, 2020
Did you know that you can apply online for Medicare, even if you are not ready to retire? Applying online can take less than 10 minutes. There are no forms to sign and usually no required documentation...
10 Fun Facts About the 4th of July
July 4, 2020
1. Only John Hancock actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. All the others signed later.
2. Thomas Lynch, Jr was the youngest person to sign the Declaration of Independence at just 27 years old.
3. The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all the Colonies would appear equal...
Three Ways To Finance Home Improvements?
July 2, 2020
If you’re thinking of major renovations or home addition that will cost more than you can pay out of pocket, come talk to us. Depending on your circumstances and plans, we may have as many as three options to offer you:
John Reed Celebrates Thirty Years
July 2, 2020
Thirty years ago this month, the Board of Directors of BARCO Federal Credit Union (now Maine Savings Federal Credit Union) hired a young banker to be the President and Chief Executive Officer of their credit union. That young banker was John Reed, who has been vitally instrumental in the growth and success of Maine Savings.
5 Ways to Make Extra Income
July 1, 2020
Whether you’re paying down debt, building up an emergency fund, or simply splurging on something you haven’t budgeted for, it’s always nice to have a little extra money. However, according to U.S. News, nearly 8 in 10 Americans live paycheck to paycheck. If your current income doesn’t leave much room for any additional saving or spending, consider supplementing your income with these five options:
21 items to keep in your safe deposit box
July 1, 2020
If you’ve decided to get your home finances better organized, one of the tasks on your “to do” list should be checking the contents of your safe deposit box. Is it full of easily replaceable things that don’t need to be there? Alternatively, have you left out items that would be difficult or impossible to replace?
If you don’t have a safe deposit box, see us about renting one. We offer safe deposit boxes at our Broadway branch in Bangor and our Forest Avenue branch in Portland.
We recommend that these 21 essentials be stashed away for safekeeping:
Which savings goal should you fund first?
June 30, 2020
How should you allocate your hard-earned savings?
Emergency fund? College? Retirement? Vacation?
Everyone’s situation is different, depending on such factors as whether you own a home, have a pension, are new in your job, and so on. But your financial and family situation may offer some general pointers about where best to steer your savings:
Lobbies Reopening
June 25, 2020
We plan to start our phased branch opening process starting July 8, 2020. In our first phase, we will open our lobbies for teller transactions only. Our offices will remain closed for in-person appointments. We will continue to monitor the safety of our employees and members. We will open our offices as soon as we feel it is appropriate.
We will continue to offer full service in our drive-thru. We encourage the use of our drive-thru service to limit lobby traffic.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OUR LOBBIES...
Make the Most of a Social Distant Summer
June 24, 2020
While many of us are limiting physical interaction with others, it can be a great opportunity to establish new routines and try novel ideas. It is a time where you can reconnect with your family and create deeper relationships, and creativity helps! Here are some suggestions for making the most of being stuck at home this summer.
SURF ATMs and Shared Branching
June 22, 2020
SURF ATMs
Although some branch lobbies may be closed temporarily, you still have access to Maine’s largest surcharge-free ATM network. If you want free access to your money, find the nearest SURF ATM HERE.
Shared Branching
With Shared Branching, members of a credit union can perform a wide range of transactions at another credit union. Much of the services you enjoy at your credit union are available; however, it’s recommended that you visit the credit union’s website or call first to determine what services are available in-person or by drive-through, as well as their hours of operation. Find a Shared Branching location HERE.
Access Your Credit Union From Home
June 19, 2020
Maintaining the well-being of staff and members is a top priority. As life continues in a time of uncertainty Maine Savings is taking a proactive approach ensuring you have access to your most pressing financial needs from the comfort of your home and the convenience of our drive-through service line...
10 Things YOU Can do to Stop COVID-19 Fraud?
June 18, 2020
Scams related to the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, are rapidly increasing as the public health emergency develops. Scammers are targeting older adults and those with serious long-term health conditions who appear to have a higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19. Fraudsters are attempting to bill Medicare for sham tests or treatments related to the coronavirus and are targeting individuals to illegally obtain money or Medicare numbers. So what can you do to stop COVID-19 fraud?
Economic Impact Payment Debit Cards
June 5, 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
The Department of Treasury is now issuing Economic Impact Payments (EIP) by prepaid debit card versus a paper check. We realize this new delivery method may create some confusion for your members as well as your staff.
Paycheck Protection Program
April 21, 2020
We Are Anticipating Additional Paycheck Protection Program Funds Soon! (Update: Additional funds of $310 Billion approved)
We are urging all of our business members in need of funding to fill out an application TODAY!
3 Reasons You Should Apply Today
Funding Might Be Limited
In the 14 days after the Paycheck Protection Program was released, all of the $350 billion was claimed. (Update: Analysts project the $310 billion in new funds will run out within 72 hours.)
Stimulus Checks
April 17, 2020
Here is what you need to know about your Economic Impact Payment.
What is the stimulus check?
When Congress passed the CARES Act, it authorized the federal government to send stimulus checks (also known as Economic Impact Payments) to millions of Americans to help them recover from COVID-19...