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Blog - 1st Community Credit Union

Welcome to the 1st Community Credit Union Blog! Here you’ll find the inside scoop on 1stCCU’s services, personal finance, people, nonprofits in the region, community members and events! There are so many good stories that come out of our work here – the 1stCCU Blog is where these stories will live. Check back often to stay up-to-date with our latest news and articles.

Financial Tips for First Time Home Buyers

April 2021

For a lot of people, buying a house is the ultimate dream that they hope will come true someday. After all, it’s nice to have a whole place for ourselves.

However, the reality of buying a house is the fact that it’s exorbitantly expensive. In fact, the real estate company Zillow has currently reported that the median home listing price this 2021 is $272,446, and that figure is expected to rise by 11.4% in 2022.

As a result, even though 80% of millennials would love to purchase their own houses, only a few of them are actually able to afford the costs, according to the data from Apartment List.

Despite the daunting statistics, your dream of buying real estate is achievable if you are financially savvy. To aid you in this matter, here are some words of financial advice for you.

5 Things to Know about Recreational Loans

March 23, 2021

If you have been dreaming about spending your days camping, boating, or snowmobiling, you may be a good candidate for a recreational loan. Recreational vehicles can be expensive, but a recreational loan gives you the ability to purchase the vehicle you want on payments. Below are five things you should know about recreational loans before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Recreational loans aren't just for RVs.

Even though recreational loans are often called RV loans, they can be used to finance many different types of vehicles. In addition to campers and motor homes, you can also use these loans to finance boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, scooters, personal watercraft and more.

Long Term Savings: How to Save for the Future

March 25, 2021

It’s hard to think about saving for the future with expenses due today, coupled with shopping for non-essentials or spending money on other things, such as eating out or going on vacation. While those things are important too, it’s also a smart strategy to think about saving for the future to be able to enjoy life and still meet day-to-day expenses many years from now.

Also, important to consider is that life doesn’t always go as we plan. Job losses, cut hours, injuries, the car goes kaput, major appliance breaks, or an event, such as a pandemic, occurs. Strategically planning for the future with the money we have now is one of the best investments we can make.

Free Trial Offer? More like FEE trial offer!

It's natural for our ears to perk up with we hear about a sensational new product, and even more so when they are offering a Free Trial.

Many consumers are eager to take advantage of a free product trial offer but unfortunately they wind up falling victim to fees. The "Free Trial" trick deceives consumers daily by hiding the specifics within the teeny tiny fine print, which can result in enormous shipping fee charges, making it nearly impossible to cancel the trial, or a hopeless pit of unexpected spending. Whether it's a secret subscription or a furtive fee, these free trials do not always end up being as "free" as you originally hoped, liked or anticipated.

Warning Signs of Identity Theft

May 2021

Identity theft is an ongoing issue we all face. It is a persistent problem and, unfortunately, cybercriminals show no signs of letting up. Statistically speaking, identity theft affects approximately 1 in 20 Americans every year. In 2019, 13 million U.S. consumers suffered identity fraud.

It’s important to be vigilant because the sooner identity theft is detected, the less damage ID thieves can do. The following list includes warning signs you may be a victim of identity theft or financial fraud.

The Benefits of Online and Mobile Banking

June 2021

For years, banking was the same. Deposit checks at your nearest financial institution’s branch. Withdraw cash from an ATM. Receive bills in the mail and send them a check for the amount you owe. But the Internet has changed all that. Managing your finances has become so much easier, now that you can do it online or on a mobile device.