Bloggers Needed

Got opinions? Want an audience? Like to be in the dialogue?


If you're selected as one of the C-Note bloggers, we'll pay $1,200 for the privilege of promoting you every week for a whole year, starting June 4!

For this blogging position, you must be in high school (ninth through 12th grade) in the fall of 2012 or, if homeschooled, of high school age.

As a blogger, you'll have your own title for your series of posts. You can see the titles we're using now, "Under the Flourescent" and "Money Smarts," on this page [link to http://googolplex.cuna.org/11078/cnote/blog/] . Scroll down to the bottom of the display and click on the archive links to see previous series titles.

It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase and develop your writing skills and be a part of the blogging community—while getting paid. Sound like a fun way to earn 100 bucks every four weeks?

Visit our current bloggers to learn a little about them, and to visualize yourself in their shoes over the next year. Then, send your request for the application and job description to Corey Pratt, C-Note college intern:

• E-mail: cpratt@cuna.coop

• Phone: 608-231-4051

Completed applications are due April 30, 2012.

We take your privacy seriously on C-Note and do not display your last name or sell your information to third parties. You'll never have to worry about spam from us filling up your inbox!

Happy Valentines Day!!

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Valentine's Day. We LOVE our members and are so grateful to have members like you.

VISA London 2012 Olympic Games Sweepstakes

Why watch the London 2012 Olympic Games on TV when you have a chance to win a fabulous trip courtesy of Visa. Visa and LA Financial want you to experience the games LIVE. You could travel to London, England and attend the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Turn your everyday purchases into a chance to win.* Sign when you use your LA Financial CU Visa Debit  or VISA Credit card between February 1, 2012 and April 30, 2012, and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win* a trip for two to the London 2012 Olympic Games!*

The winner will win the following:

• 4 day, 3 night trip for 2 to the London 2012 Olympic Games
• Roundtrip airfare and local transportation for 2
• Four-star hotel accommodations including daily breakfast
• Tickets to London 2012 Olympic sport events

The sweepstakes will run from February 1 through April 30, 2012. Cardholders will have a chance to win this trip by simply signing for a transaction during this time frame. PIN purchases do not qualify. For more information and complete rules, click here.
 
*NO PURCHASE OR OBLIGATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Non-Purchase Entries and Purchase Entries have an Equal Chance of Winning. Open to legal U.S. residents, 18 and older as of 2/1/12. For details on Non-Purchase Entries. click here for Official Rules and complete details. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends April 30, 2012.

anytimeMobile (Mobile Banking)

LA Financial's anytimeMobile (Mobile Banking) is like having the convenience and security of anytimeBanking in the palm of your hand. As long as you're an active anytimeBanking user and have a Smartphone with Internet access, you can view your accounts and make transactions. You can also use the service through a handy App or your iphone or Android phone. It goes with you anyTime, anyPlace, anyWhere!

Here's what you can do with anytimeMobile:
• View Account Histories

• Make Balance Inquiries
• Pay Bills
• Make Fund Transfers within your account or out to other members
• Make Online Loan Payments
• Find ATM Locations
• Find Branch or Shared Branch Locations

Download the App

Download an App to start using LA Financial's Mobile Banking on your iPhone or Android phone. And for you Blackberry users, we've got a shortcut just for you!

• iPhone - Download "LA Financial" http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/la-financial-mobile-banking/id487390514?mt=8 from iPhone App Store.
• Android - Download "LA Financial" https://market.android.com/developer?pub=LA+Financial from the Android Market.
• Blackberry - Visit https://mobile.lafinancial.org

If you have questions about using Mobile Banking, just call us at (800) 894-1200 and we'll help you get started.

Celebrate Our 75th Anniversary with our $75-A-Day Giveaway Sweepstakes!!!

Just use one of the following free services and be enrolled to win $75 Monday through Friday - all year long:

• anytimeMobile
• eStatement
• anytimeBillPay

 Winners will be notified by email. $75 will be deposited into the winner's accounts!!! No purchase necessary.   Click here for more information.  Click here for sweepstakes rules.

Introducing...anytimeMobile (Mobile Banking)!

You'll love our new FREE app for your iPhone or Android. Check Balances, View Transactions, Transfer Funds, Pay Bills/Loans, Find ATM and Branch Locations and more!!! Search for LA Financial Credit Union at your App Store to get your FREE App Today!!

VISA London 2012 Olympic Games Sweepstakes

LA Financial has enrolled in a Visa sweepstakes being offered by PSCU. Our Debit and Credit cardholders will have a chance to win a trip to the 2012 Olympic Games which will be held in London.


The winner will win the following:

• 4 day, 3 night trip for 2 to the London 2012 Olympic Games
• Roundtrip airfare and local transportation for 2
• Four-star hotel accommodations including daily breakfast
• Tickets to London 2012 Olympic sport events
The sweepstakes will run from February 1 through April 30, 2012. Cardholders will have a chance to win this trip by simply signing for a transaction during this time frame. PIN purchases do not qualify.

Get $123 + $75 for a total of $198... and Your New-Car Dreams Off The Ground

With rates as low as 3.00% – on new or used autos, trucks and motorcycles, with terms up to 60 months, a $123 rebate + $75 in celebration of our upcoming 75th Anniversary for a total of $198,** and the option of pre-approval – you’re good to go!

Just how easy is it to get behind the wheel of a new or new-to-you car, truck, or motorcycle – and pocket an extra $123 + $75 for a total of $198 while you’re at it? Three steps – count ‘em 123 – is all it takes:

1. Apply online or by phone to get pre-approved so you know how much you can afford
2. Pick out your vehicle and bring us a purchase order from a dealer or private party.
3. Get a $123 + $75 for a total of $198 REBATE when your loan is funded!

Not ready for a new car? No Worries!! You can get the same low rate and $123 + $75 for a total of $198 rebate when you refinance your existing car that is currently with another lender and bring the financing to us**

So dream big. Or mid-sized. Or compact. And count on LA Financial to make it real.

APPLY NOW!

* APR= Annual Percentage Rate ** To qualify for 1-2-3 promotion, member must be pre-approved before visiting any dealership and loan must be funded directly with LA Financial Credit Union. Cannot be used to refinance existing LA Financial/HCCU loans. If loan is repaid prior to six months, the $198 rebate will be reversed. Limited time offer. Subject to change without notice.

**123 promotion is not available when you refinance a car already financed by LA Financial or Havasu Community Credit Union

Based on 100% of purchase price plus tax and license on dealer purchase. Private party purchase requires DMV paperwork and 100% retail Kelley Blue Book price. Available on approved credit. Must qualify for loan under LA Financial CU guidelines, including age and value of auto. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) may vary according to length of term, age of vehicle and your credit worthiness. As low as 3.00% APRfor 60 months on new or used autos, light trucks, and motorcycles includes 0.25% reduction for automatic payment and 0.25% reduction for Direct Deposit/Payroll Deduction. Based on 100% of purchase price for new cars; 100% of Kelley Blue Book retail price for used cars. Private party purchase requires DMV paperwork and 100% of Kelley Blue Book price. Representative monthly payment for each $1,000 borrowed at 3.00% for 60 months = $17.97 APR. LA Financial Credit Union is an Equal Opportunity Lender.

Thinking of breaking up with your big bank? You're not alone.

By E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times

October 30, 2011

Thinking of breaking up with your big bank? You're not alone.

Bank of America's recent move to slap customers with a $5 monthly fee to use their debit cards has unleashed a torrent of ill will against the nation's financial giants. Fed up with enriching executives and shareholders, some account holders are vowing to shift their business to smaller banks or neighborhood credit unions.

But before you march down to your branch to close your account, take a deep breath. Switching in haste could cost you if you skip the fine print or don't understand your own financial habits. Friendly teller service doesn't matter if what you really need is a nationwide ATM network. Free checking is fabulous, but not if it comes with a lot of strings.

Breaking up is easy. Finding a financial partnership that's more satisfying could prove trickier. Like any relationship, deciding whether to stay or to go requires some careful thinking.

"You have to do homework. You have to ask questions. It's going to take some time," said Norma Garcia, a senior attorney for Consumers Union. "But it's time worth spending if you wind up with a bank that treats you like you want to be treated."

Know what you've got

It may sound obvious, but first check out your own bank statement or head to your bank's website. A lot of consumers have no idea what they're paying for, according to Rob Kaplan-Sherman, president of the services division at Research Intelligence Group, a Fort Washington, Penn., market research firm.

Pew Charitable Trusts analyzed 265 different checking programs offered by the 10 biggest U.S. banks and found 49 types of fees in all. Those included overdraft-protection charges that averaged $35 per transaction, as well as bounced-check penalties, ATM charges, copying fees and charges to deposit large amounts of coins. At least one bank said it would deduct fees to cover the cost of its expenses in legal disputes — regardless of the outcome.

Most consumers have to worry about only a handful of those. But it's worth printing them out so you can shop around. The most likely things to consider are: monthly account fees, fees for using ATMs, fees for using debit cards and fees for overdraft protection or for covering overdrafts from a linked savings account.

Of course, fees are only part of a banking relationship. Many customers have multiple bank accounts, direct deposit, automatic bill payments and a mortgage or other loans with their institutions.

Multiple services tend to bind consumers to their banks — a term known as "stickiness" — especially if they have set up automatic payments or deposits. It will take some work to undo them at one bank and set them up at another. So be prepared for some hassle.

Consider other things you might need. Maybe it's an auto loan — something that a lot of business-oriented community banks don't provide. Or maybe it's the huge ATM networks available from the major banks. If the latter is important to you, be sure to find out whether the small bank or credit union you're considering belongs to a cooperative ATM network, which could give you access to thousands of fee-free ATMs.

Small institutions pride themselves on personal service. But maybe you do all your banking online, which makes you a candidate for Internet banks.

You'll also want to ask whether the bank plans to start charging for use of its debit cards, which have overtaken checks as the preferred method of accessing money in bank accounts. Following the outcry over BofA's new fee, which kicks in next year, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and some other big banks have said they'll steer clear of that charge for now. But many large institutions haven't made that pledge, so it's worth being vigilant.

"Consumers are tightening their belts," Kaplan-Sherman said. "When they hear that a free tool they have become very dependent on is going to start generating a charge, it raises a question: Should they change their behavior at the bank they have, or change banks?"

Love the one you're with?

Unwinding a banking relationship can be complicated.

Assuming you're not already hopelessly estranged, you might find it easier to stick with your bank and still avoid fees by changing your behavior, Consumers Union's Garcia said.

For example, you might be miffed about Bank of America's upcoming debit-card charge. But you can avoid paying it by not making any debit purchases (use of the bank's ATMs remains free).

BofA is also phasing in an $8.95 monthly charge for basic checking that once was free with direct deposit of paychecks. But you can avoid the fee by depositing $2,000 a month, maintaining a balance totaling $5,000 in linked accounts, or using a linked Bank of America credit card at least once a month. Or, if you're comfortable with making all your deposits and withdrawals over the Internet, via mobile banking or at an ATM, you can opt for BofA's online-only free checking.

Another important consideration is overdraft protection.

Under revised regulations, banks need customers' permission to cover debit and ATM overdrafts at up to $35 a pop. Many customers have opted in, but most advocates say it's better not to. Instead, ask about cheaper alternatives such as having a linked savings account or credit line to cover balance-busting debits.

Here's another basic rule: The more products and services you use, the more valuable you are as a customer — and the more likely it is the bank has an interest in making you happy.

Chase, for example, charges $10 a month for basic checking. But it lets you off the hook for that fee if you directly deposit $500 a month, maintain a minimum daily checking balance of $1,500 or have a total of $5,000 in linked accounts.

Choosing a new partner

If you've simply had enough of your big bank, it's time to consider other options: Internet banks, smaller community and regional banks, and not-for-profit credit unions.

Internet banks like ING Direct, Ally Bank and State Farm Bank may be a no-brainer for those already accustomed to doing much of their research and shopping online.

These banks have lower costs because they don't have physical branches. Their free accounts even may include perks like covering ATM fees for customers with direct deposit.

But if you want to talk face to face with someone about a home loan or investments, or when you're confused about a service or a charge, they're not the place for you.

Credit unions, by contrast, are set up for such hands-on service at a low cost. Owned by members who are linked by jobs or geography, their core focus is on consumer accounts, although some these days are doing more small-business lending.

The broadening of criteria for membership has made credit unions available to nearly anyone. Southern California's largest include SchoolsFirst Federal of Santa Ana, open to all school and college workers; and Pasadena's Wescom, which is available to anyone who lives or works in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Diego or Santa Barbara counties.
To get around the limited number of branches and ATMs at credit unions, check whether they belong to the Co-op Network, which entitles members to withdraw funds without charge at more than 28,000 ATMs in the U.S. and Canada. Smartphone apps and text-message programs have made it far easier to find these ATMs than in the past, in case you find yourself needing cash in an unfamiliar place.

You can find a credit union near you at http://www.asmarterchoice.org.

Community banks can be a little trickier, since many of them are focused on small businesses and not consumers. You can try online screening services like http://www.findabetterbank.com, but it may be better to check the websites of candidates in your area: The first thing you see on Fullerton Community Bank's site, for example, are promotions for "totally free checking."

Or just walk in and talk to the bankers — something community banks say they make it easy to do. If they say they have free checking, make sure to ask whether there's a minimum balance you must maintain.

And these days, just keep your eyes and ears open: Plenty of small banks and credit unions are angling for your attention. LA Financial Credit Union, which is open to any L.A. County resident, says its new member applications jumped tenfold after it began advertising no-minimum free checking and debit cards, along with a "break up with my bank" website. The credit union has advertised the campaign heavily in recent weeks (including in the Los Angeles Times).

San Diego County's PacTrust Bank, which has promoted free checking and fee-free debit cards, plans to stay open late Saturday, Nov. 5, which is what a national Internet campaign has targeted as Bank Transfer Day. The community bank says it will pay $60 — the annual amount Bank of America plans to charge debit-card users — to people who open certain accounts on that day.

Making the switch

Once you've picked a new institution, don't immediately sever your ties with your old bank. You'll need a transition period to make sure direct deposit, automatic bill payment and other services transfer smoothly. Be aware that some banks charge you to close accounts, especially those that have been open only a short time.
Consumers Union offers a host of tips on the website DefendYourDollars.org. Here's a condensed version.

• Open your new checking account with a small deposit.
• List all automatic payments and deposits at your old checking account.
• Ask your employer to reroute any direct-deposited paychecks to your new account.
• Once you know when your direct deposits will transfer, reschedule each automatic payment or debit to come out of your new account.
• Leave some cash in your old account for at least a month to ensure payment should you happen to forget something.
• When you're certain all automatic payments and deposits are switched over, electronically transfer the final funds from your old account to the new one. Your new bank or credit union can help you with this.
• Once the transfer clears, follow the procedures for closing an account at your old financial institution. And make sure to obtain written confirmation that your old bank indeed has closed out that account.
That will help send a farewell message as you depart, says Garcia of Consumers Union: "We're not just a bank account number. We're real people who respond to how we're treated."

scott.reckard@latimes.com

GS Central: Money-Earning Guidelines

GS Central: Money-Earning Guidelines

Kudos to the Girl Scouts for offering a financial literacy patch.