Tips for Getting Financially Fit for Financial Literacy Month

March 2024

At UCU, we know that reaching your financial goals is essential – and when you know more about money management, you are more likely to navigate financial challenges successfully and achieve those goals. With April being Financial Literacy Month and Credit Union Youth Month, there has never been a more appropriate time to brush up on your financial skills and promote the same disciplines with your younger family members.

Financial Knowledge Is Power

The most fundamental step toward excellent financial fitness is becoming more knowledgeable about your finances and how to manage them best. This takes an ongoing commitment to financial education. At UCU, we offer a variety of ways to find educational resources and personal guidance for all ages.

U Financially Fit – With over 50 learning topics, U Financially Fit has something for everyone. These quick, interactive modules help you learn about and explore various interests, including homeownership, planning for retirement, managing a car loan, preventing overdrafts, and much more. Take five minutes to dive in right now.

Monty Moose – Our Monty Moose program is a great way to start learning the basics of saving at an early age! For anyone age 12 or younger, our Monty Moose account is your membership account. Open with just a minimum deposit of $5. Parents can open an account for their child, separate from their own.

U Financially Fit Teen – U Financially Fit Teen features three engaging playlists of content, each made up of three to five 10-minute modules. The modules are developed for 7th-12th grade students and feature timely & relevant storylines, diverse characters, and fun interactions to engage students around critical financial topics.

UCU Financial Literacy Blog – Explore timely posts and insightful reads at our Financial Literacy Blog. You will find information on using credit, avoiding fraud, stretching your budget, building savings, and more.

UCU Member Education Resources – At our Member Education Resource library, you can access all our financial education and high-quality external resources. Learn how to understand your credit score, manage debt, attain financial success at every stage of life, prepare for retirement, and more. You’ll reach our blog and other resources in just one click.

Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors – Get one-on-one attention from an expert for personal financial guidance. Our Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors can counsel you on budgeting, credit score improvement, debt management, and reaching your goals. Set up an appointment today.

Get a Head Start

To get started right now on becoming more financially fit, keep in mind the following:

  • Practice mindfulness with money. Many people spend without really considering the long-term consequences. Instead, carefully consider every purchase and weigh its impact on your financial picture. Creating a budget is a great way to practice money mindfulness because it helps you visualize your expenses against your income, so you can see where your money goes and how to adjust it to ensure you can build savings over time.
  • Be smart with debt. Not all debt is created equal. Some debt is necessary, like an auto loan. Some debt actually helps you make investments, like a mortgage to buy real estate. Other debt can help you improve your overall finances, like refinancing or a debt consolidation loan. However, some debt represents spending that doesn’t benefit you financially, like credit card debt used for excessive expenditure. Try to avoid taking on excess debt, and be sure to shop for the best rates available. When you have debt, make your payments on time to help build good credit.
  • Think ahead. This includes creating short- and long-term financial goals and planning steps to reach them. Opening individual savings accounts for each goal is one way to help you take more active steps toward the financial future you envision.

Above all, remember that UCU is Here for U. No matter your financial goal, we are here to help guide you to it. Let us know how we can help. Stop by any UCU branch or give us a call at (800) 696-8628.

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