Mother’s Day is…

Mother’s Day is just around the corner! We thought about posting ideas of what you could do for or buy for your Mom this year, but then we realized we’d rather hear from YOU! Mother’s Day is celebrated so differently in every family and circle of friends. COO Jennifer will start us off with her Mother’s Day tradition; then, we’d love to hear... Read More

The Chicken or the Egg

Which comes first?  After almost 20 years in the credit union business, I think this is the question that I get asked the most and is the most difficult to answer.  Some members are just reaching adulthood and have dreams of owning a new car or a new home and some members are recovering from either poor life decisions or circumstances that left them with less than perfect credit. ... Read More

‘Tis The Season To… Go Broke?

The holiday season can be a wonderful time to be with family and friends, eat yummy food and make angels in the snow. But it can also bring anxiety at the thought of depleting your checking or savings account buying gifts. Chances are if you are feeling this way, your friends and family may be also, but may be afraid to say something for fear of appearing broke, cheap or both. As... Read More

The Blended Family – The Credit Union Way

By now, you may have heard that the members of Sparks City Employees FCU voted overwhelmingly to merge with Great Basin FCU.  This was exciting news for me not only because it presented a new adventure for my staff and myself, but also because we would get the opportunity to serve more local members in our community with the products and service I am so passionate about.  I learned... Read More

Something Smells “Phishy”

We have had several members contact us in the last few days because they received a telephone call from “their financial institution” informing them their debit card has been compromised.  The caller asks our member for their card number and other identifying information explaining that they can help our member obtain a new card. As consumers, we all know not to give our information... Read More

Eating Facebook Crow

So about six months ago I wrote a blog on this very site about my feelings on Facebook and I committed to never be a user.  My reasoning was clear and well thought out.  After I wrote it, some events happened that needed my participation and I allowed myself to be open to feedback.  In particular, I thought about the feedback of my member, Zoraya. Here is what happened.  Shortly... Read More

Facebook…Blah!

For years now I have been encouraged, dared and downright harassed to join Facebook. On occasion, I get an invitation to be a “friend” and each time I refuse. At first, I had specific reasons for not joining, which I will explain, but then it almost became a challenge for people to see who could talk me into this social phenomenon, so I stood my ground to be stubborn. The... Read More

Ode To Jessica

It has been one month since one of my favorite employees of all time moved to Texas.  I have had the privilege of working at the credit union for almost seventeen years and I assure you that in that time I have seen many, many employees come and go.  Many were fantastic and memorable, but Jessica was different. Jessica is considered a Gen Y’er also known as a “Millennial”. ... Read More

Kids and Allowance

One of the things I am lucky enough to do is teach free workshops at the credit union and in the local schools.  One of my favorite topics is “Kids and Money” because I love when a parent shows interest in helping their child achieve financial success.  The difficult part for me though, is that I am still a “parent in training” myself, so when I talk I only have some experience,... Read More

Settle for Less?

I was approached by one of my favorite employees (my favorite not just because he is a great employee, but also a great person). Christian (not his real name) approached me very upset and on the brink of tears because he was having an attendance problem including some absences, but mostly tardies. We have an attendance policy at work that includes a step program where employees... Read More