People Helping People

Make Record-Keeping Less Taxing

marc.barrera — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:22:14 +0000

Personal

With the modern-day risk of identity theft—not to mention we’re in the middle of tax season—it’s a good idea to simplify your financial records and eliminate unnecessary paperwork. During spring cleaning, you should be making three stacks of paperwork: File, Shred, Deduct.

Beyond benefiting you at tax time, many of the same financial records are needed for insurance purposes or for getting a loan.

Need Transportation?

marc.barrera — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:16:38 +0000

Personal

For many, shopping for a vehicle ranks up there as one of the more stressful situations in life.

The intimidation factor is prevalent everywhere in the process: the pushy salesman, the uncertainty of a used vehicle's condition, deciphering a stack of never-ending fine print.

The Holiday Dilemma

marc.barrera — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:44:29 +0000

Personal

It’s that time of year once again. The time when the question that has baffled historians, philosophers and romantics for ages enters our social consciousness: Is St. Valentine’s Day a real holiday?

To settle the debate once and for all, we go to the most authoritative resource in the modern world… Wikipedia!

Lead by Example

marc.barrera — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:25:18 +0000

Personal

Many institutions out there claim to have your best interest in mind but fail to produce results. Credit unions are constantly standing by the motto of “People Helping People” by offering better lending rates and free products and services. But what can they do to directly improve their members’ financial situations?

How Are We Doing?

marc.barrera — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:43:44 +0000

Personal

Slowly, I’ve come around to the idea of online purchases, due in large part to my increased use of online reviews.

Call me old fashioned, but I’ve always preferred the assurance of shopping at a brick and mortar building over an online website. For me, the thinking went, “the more solid the foundation, the more solid the business… literally.” But even with a physical location, I am still reluctant to give my business to anybody. Then a new tool emerged to give me the assurance I needed… online reviews.

Feed Your Mind

marc.barrera — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:12:54 +0000

Personal

You’ve probably heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” While this is true in many cases, and with many financial institutions, credit unions are the exception. Credit unions, as not-for-profit financial institutions, exist to serve the community; essential to this goal is financial literacy education.

King for a Day

marc.barrera — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:18:07 +0000

Personal

Every year, all over the nation, we honor Martin Luther King Jr. on the third Monday of January for his legacy of championing freedom, justice, equality and peace. This year, that day is Monday, Jan. 16.

For the city of San Antonio, this year’s observance is an important milestone as it commemorates the 25th anniversary of the city’s celebration of this historic holiday.

Still Paying for the Holidays?

marc.barrera — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:48:05 +0000

Personal

After passage of the Credit Card Act, you probably noticed a new section on your credit card statements. Part of the legislation requires creditors to disclose how much it would cost and how long it would take to pay off your debt if you only paid the minimum payments each month. Your statements also show you how you can save time and money by paying more each month.

After the holidays, these stark reminders can have you thinking those purchases you got “on sale” don’t seem like much of a deal anymore!

Resolve to be Financially Fit

marc.barrera — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:20:57 +0000

Personal

’Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions. Sure, the mainstays will top the list as always:

Lose weight
Get fit
Spend more time with family
Get a better job

But in our current economy, these resolutions should be adjusted as follows:

Lose debt
Get financially fit
Spend more time saving
Get a better budget

The New Year is the perfect time to reevaluate your situation.

Traditions Make the Holiday

marc.barrera — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:17:56 +0000

Personal

The holidays are all about tradition. As a child, my Christmas began with an evening gathering one week before Christmas in which my mom and all of my aunts would come together at my grandmother’s kitchen and cook hundreds of tamales.

By about 1 a.m., the masa would be gone and they’d say their goodbyes, each carrying home a huge bundle of tamales to their families.