In celebration of the holiday season, we sat down this month with Centric’s Omni Manager and unofficial Holiday Ambassador, Kristen Shambro. We discuss ideas on how to enjoy the season and getting the kiddos in your life involved with the reason we celebrate. The magic of the holidays can make sticking to a budget difficult; but with this episode’s tips, the Holiday Gift Budget, and the Santa Bucks Envelopes, you can keep the magic without the debt rolling into the new year.

This month we sat down with one of Centric’s Mortgage Loan Originators and our Market Development Specialist, Victoria Sullivan, to talk about the current housing market. With mortgage rates being so low right now, there are many people in the market looking to buy a new house. Victoria shares with us how you can put yourself ahead in the buying process and the ways that the Centric mortgage team can help you through the journey. Tune in now to learn more from one of Centric’s mortgage experts!

With the start of a new school year, normalcy begins to enter all of our schedules again. Routines are being set as homework is sent home and extracurricular schedules are being decided. You might find yourself rushing from one thing to the next which can make managing everything difficult. From meal time to a stretched budget, adjustments have to be made as schedules change. On this month’s podcast, we talk with Melanie Moffett to find out how she balances things for her family as the school year takes off.

Centric is proud to partner with Summit Financial to provide our members with access to experts in wealth advising, estate planning, and investing. As an additional way to help our members Live Better, you can go to any of Centric’s five locations or online at MyCentric.org to get connected with a Summit Financial Wealth Advisor. Summit Financial can assist anyone, no matter age or dollar amount. Centric’s partnership with Summit Financial comes as an added resource to reaching your financial hopes and dreams. If you’ve met with a Centric Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor and have gotten your budget and credit where you want it, you will want to continue to look towards what you want your future to hold. Summit Financial and Centric share the ultimate value and purpose of helping our community and members reach their goals and Live Better.

In this episode, we welcome special guest, Casey Messer. Casey is Centric's Training Manager and expert on all the benefits Centric has to offer our Members. This month, Casey and Carmen discuss Centric's reward accounts, online banking, MyCentric Connect Video Banking and the many other account and online resources Centric Members can benefit from. Centric proudly offers free financial wellness checks with one of our on-staff Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors. Listen now to learn how Centric can help YOU #LiveBetter!

From your loved ones to your finances, it is important to have plans in place to protect what is important to you. Making safety plans can vary depending on your personal situation, but there are some things we all can put into practice. When doing anything online, it is important to remember to be cautious of what information you are sharing and what people you are connecting with. Being open and honest with your family about what to be cautious of online is important to keep everyone safe. This also opens up the line of communication to discuss the family’s budget, financial situation, and what goals everyone wants to achieve. Being prepared and planning ahead gives everyone peace of mind and encourages everyone to work together towards the same goals.

Shopping for a new vehicle and choosing how to finance it can be a stressful situation. One quick way to make it easier is to do business with someone you know and trust. When you are shopping for a new vehicle, you want to know that you are getting the best deal and the best car for you. In the same way, when you are financing your new vehicle, you want to know that you are getting the best rate for you and working with someone who can help you the most.

April is Youth month at Centric Federal Credit Union! We are RAWRing with excitement to celebrate the kiddos in our lives and find fun ways to teach them about money and banking. Throughout the month of April, we are sharing fun, budget-friendly ideas to keep your kids entertained as the weather warms up. From Boredom Busters to summer camp, we teamed up with Macaroni Kid to learn what fun there is to be had in our community.

When spring rolls in, the weather warms, plants begin to blossom and grow, and many people start taking their relationships to the next level. Our social media feeds fill with engagement pictures, and our schedules become busy with celebrations and wedding dates. If you are one of the happy couples planning on saying “I Do,” all of the celebrations and wedding planning can cause you to forget to plan for what life will be like after the big day. Engagement season is a great chance for you and your partner to learn how to best communicate with each other and plan ahead for what you want your future to look like.

Homeownership tends to be one of the big financial goals we all have, but it can sometimes seem like more of a burden then a blessing. Renting is a great option for people who know that they are not ready to commit to living in one place for an extended period of time. If you are ready to plant some roots but don’t think you are financially ready for it, you can set up a pre-qualification meeting with a mortgage loan originator who can tell you what financing options are available for you.