November 2015 - RMLEFCU Blog

19 Nov

12 Ways to Use Your Holiday Loan

The original 12 Days of Christmas includes a lot of birds, ladies dancing and pipers piping. While it is a catchy tune, deciding 12 ways to use your RMLEFCU Holiday Loan requires a modern view of consumer spending habits. If you plan, your Holiday Loan can last you all year long with timely purchases on the following schedule:

January: Cold Weather Coat – Head to the Columbia outlet in Castle Rock or online. Score an Omni-Heat cost for $199

February: Go out for a good meal with your sweetheart – One appetizer, two entrees, a bottle of wine and a dessert will likely set you back $150. For restaurants in Denver with ambiance we like this list.

March: Experience the Napa Valley of Beer (hint: You already live here) on a beer tour. A single ticket = $40/pp while a private tour = $79/pp. Many companies provide tours, but here’s one that Visit Denver recommends.

April: Tennis Shoes – Websites we like for the best deals and free shipping are 6pm.com, Zappos. Cost: $100

May: Don’t forget to send flowers to Mom on Mother’s Day. Our pick for customer service and quality: is 1-800 Flowers.com. Deeper discount is you use a coupon code. Your mom would approve. Cost: $65

June: Attend a concert at Red Rocks. To save more money, wait until the last minute and look on Craigslist or buy one in the parking lot. Cost: $150 for 2 tickets and dinner in nearby Morrison at the Morrison Inn.

July: Head up to Cheyenne Frontier Days. For $99 get a 4 pack that includes 4 rodeo tickets, 4 hamburgers or hotdogs, 4 fries, 4 soft drinks, a poster, park n ride pass, and a 20% merchandise voucher. Purchase here. Read More →

17 Nov

Money Taboos and Financial Transparency – The Children’s Edition

What are your children or grandchildren learning about money? Have you asked them what they’re being taught in school? How do you talk about money when they’re at home? Do they have an allowance? Do they understand how make change or decide which things are necessities and wants?

These questions may seem overwhelming but allowing them to make mistakes in their youth with their allowance money is better than not talking about money, resulting in more dire mistakes in their late teens and adulthood.

How does this happen? In the Information (overload) age, children may be exposed to so much information in sporadic intervals that their ability to remember much diminishes over time. Plus, we’re not talking about the RIGHT things. Rather than talking about variable interest rates to an 8^th grader, wouldn’t it be more useful to show them how to protect their personal information online? Or how about emphasizing the importance of saving money early?

Another reason money is such a private topic in many families is because there is a taboo surrounding its mention. Like religion and politics, it is seen as impolite to mention how much something costs or what someone makes. However, being close-lipped about money is not doing your children any favors. If you need some inspiration, here’s a great website that helps parents and other adults tailor their financial tips to a child’s age. The information is bite sized as to inform, but not bewilder.

Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Credit Union is offering incentives to our members who wish to set their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews on the right track.

If you open a RMLEFCU account between now and December 31, 2015, we will beef up its balance with a $25 1 year piggybank CD. And to piggyback (sorry, too easy) off this, we will throw in a clear piggy bank. The next time you’re in the branch, ask a representative about opening an account.

10 Nov

Christmas Comes Early This Year!

car blogpic

Dr. John, esteemed blues musician once sang, “I been in the right place But it must have been the wrong time.”

What if we told you that NOW, and NOT the holidays, is the right time to buy a car and RMLEFCU is the right place to finance it.

After all, two rights make a good decision. You can quote us on that but we don’t expect any songwriters to use it in their lyrics.

Forget the obnoxious car commercials with yellow Labrador puppies and big red satin bows on top of luxury cars, you need a car that performs well, doesn’t break the bank, and gets you where you need to go safely without frequent mechanical issues. Whether your future car has an overwhelming new car smell and double digits on the odometer, or is “new to you,” RMLEFCU is standing by ready to offer some of the most attractive car loans in the Denver metro area.

We offer auto loan rates starting as low as 1.99% APR* with up to 36 months to repay.

Our little “blue” bow is that you have no payments for 90 days when you purchase October 1–December 31, 2015. When you finance with us before the end of the year, we will also give you a $50 gas card as a thank you. Have you seen how cheap gas is lately? We crunched the numbers and if your car averages around 25 miles per gallon, you could travel 225 miles. That’s a lot of trips to the store, Home Depot, the nearby park for practice. Do you know what kind of new or “new to you” car is right for you? We found a great quiz with only 8 questions to help you decide. There’s nothing scientific about it since most of what goes into our car purchases involves emotions. If the thought of your car has you, or your mechanic, wincing, it’s time to talk to a RMLEFCU representative.

Just like with buying a home, why not get pre-approved before you even set foot in the dealerships lot? Also check the Credit Union Direct Connect (CUDC) website. Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Credit Union partners with over 300 dealerships in Colorado to make the buying experience even easier. Select a dealer and tell them you are a member of RMLEFCU and they can process all the loan paperwork for you on the spot!