Tending To Your Financial Garden

As the spring season rolls in the birds seem to sing louder and the sun seems to shine brighter. Who doesn’t love this time of year? Spring is a time for growth, and the longer daylight hours provide us all an opportunity to increase our physical activity and maybe even start a new hobby, or continue an old one, like gardening or tending to some potted plants. There’s nothing like fresh greenery to boost our spirits and connect to our souls, families, and our neighbors.

As we tend to our flowers, lawns, bushes, and trees, we need to prioritize tending to our financial gardens as well. Credit unions are like gardens: they help your money grow. Just like gardeners, you need tools including financial literacy and a place to keep your money safe.

One place to start is to look at where you are financially: do you have a savings account or are you part of the unbanked population? Where do you park your funds? Hopefully your money isn’t hidden in the attic or inside a coffee can buried in your backyard. You need to have it insured. If it’s with a financial institution, like a credit union, the National Credit Union Administration will insure your funds up to $250,000 per member.

Once it’s operating, the people at Village Financial Credit Union will provide free financial literacy classes that will cover topics including savings accounts, checking accounts, budgeting, how to save for a post-secondary education for yourself or your children, renting versus buying a home, and home mortgages. They’ll be ready to assist you with your financial gardening. Get your gardening gloves ready!