Quarterly Newsletter – April 2024 - First Nebraska Credit Union

Annual Meeting

Please join us for our in-person Annual Meeting! It’s Thursday, April 25, 2024 at Firefighters Union Hall (6005 Grover St., Omaha, NE). Doors open at 5 p.m. Dinner and dessert bar will be served from 5-6 p.m. The business meeting will start at 5:35 p.m. New board members will be voted on at the meeting.

Come and vote, and be a part of the credit union movement! We look forward to seeing you!

RESERVE THE DATE! Call (402) 492-9100 to make your reservation.

The Board of Directors is comprised of volunteers who represent the entire membership. Nancy Wallace was appointed Nominating Chair for 2024.

The FNCU Nominating Committee has announced its nominations for the board positions. The nominees are: Paul Collett Jr and Philip Kottmeyer. These candidates are currently serving on the Board of Directors and have agreed to continue to serve if elected. Since the number of candidates presented by the Nominating Committee is equal to the number of positions to be filled, we are not seeking additional candidates at this time.

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Bedford Drive-Thru Closed for Construction

Please Note: Starting Monday, April 1, the Bedford drive-thru will close for construction.

Our Bedford lobby hours will be extended during construction –
8:30 am – 5:30 pm, Monday-Friday, and it will be open every Saturday from 9 am – 12 pm.

This summer when it opens, you will have access to two new ITMs (Interactive Teller Machines).

During construction, we offer many convenient ways for you to do your banking, including:

Come into the Bedford Lobby, during business hours (hours have been extended)
Our other branches or Shared Branching locations
Online banking or our mobile app
Surcharge-free ATMs through Allpoint and CO-OP
Other online and mobile features

The ITM is like an ATM, but with even more services, such as:

Choose $1, $5, $20 & $50 bills.
Choose specific cash withdrawal amounts, such as $23, $57, etc.
Transfer money between your Savings and Checking accounts.
Check your Savings and Checking account balances.
Deposit up to 50 checks or cash, all at once.
Make a Loan or Credit Card payment (during business hours; with the help of a teller on the screen)
If you need a teller’s assistance, you can touch the screen and speak with an FNCU teller, which are located at our Bedford branch.

Get Ahead of Your Debt

Do you have a plan to get ahead of your debt, even as households face price increases for everyday essentials?

To handle rising costs, many people lean on consumer credit cards. Recent data shows that household debt balances for high interest credit cards and other consumer debt are at record levels. Carrying high debt balances can hinder your financial freedom and lead to substantial interest payments, making it challenging to achieve long-term financial stability.

To reduce stress, it’s helpful to get advice and an action plan to get you on track to pay off debt and build a healthy financial life. This is where a trusted, national nonprofit like GreenPath comes in. But here’s some steps you can take right now:

Set a spending plan as a roadmap to be debt-free: Assess your monthly income against current expenses. Has your income increased, decreased, or remained steady? Use an app or online budgeting tool to track monthly income (what’s coming in) and all your expenses (what’s going out). Setting a spending plan helps ensure you can cover your essentials while allocating extra funds toward paying off your debt.

2.Cut unnecessary expenses: Identify non-essential items in your budget that you can live without and consider more affordable alternatives. This can help free up extra funds to put toward paying off your debt faster. Limit credit card use and curb discretionary spending such as eating out (plan your meals), streaming services or subscriptions.

3.Start with small victories: Focus on paying off smaller debts first to build momentum and motivation. Celebrate each milestone as you gradually eliminate your debts.

4.Contact your lenders, creditors, and landlords: Take action sooner than later to have an honest conversation about available hardship options. When you team with GreenPath, we can streamline this important task and connect with your creditors on your behalf.

5.Build an emergency fund: Establish a safety net by setting aside some savings for unexpected expenses. This can prevent you from falling back into debt when faced with sudden financial challenges. Look ahead. If your washing machine needs to be replaced in the coming months, try to set aside cash now. Put savings on autopilot with each paycheck (set it and forget it). Even a small amount will add up over time.

6.Consider a side hustle: Explore part-time job opportunities or freelance work that aligns with your skills and interests. Seasonal work could be a good option. The additional income can be earmarked to accelerate your debt repayment and provide a buffer for your budget.

7. Choose a debt payoff strategy that works for your situation. Consider a Debt Management Plan which helps you pay off unsecured debt in 3 to 5 years. GreenPath works with your creditors to bring your accounts current, lower interest rates, and eliminate fees. More of your payment goes toward reducing your account balance and you save money on interest.

Let’s Get Ahead of Your Debt Together

When you’re ahead of your debt, you have more financial freedom and flexibility. You don’t have to worry about making monthly payments or accumulating interest, which means you can use your hard-earned money for things you really care about, like experiences, investments, or saving for the future. Being debt-free also gives you peace of mind, reducing stress and allowing you to focus on your goals without the burden of financial obligations.

Even in the face of financial uncertainties, GreenPath clients have told us that it is easier to make healthy financial choices when they have strong options at their fingertips.

As a trusted national nonprofit serving people for more than 60 years, you receive trusted guidance to get ahead of debt with a debt management plan program designed to improve and promote financial wellness.

This article is shared by our partners at GreenPath Financial Wellness, a trusted national non-profit.

Food Bank Donations

Savvy the Sandhill Crane’s (our Mascot) birthday is April 5, and we’re asking for donations to the local food banks, April 5-May 10.

If you would like to donate, bring donations to any FNCU branch, then put your name on a Savvy cutout to display at the branch. For a list of most needed items, visit https://firstnebraska.org/news/savvy-birthday-food-drive/

Employee Appreciation Day Winners

person inside ITM box at halloween event

We celebrated Employee Appreciation Day (March 1) by spreading some kindness to some special employees who work for our Select Employee Groups.

Our partner companies nominated employees, and we recognized all nominees, as well as randomly drew three winners, who each received a $100 Visa gift card.

Shannon V. – NEBCO Inc
Don S. – Judds Bros Construction
Leon L. – LBT Inc

Add a Warranty to Your Vehicle

Just as health insurance helps cover the expensive bills…a vehicle warranty can pay for repairs you may not be able to afford.

Add a warranty when you get an Auto Loan with us, or later on. Here’s just some of the items we’ve covered in the last 5 years (includes average payout amounts):

Engine (ave. $4,536)
Head Gasket (ave. $4,113)
Transmission (ave. $3,808)
Camshaft (ave. $3,005)
Fuel Pump/Line (ave. $887)
Seal & Gaskets (ave. $778)
Air conditioning (ave. $637)

Give us a call to get details, or view the Route 66 brochure.

“We needed a new engine in our vehicle due to high oil consumption, and they covered it! So thankful we had the warranty. It saved us about $6,000!” – Rachel T

$338,821.68 has been paid out from warranties purchased through First Nebraska in the last 5 years!

Paying Down Your Credit Card

A free 25-minute course!

If you are dealing with high credit card balances, you aren’t alone. The average American household has a balance of more than $6,000 in double-digit, high-interest credit card debt. These balances impact financial health and wellness. Paying off high interest credit card debt is possible with a little planning.

Our partner, the trusted national nonprofit GreenPath Financial Wellness, offers you a free online course to take steps to gain financial freedom from high interest credit cards. Log on and learn to tackle credit card debt and get on firmer financial footing.

Visit https://www.greenpath.com/wellness-education/online-course-paying-down-your-credit-card/ and click on “Register Today” (it only takes a moment), and take the 25-minute course.

Welcome New Branch Staff!

Kim Graves, New Bedford Branch Manager

We’re excited to welcome a new Branch Manager to our Bedford Branch. Kim joined FNCU in February. She was a compliance manager for six years at another financial services organization before deciding to join the credit union world.

Start Your Free Course now!

Kim resides in Omaha, NE where she enjoys being an empty nester.

Kim looks forward to growing her knowledge within the industry and being able to help others grow, also. In Kim’s spare time, she enjoys hanging out with family, reading, shopping, and having the opportunity to relax by a beach during the summer.

Brandon Marriott, Elkhorn Senior Branch Assistant

We’re excited to welcome a new Senior Branch Assistant to our Elkhorn Branch. Brandon joined FNCU in February. He has been in the financial industry for 16 years, with 13 of those in management.

Brandon is married to Julianne and has three children, 2 dogs, a cat and a guinea pig.

He is from Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, and currently lives in Glenwood, Iowa.

He looks forward to meeting more members and building professional relationships in a welcoming environment. He enjoys outdoor activities and sports, playing with his kiddos, and loves tennis.

What our members are saying

It’s nice to talk to someone and get what I need done without having to be transferred several times or have to go in to sign paperwork. Thank you! – Linda M

What our Staff is Saying

We get to know our members on a personal level and help them in a way they may not have been helped before. We help them with their entire financial picture. There are countless members I’ve been able to help by listening to their stories or circumstances and help them or guide them down a new path. – Erin Kershner

Closed for the Holidays

Memorial Day
Monday, May 27

Juneteenth (Freedom Day)
Wednesday, June 19

Independence Day
Thursday, July 4

See a list of all 2024 Holidays we observe here.

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