ConnectingU, Winter 14-15 Dec. 2014 | Page 4

September August June May January Year in Review a look back at all that happened in 2014 UCU joins Pinterest! http://www.pinterest.com/ucumaine UCU makes A2A (account to account) Transfer available to members - making transferring between UCU and non-UCU accounts in Personal Finance Manager an option! UCU launches iTalk, a new version of Teller Phone with more capabilities and functionality. UCU participates in new student orientations to welcome students to campuses across the state. UCU holds a soft opening for the new headquarters and retail branch at 15 Main Street in Orono. UCU hosts a first-time Home Buyer Course in Portland. UCU hosts a Grand Opening for the new retail branch and headquarters at 15 Main Street in Orono exactly 1 year from the Groundbreaking Ceremony. UCU welcomes students back to the University campuses and assists them with over $1.5 million in Private Education Loans for the year. UCU’s partnership with MetLife makes MetLife Defender available to UCU members at a discount. December UCU launches Kasasa checking accounts - a new name for rewardU and Tunes+ checking. At the same time, UCU raised the APY on the Kasasa Cash and Saver accounts! UCU brings back the Skip-A-Pay program for the 6th year in a row and will be available through the end of January 2015.* UCU joins Instagram! http://instagram.com/ucumaine 2015 Stay tuned for exciting things planned for 2015, including a presence at the University of Sourthern Maine in Gorham! * UCU’s Skip-a-Payment Program allows its members to defer one regularly scheduled monthly payment per eligible loan between December 1st, 2014 and January 31st, 2015. There is no fee to participate in the program. Existing finance charges will continue to accrue on a daily basis. Eligible loans protected with GAP coverage that participate in the program may be affected by a reduction in any future GAP claim if more than two monthly payments are skipped during the life of the loan. Other terms and conditions apply. Visit ucu.maine.edu or contact a UCU representative for details. Financial Tips for the New Year 1) Understand where you are financially. Unsure where to start? Take our SavvyMoney check-up. It’s free and anonymous! https://www.savvymoney.com/checkup/?refer=ucu&page=landing 2) Look forward. What large goals do you have to look forward to in the future? Whether you wish to purchase a home or pay for college, start planning now! 3) Start building an emergency fund. Whether you start by saving your coins or setting up an automatic deposit to an ESA, it’s always good to be prepared! 4) Be realistic. Set goals that you can achieve!