Member Newsletter
Attend a free webinar for a chance to win $1,000
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could win $1,000 while learning at a free financial webinar? It’s possible with the 4th Annual “Webinar for the Win” sweepstakes, presented by BALANCE, our financial education partner.
BALANCE will reward one lucky webinar attendee with the grand prize of $1,000
BALANCE webinars are live, online sessions that let you learn from and interact with an expert on today’s most popular financial topics — at no cost to you.
To enter, register for a BALANCE webinar in February, March and/or April:
FEBRUARY “Saving with a Purpose” Register here
Saving money is much easier with a goal in mind. This workshop shows you how to choose the right goals for you, and overcome barriers to achieving them.
MARCH “Solving the Mystery of Credit Reports” Register here
Credit report scores hold a lot of power—they can help buy that first home but can also take away financial opportunities. This session provides an overview of credit bureaus, credit scoring, guidance to dispute inaccuracies, improving credit scores, and dealing with identity theft and fraud.
APRIL “On the Road to Riches: The Basics of Saving and Investing” Register here
Investing is one of the smartest things consumers can do to secure a brighter financial future. Every investor has different goals, risk tolerance, and cash flow, which will impact savings and investment choices. Participants will learn about savings strategies and tactics, investment tools, and how to develop an investment portfolio that works with their lifestyle and budget.
Just stay for the whole session and you'll earn an entry for each webinar you attend.
At the end of the sweepstakes, the winner will be selected at random.“Webinar for the Win” runs from February 8–April 21, 2022. Sign up now to reserve your virtual seat. See complete contest rules here.
Buyer beware and be smart
Given new car supply shortages, the used car market is brisk right now. You might feel rushed into buying, but it’s important to do your homework as you look at a used car.
Enlist a mechanic
Most of us don’t work on cars every day, but mechanics do. It’s worth paying a trusted mechanic to inspect any used car you’re thinking of buying. Get an estimate from them upfront for a thorough inspection. A dealer should let you take the car off the lot if you give them identification. And if they won’t let you have it inspected, that may be a sign not to buy the car.
Has the car been recalled?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, safecar.gov, lets you enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to confirm if the car you’re considering has open safety recalls — meaning a recall has been issued but this particular vehicle has not had the repair(s) done.
Has this car been declared a salvage?
The National Insurance Crime Bureau’s website lets you enter a VIN and find out if the vehicle has been flood damaged, was stolen but unrecovered, or otherwise declared as salvage.
Finally, the Federal Trade Commission has a site to help you learn all you need to know when buying a used car.
Count on HB’s Credit Union
We make low-cost loans for used vehicles every day. Count on us for the lowest rate, fast service with no tricks or traps in the fine print. Apply for your loan now to get preapproved for cash-in-hand confidence when negotiating the price of you car.
Apply online for a vehicle loan
For more information, call (714) 536-6517 and speak to one of our friendly loan officers.
Take actions to protect your credit cards
Credit card fraud results in billions of dollars in losses. California is the number one state for reports of credit card fraud. And people aged 30 to 39 are the most frequently impacted group for these crimes. Fortunately, there are easy ways to be proactive and keep your cards secure.
Set up online alerts
Our free eZcard program lets you set up alerts that lets you monitor your accounts in real time and notify us of any unauthorized activity.
Upgrade your software
Be sure to always run the latest version of your phone and computer operating systems so you are less vulnerable to security flaws or bugs.
More than one in ten cardholders still use “1234” as a PIN
Never choose a PIN that’s easy to guess such as the year you were born.
Don’t let websites “remember” your card number
Yes, it takes an extra minute to enter your card information, but the fewer places you store this information, the less chance there is for fraud if there’s a merchant data breach.
Don’t use free Wi-Fi when disclosing card information
Public Wi-Fi isn’t secure, so any transactions you conduct while waiting for a flight or in a hotel lobby could expose your financial information to identity thieves.
Help the technologically-challenged in your life
If you are helping parents or tech-challenged loved ones, take the time to review these tips with them and ensure they stay safe, too.
Some simple actions can ensure you and your financial accounts stay safe and secure.
Make 2022 all about you
You’ve been working hard managing everything that comes up these days. We think it’s time the focus was on you. What’s going to make your life easier? What’s going to save you money? What feels right to you?
The team at Huntington Beach Credit Union is focused on helping you. Take a breath and think about your financial situation. Here are a few ways we can make things better for you:
- Are you paying a fee for checking? If so, switch to our 100% free checking account.
- Do you have a variety of credit cards to pay each month? Consolidating them into one low-cost card with us can save you money and time each month.
- Is your auto loan eating up your budget? We refinance auto loans from other lenders every day for a simple reason — we can let you keep more cash in your pocket.
Bottom line: We here for you to give you the best value combined with local HB service you won't get anywhere else. Put us to work for you and let's make this the year of you.
Keep your account active
If you haven’t used your membership savings account in the last 12 months the account could become dormant, subject to a $5 monthly fee, and the State of California requires such funds to be escheated or turned over to the state.
The good news: It’s easy to stop this from happening. Just reactive your savings account by taking advantage of our money-saving services, including:
- 100% free Checking Account with exclusive HB debit card and 30,000 free ATMs and free Mobile Banking apps
- No annual fee, low-rate Gold and Platinum Visa Credit Cards
- Affordable Vehicle Loans and Home Equity Lines of Credit
You can also make a withdrawal, deposit or other transaction using Home Banking, Phone Teller, or in person.
We hope you’ll take advantage of the only credit union dedicated to serving HB exclusively.