Loans

It’s easy to promise that we won’t spend excess money as we’re sequestered away in our living rooms, relaxing in our easy chairs. But when we’re standing within arm’s reach of the best-looking jacket we’ve ever seen, well, that easy chair promise seems so very far away. That jacket has jumped into our psyches and hit directly on the hard-to-ignore impulse button.

Hey, there’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself once in awhile with an off-the-chart purchase. After all, you keep your nose to the grindstone; a little reward can be in order. The problem steps in when that reward becomes more of a standard practice, happening on a regular basis. Your budget could suffer, which in turn means you could suffer down the road.

The object here is to put some real clamps on impulse buying. But how? The peeps at Freeintenyears.com have some tips.

Mention buying a new car, and after the euphoria of imaging yourself behind the wheel of a new auto wears off, you could be hit head-on by the realization that you hate the whole car-buying process. Ugh. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Not with Vantage as your partner.

Vantage can be your complete car-buying resource, whether you’re looking for a new or used vehicle. Let us help you in a number of ways:

Bank On MOre is a campaign developed by the Missouri Credit Union Association (MCUA) to raise awareness about credit unions in Missouri and our distinct differences from banks. You will see this campaign all around the area.

So you know the benefits of being a member of a credit union, but your friends and family don’t. Here’s a quick list of what credit unions offer that banks don’t, from the Bank On MOre campaign:

Aunt Jeanne already has enough cowhide-themed knick-knacks in her kitchen, and your brother doesn’t really need another tool. What to get them this time around? How about the gift of choice? Give them a pre-paid Visa gift card from Vantage, and they can choose whatever they want from just about anywhere they want it.

Ahhhhh, a new car! Check you out! But as great as it feels to close the door on that new car smell, reality tells us a new vehicle isn’t exactly the best investment. We don’t mean to be Debbie Downer, but did you know a new car can lose 15% to 20% of its value the instant you drive it off the dealer’s lot? Ugh.

So what if a few months down the line, you’re fiddling with your new radio and don’t see that dog in the road until the last instant? You veer madly to one side (not hitting the dog...whew!), but you do slam into a telephone pole. You’re not injured, but your new car has suffered life-threatening damages. This could be where GAP insurance comes into play.

Higher education can be a real challenge with both an abrupt lifestyle change and some serious education. Unfortunately, that education could include a course in personal finance via The School of Hard Knocks. College is already expensive and doesn’t need additional financial pitfalls. According to College Board, an average college student at a public university will pay nearly $18,000 for tuition, fees, room and board for the 2012-2013 school year. That’s some real-world finance right there.

Many students aren’t ready for the financial grind of living on their own. There are mistakes that are easy to make. That’s where Vantage Credit Union’s College Resource Center can help. You’ll find all kinds of advice on all kinds of topics. One includes the seven worst money mistakes made by students. Let’s take a look.

East St. Louis. Florissant. Sunset Hills. Warrenton. Vantage has a presence throughout the St. Louis Metro area. We’ve been entrenched in the community for over 55 years now, and we consider ourselves lucky to be in a position to give back, whether through donations or services. Here are just a few things we’re proud of:

Just what does your credit report include? All the things that help round out your title as a loan-seeking consumer. Your credit accounts. Credit inquiries you make when applying for a loan. Public record and collection items. It’s a simple snapshot of your credit history that lenders check before they decide whether or not they want to lend you money.

While it seems your credit report holds back no secrets, there are some things you won’t find on it. It may feel like you’re totally exposed by your credit report, but there are some things that do not make an appearance, according to our friends at Bankrate.com.

It’s the number one consumer complaint received by the Federal Trade Commission.

Its numbers increased by 13% in 2011.

Its victims numbered over 11.6 million last year.

Yep, people are still out there trying to steal your identity. They think nothing of using your good name to create bad scenarios. But identity theft isn’t an equal-opportunity crime, some of us are at greater risk simply because of our behavior. How’s your risk factor?

Do you ever have the feeling something is following you? Well, listen to that Little Voice, you have a number that follows you around no matter where you go. While you can’t shake it, you can change it. It can go up (a good thing), or it can go down (a not-so-good thing), depending on your financial behavior. It’s your credit score, and the role it plays in the quality of your life can be considerable.

Don’t make the mistake of confusing your credit score with your credit report; the two are entirely different things. Your credit score is born of your credit report. Let’s take a look at the two.