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The Holidays May Be Far Away, but the Saving Magic Is Better Than Ever

Trust us. You’ll thank yourself in November.

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New year. New U. A new way to already de-stress the next holiday season! Sounds crazy, right? But, since we’re always here to help U stay a few steps ahead of any financial worry, we want to tell you all about opening a FREE Holiday Savings Account. The rates are good and it can give you peace of mind way before people are talking about peace on Earth.

Here are all the details, plus some bonus UMe member-exclusive tips on seasonal saving.

We realize that the holidays are barely behind us – but we want to help set U up for success for this year’s festivities. If you start saving for the holidays now, it’s amazing how much more enjoyable (and less stressful) the season can be! We’ve recently increased our savings rates just for U, so consider opening a FREE Holiday Savings Account now!

Saving U money is our favorite! In this article, we aim to give you some cheerful tips on how to save (and grow) your holiday money, shop smart, and save some (cookie) dough. Let’s get to it!

 

How does a Holiday Savings Account work?

Our Holiday Savings Account is an additional savings account designed to help you set and save for a budget you assign to your Holiday expenses. Open it any time (the earlier in the year, the better, because then you will have more time and bandwidth to save). Then, throughout the year, you’ll make deposits into your Holiday Savings via regular deposits or Payroll Deductions. And in early November, your Holiday Savings balance is transferred automatically to your Checking Account. If you don’t have a Checking Account, funds are transferred to your Savings Account. Just in time for the holiday season! And the best part about all of this is that you can open a Holiday Savings Account today!

  • Just give us a call or send us an email and let us know that you want to open a Holiday Savings Account
  • Determine how much money you want to set aside per month
  • On November 1st, everything you’ve saved this year so far gets automatically transferred into your UMe Checking Account
  • If you find this works well for you, you can start a new Holiday Savings Account for the following year on November 2nd! Easy as 1-2-3!

If you start saving early you can also start your shopping early. A Holiday Savings gives you peace of mind and more potential to save money (and avoid stress) during the season of giving. As we mentioned earlier, saving U money is our favorite! Keep these money-saving shopping tips in mind:

  • Many retailers offer discounts when you sign up for email newsletters, download their mobile app, or join their rewards program.
  • Use online comparison sites like Honey and Google Shopping to make sure you buy your items at the best possible price.
  • Be on the lookout for early sales from certain retailers. Amazon and Target usually begin their holiday sales by November 1st to encourage buyers to get their shopping done early.

 

HOLIDAY SAVINGS VS. DEPARTMENT STORE CARDS

The holidays are notoriously famous for increasing credit card debt, as people indulge by spending a little too much on holiday cheer. No worries though, we’re here to help! (It’s what we do!)

The truth is, most credit card companies find tricky ways to make it difficult for you to pay off your balance. Many other cards, like department store cards, entice you with special discounts or rewards, but there’s usually a hidden catch. Not only do their cards have super high-interest rates, but they also have variable rates, which means they can increase at any time! No bueno! Those department store cards often sound great at the time, but could really hurt your wallet down the road.

That’s where a UMe Holiday Savings Account can help U to plan ahead and stay on budget. But wait — you already have another credit card and stacked up some debt from the last holiday season? Well, as you know, U matter to Me (to all of us at UMe) — and we aim to help you leave credit card debt (and any bad vibes) back with the Ghost of Christmas Past. How, you ask? A FREE balance transfer to a UMe Visa Credit Card, which is the process of transferring your credit card balance from one institution to another, with the goal of saving money. Read more about that here.

 

HOLIDAY SAVINGS ACCOUNT DETAILS

No minimum opening deposit

You can open an account today, with any amount that works for you.

No monthly fee

We’re here to help U save as much as possible.

Interest earned

You can earn interest on balances of $100 or more, and savings rates are better than ever! See rates.

Hit your goal

Let your savings grow with withdrawals available in early November.

Now is as good a time as any to read up on how to not get scammed during the holiday season, so U can be set up for success come November! Read our post on “How to Avoid Holiday Shopping Scams” here.

There you have it! Some good holiday savings tips from your favorite credit union. We hope these come in handy and, as always, if you have any questions we are here to help! Come on into our lobby, or give us a call today and our team of UMe Elves (aka: Personal Bankers) will be happy to help!

 


Disclaimer: U matter to Me (all of us) at UMe — and that’s why we do our best to deliver helpful information on our blog. Please note the following: (1) UMe Credit Union works hard to make certain that the information we post here is as accurate as humanly possible. But as you know, information can change and evolve quickly. While we try to update the blog on a regular basis, the content of some older posts may not be correct or up-to-date. (2) Some destinations on the World Wide Web that we link you to will exist on external websites. UMe Credit Union does not officially endorse any connected sites, nor do/did we compensate or get compensated by any entities to be featured in our posts (unless otherwise noted). (3) Everyone’s situation is unique and we advise you to consult with our personal bankers or your finance, tax, or legal professional for advice individualized to you!

 

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