We’re all subject to the interjection of life events, both pleasant and unpleasant. Marriage and divorce, medical emergencies, births and deaths of family members, and job loss all have serious consequences. These life events have financial consequences as well, and demand changes in the way we manage our money.

Don’t let financial planning become overwhelming. Here are some tips to help keep your head above water:
1. Start yesterday. Prepare for the unexpected by setting aside funds for living expenses. Keep your emergency fund money where it’s readily accessible, such as in a savings account, and resist the urge to dip into it for anything but true emergencies.
2. Talk it over. Keep family members in the loop. Each family member should participate in and be encouraged to contribute to the plan to deal with the situation. Many minds are more powerful than one.
3. Don’t put off working on the plan. The longer you wait to begin working toward your goals, the more difficulty you’ll have reaching them. Once you’ve created your plan, keep track of your actual expenses.
4. First things first. Don’t expect to achieve every financial goal. Take stock, and decide which are most important, and why they matter to you. By concentrating your efforts, you have a better chance of achieving what matters most.
5. Be prepared for conflicts. When faced with conflicts, apply criteria’s like: Will one of the conflicting goals benefit more people than the other? Which goal will cause the greater harm if it is deferred?
6. Choose carefully. In drawing up your list of goals, look for things that will help you feel financially secure, happy or fulfilled. Some of the items that wind up on such lists include building an emergency fund, getting out of debt, and paying the kids’ tuition. Once you have your list together, you need to rank the items in order of importance.
7. Be prepared for change. Reexamine your priorities at least every five years.

Remember the credit union is here to provide you and your family with all financial services and support to include solutions to delinquent loan payments. However, we can only help if you COMMUNICATE with us.

Let us know of your situation so we can evaluate your individual circumstances and try to find some avenue of relief, if possible. Remember we can only assist you if we are aware there is a problem to which you are seeking a solution.

Don’t have a communication failure.The sooner we address your problem, the sooner a solution can be remedied. Call or stop in to see an American Spirit Federal Credit Union representative today for assistance.