Hi! I’m Ashley, Financial Education Specialist for Credit Union 1! Check out my blog every Friday for fun tips and tricks to help you manage your finances.

I know, I know, you're thinking "What on Earth could be good about this Friday? It's snowing for cryin' out loud!" Well there are a few things to be feeling good about today: 1. It's Friday. 2. Tomorrow is my birthday! and 3. It's time to nominate someone you know who is a hero in your community.

Alaska Communications and Boys and Girls Club of Alaska is kicking off their annual Summer of Heroes program to find 6 young Alaskan heroes who are making a difference in their local communities. Winners will recieve a $1,500 scholarship!

I know this isn't our typical Financial Fitness Friday topic because it won't necessarily help you save some money - but it could help some kids save money on education costs. A little of your time and effort can make a huge difference in someone's life...and that feeling is almost certainly better than saving a few bucks!

Want to know more? Check out this link for all the details!

Hi! I’m Ashley, Financial Education Specialist for Credit Union 1! Check out my blog every Friday for fun tips and tricks to help you manage your finances.

The majority of the time my finances are "ok" meaning I have enough money to cover all my expenses and have a little extra “fun” money left over. But… sometimes I’m literally scraping the bottom of my purse for a little extra change.  When times get tough, I usually panic because I know I did this to myself.

There is a good lesson to be learned here: I need to budget better. This is usually when I go all “tough love” on myself and vow to restrict all future spending to necessities only. It works for a week or so before those wants suddenly take the shape of needs. It’s pretty important to keep a good handle on my budget and I’m really serious this time, I’m going to do it!

Hi! I’m Ashley, Financial Education Specialist for Credit Union 1! Check out my blog every Friday for fun tips and tricks to help you manage your finances.

This week might be a stretch to call this a "financial" blog this week but here goes nothing! We are all employees (I think!) and there are proven facts that employees that are "well" perform better and are ill less often. When we take sick days from work we're losing time and money and we all know that going in to be seen by a doctor is pretty pricy. Here's what I do to stay well and avoid costly hospital visits!

For me to be well, it means taking a break from the humdrum of my day to day activities. After a while, all of the chores we do on a daily basis (dishes, laundry, driving, meal preparation, etc.) can become mentally exhausting from the repetitive nature of our lives. As much as we try to “do something different” like eating out or letting the cleaning duties slide for the week, we all need a mental break and my release is camping. Maybe you’re a seasoned camper or have never gone before – here are some awesome tips for rejuvenating your mind and body without the expense of a vacation!

Hi! I’m Ashley, Financial Education Specialist for Credit Union 1! Check out my blog every Friday for fun tips and tricks to help you manage your finances.

My very first trip to Kodiak was a success - in more ways than one! Let's talk about the super awesome part that the generous members and CU1 teamed up to raise $6,000 for the Kodiak Leo's Club. AMAZING! There were a ton of really sweet silent auction items that were donated by local Kodiak businesses and people were bidding high and bidding often! That picture is me auctioning off one of the beautiful fresh flower arrangements - I guess I'll have to add "auctioneer" to my repertoire!

I count the next success a personal one...I stayed within my budget! This was a work sponsored trip so my expenses were low to begin with, but I still did it. I had no extra spending and kept my debit card in my wallet where it belongs!

Did you have any budgeting success this week?

Free Discover Financial Fitness Class

Join us from 3:30pm to 5pm on Thursday, April 18th in the Harbor Room at the Best Western Kodiak Inn for a special edition of a Discover Financial Fitness class. It's free and open to the public. To register in advance, please email us at: oneforallalaska@cu1.org
 
Member Appreciation Party!

Then join us later, as our Kodiak Branch party will also be held on Thursday, April 18th from 6:30 to 8:30pm. We'll have free hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine – plus a silent auction to benefit the Kodiak Leo’s Club. Our silent auction will feature items donated by local businesses, and all funds raised for the Kodiak Leo’s Club will benefit your local community.
 
CU1 has its heart set on raising at least $3,500 via our silent auction – and as always, we will MATCH all funds raised during the evening. This event is sure to be a blast; so show up with your party hat on!
 
Know someone who banks elsewhere but is always up for supporting a good cause? Bring ‘em! You don’t need to be a member to attend (although they’ll sure want to join us after seeing how cool our parties are).
 
Wanna know more? Click here and visit our Facebook page for event details and updates.
 
See you soon!