Do You Have a Personal Savings Plan? Why saving is important and how to get started.

| Print | E-mail |

April 2006

How much Americans save—or don't save—has been in the news since the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that the U.S. personal savings rate in 2005 was a negative 0.5%. Debate has boomed about whether the savings picture is actually so bleak because the calculation doesn't take into account any capital gains from investments or increases in home equity that citizens may have. The calculation only looks at personal income and spending to determine the savings rate. But even if the savings picture is rosier, common sense says that as a nation of consumers we are probably not putting enough away for a rainy day or a dire emergency. And of course, there's the question of saving toward something important such as a down payment for a home or a fund for higher education or retirement.

Read more: Do You Have a Personal Savings Plan? Why saving is important and how to get started.

Going Wireless? Protect Your Personal Information

| Print | E-mail |

March 2006

The convenience of going wireless with your notebook computer is so tempting. Wireless computer connections free you up to work over the Internet all around the house or office or from the local coffeeshop. Many consumers are putting wireless networks in their homes. Wi-Fi hotspots are appearing in many public locations such as cafes, libraries, churches, and airports. You can go online anywhere, it seems. But unless you take the proper security precautions in using Wi-Fi hotspots and in setting up your own wireless network, you are putting your financial and personal information at risk. In this month's report we look at the dangers and the precautions you can take.

Read more: Going Wireless? Protect Your Personal Information

E-Statements and Managing Your Financial Accounts Online Can Offer Big Benefits

| Print | E-mail |

February 2006

CCU members are very savvy about online banking. Many CCU members take advantage of CCU's Home Banking to manage many aspects of their credit union accounts online. That's terrific.

If you regularly read Remar's Reports, you know that I'm a big fan of managing your personal financial business online. Having online access to all your financial accounts (beyond your checking account) can offer increased convenience, efficiency, and, above all, security. Using e-statements, instead of paper statements, can also offer benefits. Of course, as the "end-use" consumer, you must follow good security practices, just like CCU and other reputable financial institutions do. This review profiles some of the potential benefits of managing most of your financial business online, including using e-statements, and provides tips for doing it safely.

Read more: E-Statements and Managing Your Financial Accounts Online Can Offer Big Benefits

Energy Conservation Moves that Could Save You Money at Tax Time

| Print | E-mail |

January 2006

With the big spike in gas prices in the autumn and higher winter heating costs predicted for the rest of this winter, consumers everywhere are looking for ways to save on energy costs. In past reviews, I've offered you tips for saving on fuel costs. Now thanks to some old and new tax incentives, you may also be able to benefit from specific tax deductions or credits for purchasing "clean-fuel" vehicles or taking certain energy conservation measures at home.

Read more: Energy Conservation Moves that Could Save You Money at Tax Time

This Scam Will Hit You This Week! But You Don't Have to Be "Phished"

| Print | E-mail |

December 2005

The good news first: This is one scam you can easily avoid. Period.

Now, the bad news: If you receive email—at work or at home—you could as easily fall for this scam today. Fall for it and you could lose thousands of dollars, your identity, and probably your sanity by the time you recover from the scam.

I'm talking about "phishing," a plague that is now hitting almost everyone who goes online at least once a week—and getting worse by the hour, literally.

Phishing gets its name from legitimate fishing with a hook, line, and sinker: you cast your line into the water and wait on an unsuspecting fish to bite. The same thing happens in Phishing, except you're the fish. A crook casts out some bait over the Internet and just waits for unsuspecting victims like you to take the bait.

Read more: This Scam Will Hit You This Week! But You Don't Have to Be "Phished"