Plan ahead. Just do it.

To be prepared is half the victory. - Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish novelist, dramatist & poet (1547-1616)

Planning ahead requires effort, conscientiousness and time but we agree with Cervantes that it can get you where you want to be.  This week, your friends at SiMPLECENTS will make a case for the fact that planning is absolutely essential to achieve the greatest success in your work and personal life. 

Consider these true-to-life examples that show the virtues of planning:

• The high school student who applies early to college may be more likely to receive an acceptance letter, grants and loans
• The host whose guest room is clean and ready at all times is more likely to enjoy having houseguests
• The family that plots out a course of action during hurricane season could be more likely to emerge unscathed from a natural disaster
• The business that is diligent in its financial forecasting may be more likely to recover from the recession and turn a profit

Just when you're tempted to let the chips fall where they may, thinking it’s simply too much work to prepare for what may or may not be, consider this [arguably hilarious] article, “Scientists Show Bacteria Can 'Learn' And Plan Ahead.”  Don’t let the bacteria best you. Plan.

Who's got a great story about how a little proactive planning saved the day?

Our stance on financial education

Financial education is a pretty big deal at the credit union. Every year we set increasingly lofty goals for the number of people we hope to reach by way of our free workshops, and every year we wonder if members and the public will come, yet the number of attendees continues to exceed our highest hopes. Something must be clicking. Last year, 5,738 people attended at least one of our free financial education workshops. If this is the first time you’ve heard about the program, then you should know:

• We provide group seminars at no cost to you, in a location convenient for you.
• Speakers can deliver financial education workshops on a variety of topics.
• Workshops can be tailored to groups of virtually any age or area of financial interest.

These days, rarely a week goes by without South Carolina Federal representatives being out and about in your community to present a free workshop. We’re at schools, churches, places of work, public libraries, civic group meetings, Chambers of Commerce and more.

To find out our next destination and select a topic you might want to learn more about, visit our schedule of free financial workshops at scfedseminars.org. If you’re part of an organization, classroom or company that could use a free financial education workshop, simply let us know. We’re waiting for your email at financialeducation@scfederal.org. We also have a financial education hotline to take your requests at 843-569-5631 (Charleston) or 800-845-0432, ext. 5631 (Nationwide). Or maybe you've got an idea for a topic we haven’t tackled yet? We’ll design a workshop around your needs. The email address and phone number above accept great ideas, too!

Let’s start the discussion now. What free workshop(s) do you think we should offer?

 

Credit card changes are coming

The CARD Act – more formally known as the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act – will take effect February 22, 2010. Our goal this week at SiMPLECENTS is to help you understand these changes and how they will affect you and your credit card(s). 

President Obama signed the CARD Act into effect so it pertains to all financial institutions and card issuers. In fact, changes first were introduced this past summer and next week’s changes kick off phase two of the plan. This article from creditbloggers.com offers a solid overview of the Feb. 22 changes, while this one from February’s issue of Real Simple magazine breaks down how the changes may be to your benefit.     

Stick with us this week as we do our best to shed some light on the subject. Also consider joining us April 20 or 22 at the Charleston County Public Library for our FREE workshop, "Puzzled by Plastic." Registering for your seat is simple when you scroll to the very bottom of this page at scfederal.org.  Have questions we can tackle in the meantime about the new credit card changes? Post a comment for me!

Put your heart in it

Whether or not you’re a fan of Valentine’s Day, you can’t deny that the imagery of hearts is just about everywhere in the weeks prior to Feb. 14. This year, look upon those red and pink holiday symbols as a reminder to show yourself some love and take better care of your heart. After all, February isn’t just for Cupid; it’s also American Heart Month.

Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States, and that there are some very concrete steps you can take to reduce your risk of death from a coronary event?

This Valentine’s Day, set down that box of chocolates and really show love to yourself or someone you care about by putting your heart into it. Schedule an appointment to have your and your loved ones’ heart health checked by a doctor. Commit to one or more healthy practices that can ensure your ticker and that of your family keeps on ticking. And read our SimpleCents blog this week for tips from which you can learn from and personal anecdotes to which you can relate. What heart healthy change(s) will you make?

My first job -- and one that’s much better

My first paying job was in a bagel shop, where I learned several lessons: (A) loyal customers really like their faces and their preferences to be remembered, (B) food service workers generally are an underappreciated lot and (C) apparently, I breathe through my hands because wearing plastic gloves causes me to overheat in seconds.

Far from glamorous, that first job at Chesapeake Bagel Bakery gave me some pretty key insights about life (in terms of Items A and B, at least). In the long run, it made me a better employee because I absorbed a common truth about people wanting to be noticed and appreciated (Item A), and a better person because I experienced the rude behavior that service workers too often endure from their customers (Item B) and vowed never to do that to anyone waiting on me.

A far less “dirty job,” yet one that could teach you or yours oodles of worthwhile lessons about life and work, is open right now at the credit union to someone between the ages of 18-25: 2010 Young & Free South Carolina Spokesperson. While this job lacks the appeal of my bagel gig with its polyester aprons and cream cheese scoops, the one year position with Young & Free SC does offer a salary, benefits and perks, including use of a Toyota Prius and paid gas for a year. In return, we’d ask you not to master the art of the Cheese Melt, but to create, edit and upload video to YouTube, blog, mix with people at events and shed light on financial topics for people your age – even if you’re still learning, too.

Not bad, huh? And you’ll never end your day by mopping a floor with bleach water. Could you or someone you know take this job?

Donate at your credit union for Haiti earthquake relief

This week, especially in light of the devastating media reports and images coming from Haiti, we will focus on the very timely financial subject of charitable and crisis giving. If charitable giving is important to you but you have not yet supported the relief efforts in Haiti, we encourage you to consider committing any financial resources you can, large or small.

South Carolina Federal Credit Union now offers a convenient way for you to address the dire need. It is collecting donations for Water Missions International (WMI), a non-profit based in Charleston, S.C., that designs and deploys water purification systems, and will match funds received, up to $5,000.

Clean drinking water is an especially critical need following natural disasters and is essential to aid emergency relief efforts. WMI provides a life saving service by making unclean water fit for human consumption. Its Living Water Treatment Systems^TM can purify up to 10,000 gallons of water per day, which can meet the needs of 3,000 to 5,000 people.

South Carolina Federal is accepting donations for WMI at all 19 branches throughout the state. Additionally, it will accept checks made out to Water Missions International and sent to:

South Carolina Federal Credit Union

Attn: T. Husser, Marketing Dept.

P.O. Box 190012

N. Charleston, S.C. 29419

We look forward to receiving at least $5,000 in contributions from members, the public, and our fellow credit unions and providing our matching $5,000 contribution to WMI. Thank you in advance for your help.

Donate coins for Change Bandit$

Through the end of January, South Carolina Federal Credit Union will collect coins at all branches in the Charleston area and Georgetown. The purpose is to support the Change Bandit$ coin collection drive for MUSC Children’s Hospital, which conducts research and brings lifesaving medical care to thousands of families with sick children every year. 

With the month more than half over and just a handful of business days left to collect change, our bloggers this week will share some real stories of MUSC’s miracle kids. We hope they inspire you to donate a few coins to the effort next time you visit our branches in the Lowcountry. If you like, you can even ask your teller to take the coins out of your check (i.e., deposit your check for $25.36 as $25, with 36 cents going to Change Bandit$). Use of coin counters in the Lowcountry branches this month is free to members and non-members who donate coins for Change Bandit$. 

Please donate your change - for a lot of little reasons!

Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In preparation for the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day next Monday, Adam Parker of the Post and Courier this weekend posted, “What do they think? Area youths discuss cultural history.” This was a commendable effort to get readers thinking about King’s legacy and his vision of freedom and equality for everyone.

The young people Parker interviewed represented a cross-section of ages (pre-teen to young adult), genders, races and religious traditions, but more importantly, a broad range of cultural perspectives. The opinions, experiences and observations they shared for the article are powerful statements because they reflect their diverse views of the world. What better time is there to uplift and pay tribute to diverse worldviews than on the commemorative holiday honoring an icon of civil rights?

If you have only a couple minutes right now (2 minutes, 17 seconds to be exact), view this abridged footage from Dr. King’s inspiring “I Have a Dream” speech. If you can commit more time, the text of the entire speech is worthy of review. How far do you think the world has come since that day in 1963 that Dr. King delivered his famous speech? How much further can you help your world grow?

The early bird gets...

The worm, right? Nearly everyone knows that saying. It just so happens to apply aptly to our discussion topic for this week: IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) and taxes. These may not be the most exciting subjects but hey, it’s a new year: time to take stock and be accountable for improving your life in the next 12 months and beyond. When it comes to IRAs and taxes, staying mindful of the old adage about the super punctual bird will take you far. It behooves you to start now on both fronts and here’s why:

When it comes to IRAs - Quite simply, the earlier in your life that you start to save in a Roth IRA, the richer you will be. Earnings in a Roth IRA accumulate tax free and time is on your side in this process. In addition, the earlier in the year that you join the IRA party, the better. You have until April 15, 2010, to make a qualifying contribution for 2009. Rather than restating what’s been explained so eloquently before, I refer you to this great resource to learn more about IRAs. There are also some changes in store for IRAs in 2010 that you might want to review. If you remember nothing else, simply realize that you should start an IRA now.

When it comes to preparing your taxes - Ah, April 15: a date that inspires dread in the hearts of many. On some level, everyone knows it’s wise to start one’s taxes as soon as all W-2s have been received (By law, employers are required to submit W-2s to their employees by Jan. 31), but how many seize the day? In 2010, your tax return must be postmarked no later than April 15, or sent no later than that date if you're filing electronically in order to avoid penalties.

Spare yourself some stress this year and commit to start your taxes as soon as possible. While waiting for your W-2s, gather receipts for your medical expenses and charitable contributions so you’ll be prepared with info for qualifying deductions. Be an early bird and you can enjoy all the beauty of Spring when it arrives and merely shake your head in pity for all the folks who are trapped inside doing their taxes at the eleventh hour. I think this early bird thing has some merit. Who’s with me?

Kim's S.M.A.R.T. goal for the New Year

I admit it. I have a major problem with paper. My husband and I really don’t have that much “stuff”; our issue stems from the newspapers, magazines, bills, cards, invitations, FedEx shipping slips, receipts, lists and random notes that multiply quickly and end up all over nearly every flat surface in the house. I detest what this does to the environment in my home and to my state-of-mind.

So, we find ourselves at the start of a New Year. There’s no better opportunity to make a clean break with clutter and declare publically my resolve to eliminate it forever. My long-term objective for 2010 is to feel prepared to welcome friends and family into our house at a moment’s notice, instead of freaking out at the thought that someone might drop by and see the disaster in which we typically live. Like all of our bloggers this week, I’m using S.M.A.R.T. goals to achieve the short-term ends that will secure my long-term objective. Here’s how my S.M.A.R.T. goal will work.  It's:

Specific – I will keep surfaces in my home clear and clutter-free.

Measurable – I will set aside a few minutes every day to find or make a place for everything so that everything stays in its place.

Attainable – Can I do what it takes to have a well-ordered house? Absolutely.

Realistic – Is it realistic for me to devote 5-15 minutes every day to preserving my sanity? Do I have the time and skills necessary to do this? Yes!

Time-Oriented – This goal officially kicks off as soon as the renovations work in my house is finished (estimated completion date: 12/31/09). I’ll measure progress daily.

Google “S.M.A.R.T. goals” yourself and you’ll notice the acronym applies almost universally, from finances to fitness. Devote just a few minutes to plotting out your S.M.A.R.T. goal and there your road map to success will be! Are you ready to decide what you want this year and how you’ll go about getting it?