Every new year, millions of people make New
Year resolutions. Some may resolve to eat less,
work out more, or go back to school. Many will
resolve to save more and spend less. You may
even be one of those people, but accomplishing
this may be difficult and you may need help.

AFCU offers many ways to help you accomplish
this goal, from online educational content to help
you form a plan to credit union staff who act as
your trusted advisors about individual financial
decisions to low-cost or no-cost products and
services and high-yield accounts that help you
achieve your goals.

Maybe you want paying for Christmas to be
easier in 2025. Try saving through our Christmas
Club account! Maybe you want to lower your
interest on your credit card balances. Open an
AFCU credit card and transfer a balance to our
low-interest option! Or maybe you just want an
incentive to save more of your money. Open a
high-yield Kasasa checking account and watch
your money grow!

No matter what your financial resolution, we
can help. It’s all part of the credit union way
of “people helping people.” If it’s been a while
since you’ve looked at your finances, we invite
you to stop by and see
the good we can do for
you! I know that you’ll be glad you did.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Saturday, January 18th and Monday, January 20th
Presidents’ Day – Saturday, February 15th and Monday, February 17th

The holiday season is wrapped up, and if you’re like most of us, you may have had a little
too much fun with your credit card. But don’t worry, you’re not alone! Whether it’s the extra
gifts for loved ones or those irresistible holiday sales, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. Now
that the New Year has arrived, it’s time to shake off that financial fog and get back on track. We have three
fantastic tricks to help you tackle that post-holiday debt hangover without feeling overwhelmed.

First up on our list is what is known as the “Snowball Method.” Think of this as making a snowman
out of your debts—one small ball at a time. Start by listing all your debts from smallest to largest
(don’t worry about interest rates just yet). Begin paying off the smallest one while making minimum
payments on the rest. Once you’ve tackled that tiny debt, use the freed-up cash to attack the next
smallest one. It’s all about building momentum and confidence as you go along. This strategy works
wonders because it gives you quick wins early on, which feels fantastic and keeps your motivation high!

Next, let’s chat about the Envelope System in the digital age. Remember how grandma would stash
cash in envelopes marked ‘groceries,’ ‘entertainment,’ ‘holiday debt,’ etc.? Instead of envelopes, set
up automatic payments or transfers that apply to your debt. This way, you make sure you’re taking
care of your debt before adding more to it.

The third way to help with holiday credit card debt is utilizing a
low-rate personal or debt consolidation loan. These types of loans can help
you consolidate all your high-interest credit card balances into a single, more manageable
monthly payment. By taking advantage of a low-interest loan, you can potentially save money on
interest charges and pay off your debt more efficiently. Paying down debt this way also helps to
improve your credit score.

So there you have it – three simple yet powerful tricks tailored for taking care of any post-holiday debt hangover without
breaking too much sweat—or spirit! Remember that no matter how big or small your debt might seem, you’ve got this, and
we’re here to help!

Having financial difficulties
after the holiday season?
Keep in contact with us at AFCU!
We are here to help YOU!

AFCU recently helped advance the careers of two valuable
employees. Kimberly Burns was promoted from Staff Accountant II
to Accountant, and Jessica Brumitt was promoted from Digital and
Payment Systems Manager to Digital and Payment Systems Director.
Each has provided exemplary contributions to the credit union, and
we are happy to shine light on their accomplishments.

AFCU also added two new people to our great team. Trey
Robertson joins us as our Special Services Officer, and Jonathan
Burgos comes on board as our Chief Financial Officer. We welcome
them as they begin their AFCU careers and look forward to their
future contributions and growth here.

As part of our mission to deliver products, services and financial literacy outreach to enable our members to make informed and provident financial decisions, AFCU is constantly on the lookout for ways to offer financial education to our members and our communities. Over the years, we have provided online tools and courses, in-school programs and presentations, and we’ve even attended events with our financial ambassador Rocky! We always get positive feedback from our financial education endeavors, as we have helped clear up misconceptions or have given people the knowledge they were missing to feel confident in their financial decisions. This is why it is so central to our existence. We know there is both a lack of information available in the formative years and much misinformation that comes from sources online, as well as from friends and family, and we truly want to enable you to make informed and provident financial decisions, or rather decisions made with forethought and preparation.

As we launch our new onsite learning events, we hope you will take advantage of them. They have been designed to answer our most commonly asked questions and to address the most prevalent barriers to financial independence in a non-threatening, judgment-free environment and to not take up your whole evening. We’ll serve a snack dinner to boot! We are excited about this new offering and look forward to helping you thrive financially. It’s just another way that we invite you to stop by and see the good we can do for you!

International Credit Union Day – Thursday, October 17th
Christmas Club Transfers – Friday, November 1st

Veterans Day – Saturday, November 9th and Monday, November 11th
Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 28th and Saturday, November 29th

Christmas Eve – Tuesday, December 24th (Close at noon)
Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25th
New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1st

Most of us want to help those we love when we see they need a hand. We’re willing to share our homes, our money, or even to lend our good name to get them on the right path. Lending our name by acting a co-signer or joint borrower on a loan, however, should always be done with caution and with a bit of analysis. Not doing so can leave you vulnerable to other people’s bad credit habits and will be directly reflected on your credit report and in your credit score. Below are a few things you should consider when determining if you should co-sign for someone.

• Does the person have the capacity to pay the loan back? Do they have steady income to cover both the payments and the other obligations and needs in their life?
• What evidence do you have that the person will make timely payments? Have you been a part of their credit education? If they are rebounding from poor credit, what steps have they taken to prepare themselves from getting into that situation again?
• How will you ensure that the loan is repaid according to schedule? Different lenders have different protocol for notifying you of late payments. If you are a co-signer, you often won’t be notified until the lender exercises its right to collect late payments or the balance in full from you. If you are joint on the loan, you may not be notified until you are contacted individually about bringing the loan current. Make sure you have access to statements or account activity on the loan.

Taking care to think through your decision by answering the questions above and only assisting those who you feel will make timely payments can help keep your credit score high, not to mention it may even help maintain the good relationships you have with your loved ones.

Scammers’ number one skill is creating panic in the person they are trying to scam, so when fraud victims receive a call or message during which the caller or messenger introduces an urgent situation regarding the very thing that provides most of us with our greatest sense of security – our money, it is easy to act hastily and without reason. Having a couple of solid rules and holding our horses, so to speak, can help ensure that you don’t fall victim to a scam and that you keep your money safe.

• NEVER withdraw funds in response to a call, text, or other message that you weren’t expecting.
• If you do, do NOT deposit it into any other account at a financial institution, ATM, or other depository. Take the funds back and safely deposit them to the account from which they came.

Scammers rely on the fear they create to get you to react irrationally, but there are always mechanisms to protect you should the supposed events actually be happening. If you are concerned that the events are true, end the call and call a known number for the institution where your money resides. Reacting calmy, “holding your horses,” and adhering to the rules above will ensure that you don’t become a victim of fraud

What’s the Difference Between Co-signers and Joint Borrowers?

You may have been told in your life that you need a co-signer or a joint borrower, or even been asked to be one, but what exactly does each term mean and what are the differences?

A co-signer (sometimes referred to as a guarantor, depending upon the state of residence) is someone who agrees to repay a loan in the event the borrower does not. Generally, the borrower must have ample income to repay individually, but he may have no or little credit or job history to qualify for a loan by himself. The co-signer induces the lender to make the loan when he signs because of his strong credit and his capacity to repay the loan. A co-signer is generally not tapped to repay the loan unless the borrower has consistently not made timely payments.

A joint borrower is someone who has all the same obligations as the borrower on a loan and whose credit and income is combined with the borrower’s by the lender to determine the overall likelihood of repayment. Joint borrowers are most often added when the borrower has insufficient income to qualify for the loan by himself or when he also shares an interest in either the collateral used to secure the loan or in the proceeds of the loan. For example, a couple borrowing money to purchase a vehicle may both drive the vehicle, making them both have an interest in the collateral and therefore the proceeds of the loan, and while either might qualify on his or her own for the loan, they may wish to both benefit from a good payment record on what they consider to be a family vehicle.

Keep these terms in mind as you navigate borrowing in your own life and know the meanings of both and the benefits and downsides of each. Doing so will help ensure that you make good choices on when to be either.

Each year, AFCU works to partner with the Work-Based Learning programs at WCHS and LCHS. During the 2023-2024 school year, Zuhria Wingard and Gracie Goober were both part of the WCHS program and worked on the Jesup teller line until leaving for college. Clay Winningham, a college student and seasonal teller, also left for his final year of college. While we were sad to see them go, we are excited for their futures and look forward to seeing what they will accomplish.

This has left room for new students, and this year, we are happy to have a student from both schools. Chloe Lockhart has joined us from WCHS and is a teller on the Jesup teller line. Shelby Rhoden, a student at LCHS, is working as a teller in our Ludowici branch. We look forward to having them grow and learn new skills that they can carry throughout their lives.

We are also very pleased to have return to us Katie Beth Pritchett, our Payments Coordinator, and Jeralyn Lopez, who after returning to Wayne County, joins us as a Loan Advisor. Each of these people will play a part of our success, and we hope that we play a big part in each of theirs.

AFCU’s vision is to be a financial education center for our communities and now we have added another way for you to take advantage of our knowledge. For 4 weeks, starting October 29th, we will offer weekly programs in our Jesup branch every Tuesday evening from 5:30pm – 6:30pm on a range of financial topics. We’ll even provide a light supper for attendees!

Each session will consist of a few minutes for eating, about 20 minutes for topic presentation, and plenty of time for questions and attendee interaction. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, program topics, and registration links. We hope to continue to bring these to you next year in multiple locations!

As a not-for-profit financial institution, AFCU adheres to
the seven cooperative principles. As you have probably
seen in our newsletter or our lobby before, one of those
principles is concern for community. While we certainly
focus our efforts each day on our most important community
– our membership – we also want to make the places where
our members live, work, and worship better. This is why we
take part in so many local events and assist so many area
organizations.

While it is important that we fulfill our mission of offering
products, services, and financial literacy outreach to enable
our members to make informed and provident financial
decisions, we understand that our members’ lives are
multi-dimensional and that supporting organizations who
assist those in need in our communities makes our entire
community stronger, safer, and better.

I am honored to work for an organization who makes such an
impact with its time, talent, and dollars on the counties we
serve and who has such a rich history of doing so. Whether it
is collecting school supplies, toys, or food for those in need;
or lending a hand for community events like Odum Day, the
Screven Independence Day Celebration, or the Long County
Chamber Spring Fling; or making monetary donations to local
charities, AFCU is a vital part of our communities’ wellbeing.

It feels good to know that we make a difference. If it’s been
a while since you’ve paid attention to what AFCU has to offer
you and our community, stop
by and see the good we can
do for you! I think you’ll be
proud to be a part of us, too!

Labor Day – Saturday, August 31st and Monday, September 2nd
Columbus Day – Saturday, October 12th and Monday, October 14th

As we’ve written in the past, it is wise to pull copies of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies each year. However, if you don’t understand the content, they may not be of much help. These reports will show you the latest reported information from each of your creditors. Some items you’ll want to look for on the report are:

• What creditors are listed, and how to contact them,

• What the beginning balance of the debt was and how much you owe each creditor,

• What the payment amount on each debt is,

• Whether any delinquent amounts are owed to the creditor,

• Whether you had any late payments over the past and when those were made, and

• Whether there are any public records or collections listed and if they have been paid.

Most creditors only report once per month, so some information like account balances may not reflect what your records show. However, if information is substantially wrong or has not reported in quite some time on an active debt, you may want to investigate further by contacting the creditor directly. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, you may want to file a dispute, if you think the information is negatively affecting your credit score. Instructions on how to submit these disputes are generally included with your credit report.

All in all, your credit report should be an accurate reflection of your credit obligations, present and past, and your payment history with each. Having a credit report with inaccurate information, especially derogatory information, can derail all your efforts to keep your credit score high.

Vacations are a time to relax and unwind, but don’t let your guard down when it comes to protecting your personal information and your money. Below are some tips to help keep your vacation stress-free.

1. Ensure that you only use Wi-Fi to connect your devices when looking at generic content. If you need to access credit union accounts or other password-protected websites, be sure to use a VPN (virtual private network) or your own password-protected hotspot.

2. Enable MFA (multi-factor authentication) on both your devices and your accounts.

3. Finally, always maintain possession of or safely store your devices, and enable the remote lock and find my device functions before you leave for vacation.

Following these tips may not help with the weather or vacation crowds, but you can rest easy knowing that you’ve made it hard for fraudsters to ruin your fun.

What is DTI and how can it hurt me?

DTI is financial institution-lingo for debt-to-income ratio, which is simply the percentage of your monthly income that is used to make monthly payments you owe. Having a high DTI may indicate to a creditor that you do not have enough income to pay for a new obligation, and this may cause you to be denied credit.

Many creditors look for DTI to be no more than 50%, but some creditors are more stringent and may have lower thresholds. These thresholds may even vary depending on your credit score with some creditors.

Creditors may also calculate an unsecured DTI, which differs in that it calculates your total unsecured debt balance as a percentage of your annual income. Again, the higher this is, the more likely a creditor will be to charge a higher interest rate, ask for money down on a purchase, or even deny an unsecured loan or credit card request.

As we’ve noted in our Credit Score Tips in the past, ensuring you only borrow what you can repay and keeping your unsecured revolving balances low are two key tips in maintaining a healthy credit score. Knowing how DTI is calculated and used by creditors can help you make good decisions about credit usage to keep that score higher.

AFCU has been busy this past quarter making our communities a better place to live. Recently, we donated $1,500 to the city of Screven for their yearly Independence Day festivities. Our employees made monetary and non-perishable donations to the Manna House of Long County, and we supported the Fair Haven’s annual fashion show and luncheon with our presence and our dollars. Finally, we have been active in supporting our new businesses and the Wayne and Long County Chambers by attending scheduled ribbon cuttings and by sponsoring key events such as the annual galas of each, candidate forums, and legislative luncheons.

AFCU has seen a lot of progress in the past year. As I was unable to attend this year’s Annual Meeting of the Membership, I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you about some of that progress. We continue to implement new products and services to better meet your needs. Joining our debit cards, our credit cards may now be used on Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Speaking of debit cards, we now offer both Wayne County High School and Long County High School designs, available exclusively in our Jesup branch, to help support both school systems with special projects and programs. And most importantly with our credit cards, we have saved numerous members thousands of dollars by transferring balances to our low-rate cards. We also rolled out a new small dollar loan program to assist those who may not qualify under normal underwriting criteria, and we continue to loan money as cheaply as possible to help with purchases ranging from cars and trucks to ATV’s and UTV’s to lawn mowers, storage buildings, and trailers. 

Our Kasasa accounts continue to grow in popularity, particularly our Kasasa Cash accounts, which as of this writing, are offering 7% Annual Percentage Yield on the first $15,000, and we also are currently offering some attractive certificate specials. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen deposit rates this high! 

In addition to this, we are rolling out our first ever call center to provide easier access to more consistent assistance, and we have now added three full-time positions to our Ludowici branch to remain open all day each day there, and we have promoted several AFCU team members as we continue to grow. 

I hope you also take the opportunity to read about our community involvement in each newsletter and to follow our Scam Alerts, FinLit articles, and Credit Score Tips, and of course, to take advantage of one-on-one advice from our trusted staff, through our school programs, or online at altamaha.org. It is our mission to deliver products, services, and financial literacy outreach to enable our members to make informed and provident financial decisions, and everything we do is for you. If it’s been a while since you visited us, I encourage you to stop by and see the good we can do for YOU! 

Memorial Day – Saturday, May 25th and Monday, May 27th
Juneteenth – Wednesday, June 19th
Independence Day – Thursday, July 4th

When thinking about credit scores, most of us know that with a good credit score, we are more likely to be approved for a loan, and with a bad credit score, we are more likely to be denied a loan. Depending on the lender, approval or denial may be based on the credit score itself or it may simply be reflective of the credit habits and history that helped form that credit score. 

However, more important than whether your loan application is approved or denied is the rate of interest you pay on the approved loan. Credit scores are all about determining the risk of your potential to repay a loan and to repay it timely. Therefore, most lenders today charge higher rates of interest to those with lower scores. In other words, the lower your credit score, the higher your rate. As your rate goes up, so does your payment amount on the same loan amount. Said another way, the worse your credit score, the more you will pay month over month for the same amount borrowed than someone who has a better credit score. 

Ultimately, when faced with a higher payment, many of us will think, “Maybe not,” simply because we cannot afford it, meaning that our lower credit score has kept us from obtaining whatever we needed the funds for. And so it behooves you to work towards the highest credit score you can, so that you don’t get locked out of credit simply because we can’t afford the cost.

Follow these 5 steps to get your best deal: 

• Get pre-approved at AFCU for your auto loan. 

• Shop your rate and let us know if you find a better deal. Often, we can match rates. 

• Have AFCU pull the value of any vehicle you want to buy before signing a buyer’s order. 

• Have AFCU pull a free Carfax for you to ensure there are no prior issues with the vehicle. 

• Protect yourself with low-cost GAP, warranty, and credit insurance sold at AFCU to help cover events that may hinder you in repaying your loan later. 

Christmas is an especially hard time for those who have limited resources and who have children. Christmas 2023, AFCU collected toys in all three branches for Wayne and Long County children through the Toys for Tots program. We are happy to report that through the generosity of both our AFCU team members and you, our credit union members, we filled these boxes up multiple times throughout the season. When it comes to sharing with those who have less than us, our members always deliver! Thank you, all, for your donations and for sharing your love during the Christmas season of giving. 

AFCU has also been busy ensuring that we help members of our community throughout the year. This quarter, we are proud to have partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of the Altamaha Area, Fair Haven, the Farmer’s Market, and the Long County 4-H to ensure that children have safe environments in which to learn outside the classroom, that victims of domestic abuse can find a new life away from their abusers, and that local farmers and food and craft producers can sell their goods without the added expense of a middle man. AFCU is committed to our communities and to ensuring that they remain a great place to live for all! If you have an opportunity for us to serve or assist, please let us know. 

Altamaha Federal Credit Union would like to congratulate several employees on their recent promotions. Autumn Henderson moved from the Jesup branch to the Ludowici branch as a Member Service Representative I (MSR), and Brittany Crawford moved to MSR III from Teller Supervisor at the Jesup location. Heather Ford is moving from the Screven branch, where she was an MSR II, back to the Jesup office as Operations Clerk, where she will be a part of our new call center, and Kaniya Randolph will be stepping up from Teller I to our Jesup Teller Supervisor. Finally, Rachel Moore in our Ludowici office was promoted from Teller II to MSR II there. We are very proud of each of these team members’ hard work and their dedication to AFCU. We wish them each continued growth and success as they continue to serve our membership well. 

Most of us in South Georgia have experienced a weasel or two, given our wide swaths of forested and planted lands, but the one we should watch most closely for isn’t in our back yard. He is lurking online, and he may pop up at any time. 

These internet weasels use security pop-ups to make it appear that you have been the victim of fraud at an institution with whom you have some financial relationship, like a bank, credit union, or even a retirement account. They then provide a phone number to call or a link to click to ensure that your funds are protected. Unfortunately, these phone numbers and links are ALWAYS a direct link to someone attempting to gain access to your financial information, and you should NEVER call the numbers provided or click these links. 

If this happens to you, call your financial institution directly, using a number you know to be legitimate, to verify any potential fraud with them. And if you haven’t before, you may want to take added precautions to secure your account, such as adding a password. 

Lastly and most importantly, should you call or click before thinking, you should NEVER give these imposters passwords or verification codes to log into your accounts, and you should NEVER move or transfer your money while on these calls or chats. Following these simple steps will help ensure that the only weasels you see stay in your back yard and that your money remains safe! 

Exchange Club of Wayne County recently gathered
donations from area businesses for non-perishable
food items and toiletries to help people in need
in the Jesup area. Our Special Services Officer,
Rita Bennett (second from left, and Exchange Club
Treasurer) coordinated the effort from AFCU. We also
appreciate Landon’s Towing and T & T Detail Shop for
their donations.

Donations may be made year-round at food boxes
located at Fairhaven, Boys & Girls Club, and between
The Connection and Jesup Insurance Agency in Jesup.
Items may be picked up by those in need at any time.

Every day, I hear about members, friends, or family being scammed, defrauded, or having attempted fraud on one or more accounts. The scenarios run the gamut between account takeover, check or debit card fraud, and credentials stealing. With the frequency of these events, one would think that most of us are on to the fraudsters, but that is far
from the case.

Some of these victims have been defrauded through no fault
of their own, and some are guilty of caving to pressure tactics
by fraudsters or of not paying close enough attention to the
details of a phishing message or of simply using outdated
payment methods, such as sending a personal check through
the mail.

Whatever the circumstance, you can be sure that fraudsters
are always one step ahead in thinking up new ways to defraud
you of your hard-earned money. That’s why we continue to
publish our “Scam Alert” article in every quarterly newsletter.
We want to help you protect your assets as much as you do!

As your member-owned financial cooperative, we take pride
in educating our members on the dangers that lurk out
there, and we are committed to continuing that tradition.
If you think that you have been scammed, or if you detect
a potential scam, call us or come by any of our offices, and we will be glad to assist you.
It’s just one more way that we hope you see the good we can do for you!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Saturday, January 13th and Monday, January 15th
Presidents’ Day – Saturday, February 17th and Monday, February 19th

“Thin credit” means not having enough debts, the right mix of debts, or high enough balances
to qualify for a loan. As you build credit, you may quickly achieve a “good” credit score. For our
purposes here, we’ll say you are shooting for 700 or above. Maybe you’ve opened a couple of small
installment loans and a credit card, all of which have been paid as agreed and none have exceeded
their credit limits, and you have achieved a score slightly over 700. “Great,” you say. “I can finally get
that new truck!” When you apply, though, the lender turns you down.

While it may seem that you have done everything right, the lender looks at more than just the score. They are also looking at
the debts listed on the credit report to see what type of obligations you have opened, how long they have been opened, and
what your high credit has been. If you have only opened a few small debts, the lender may determine that they don’t have
enough information to support making you a loan for a brand-new truck, which would be deemed to be a much larger and
longer-term obligation than you have ever had.

There are several options then to get this new truck. You might save some money for a sizable down payment, you may find
a co-signer, or you could start with a lower-priced vehicle and work towards the goal of the new truck over time. So, while by
starting small and slow, you have started on your credit journey correctly, you will need to build on it if you want to use credit
to finance much larger purchases. This will create a much better picture for lenders about your credit habits over time than
your credit score alone.

• You may keep your account open at AFCU. Once a member, always a member!  
• You can update your address with us by secure message on our mobile app.
• You can still perform many in-person transactions at shared branching facilities.
• Home banking, our mobile app, online loan applications and e-sign make doing business with us outside of Wayne or Long counties easy!

What is a Schumer box, and where do I find it?

Schumer boxes are to credit card statements what Truth-in-Lending disclosures (our focus in this column last quarter) are to loan agreements. They are named after then U.S. Congressman Chuck Schumer, who devised legislation requiring the clear, conspicuous disclosure of credit card terms over three decades ago. These terms are presented in a table format, resembling boxes, and must include the following:

• the annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases

• the APR for other transactions such as cash advances, or for purchases or balance transfers made during a promotional rate period, and 

• the length of any such promotion period, and 

• what the rate will be after the promotion period ends 

• whether the rate(s) is a fixed or a variable rate 

• what the grace period is, or how long the cardholder has before interest begins to accrue on transactions 

• how the interest is calculated (e.g., simple, average daily balance, etc.)

• account fees, such as an annual fee, and transaction fees, such as balance transfer fees

• penalty fees and APR (applied if the cardholder doesn’t make timely payments per the agreement or if payments are returned)

While having this information in an easy-to-read format makes it easy to compare credit card offers, some disclosures simply offer a range of APR’s that you may be charged for certain activities, making your legwork a little harder in the comparison or in keeping up with what your actual rates are while you have and use a particular card. In that instance, make it easy on yourself, and look for a credit card that has a simple disclosure with few fees and low overall rates.

Could You Use $1,500 to Help Pay for
Your College Education?
Apply for one of our four $1,500 college scholarships!
Our Annual Scholarship Contest begins February 12, 2024,
and applications will be available through your high school and
on our website. Check altamaha.org/about-us/scholarships
for official rules and eligibility.

Spoofing, the act of making a phone call or text seem
as if it is coming from someone you know, can be
accomplished very easily. It doesn’t mean that the
person or entity’s phone or phone system has been hacked
or taken over. It simply requires the caller to have any
number of apps that provide the capability downloaded
to their phone. From there, they can make it appear that
their calls are from any phone number they wish.

Smishing is the act of texting a malicious link to
someone’s phone. The text may appear legitimate
because of the language used or because it references
a business relationship you have. The link, however, is
not legitimate, and in an effort to defraud you, is used
only to collect personally identifiable information or
credentials from you. When smishing comes from a
spoofed number, it can heighten the sense of legitimacy
in the recipient’s mind.

Don’t be fooled by this deadly combo, though.
No legitimate business, including and especially
your credit union, will ever contact you by this
or any other method, to ask for your personally
identifiable information, your passwords, or your
PIN’s. If you receive such a text, do not respond and
report it immediately to the business from whom it
appears to come, so that others can be alerted.

Recently, I listed my house for sale by owner. It is the only way I have ever sold a house and is typically the only way I buy a house. Of course, I was besieged by real estate agents wanting to list my home for me, many of whom felt I could list my home for much higher. I had done my homework though. I had scoured the market for the past year and had two appraisals completed during that time. I knew what a fair price was for the home and that was where I priced my home. Could I have listed it for higher than appraisal and made more money? Very possibly, but with any decisions there are always consequences, whether for yourself or for others. The consequence for me listing the home where I did was that I may have missed a bigger profit. The consequence for the buyer, had I listed the home for more, would have been that they parted with more of their money, and the consequence for the local market may have been that a good number of people were priced out of homes like mine.

That got me to thinking about the credit union. As interest rates have risen, many financial institutions – banks and credit unions – have raised their rates accordingly. Raising them has been a necessary evil, as we all must satisfy demand for higher deposit rates. But at some point, when we meet that demand to maintain sufficient deposit levels and when we cover our current expenses and planned product implementations, there comes a point when we make a choice as to how high we raise our loan rates. Can we meet those two objectives with loan rates being less than market? If the answer is no, we price at market. If the answer is yes, we price lower than market but still at a point we can meet those objectives, because the consequence of pricing at market may mean that many of our members who need a loan would be priced out of the market, or in other words, unable to afford the loan.

It is decisions like these that we make every day for your good as a member of AFCU. As always, if it ’s been a while since you’ve checked in with us, stop by and see the good we can do for you. I know you’ll find your own story of good when you do!

Columbus Day – Saturday, October 7th and Monday, October 9th
Veterans Day – Saturday, November 11th

Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 23rd and Saturday, November 25th

Christmas Day – Monday, December 25th
New Years Day – Monday, January 1st

Based on advice from well-meaning people in their lives, many young people start their credit journey by opening
any account for which they are approved. Their goal is to establish as much credit as they can as quickly as they can, but
this can actually hurt a young person’s credit score in two ways. First, too many inquiries in a
short amount of time (regardless of how quickly the associated debts are repaid) may drive
down the credit score. Second, if not managed properly, all these newfound debts may
overwhelm an inexperienced borrower, causing him to fall behind on payments or worse,
into default.

It is better to plan out a strategy and work methodically towards it, taking on only what
you need and what you can afford. Pacing your credit requests and subsequent debt
load is much smarter than treating credit like a trip to an all-you-can eat buffet. You don’t
have to try everything all at once, because just like the buffet, that feeling of having “eaten
to much” will come back to haunt you.

What is a TIL disclosure, and what does it tell me?

TIL stands for Truth-in-Lending. Anytime you take out a loan with a bank or credit union, the lender must provide you with a TIL disclosure. There are very specific guidelines for the format of these disclosures and for the information contained within them – information that is extremely valuable in your understanding of what the terms of the loan are and how much the loan costs you.

For closed-end loans (loans that have a set number of payments and established maturity date), key items include:

• the amount financed,
• the total amount of all payments,
• the finance charge (the dollar amount the credit will cost you),
• the APR or annual percentage rate (the cost of your credit as a yearly rate)
• the number of payments and the amount of each and when they are due, and
• when late charges are assessed and how they are calculated.

Seeing this information in this format helps you compare between lenders to determine which loan is a better deal for you. Some lenders charge numerous fees, some of which must be included in the calculation of the APR, along with the actual loan interest rate used to calculate the payment. Being able to see the total amount of all payments helps you to see which loan will cost you more over the life of the loan, and seeing the finance charge as a dollar amount helps you to see how much you are paying to the lender over the life of the loan to borrow the amount you originally financed.

If you are shopping for a loan, it is helpful to ask questions about any fees associated with the loan or the loan application prior to applying, and an understanding of how to read a TIL disclosure can help you determine if you are getting a fair deal before you sign on the dotted line. Next time you take out a loan, be sure you review and understand each of these items on your TIL, so that can be sure you are making a good decision about the lender and the loan!

Transferring funds to another
member account on our mobile app
or online banking?
Make sure you not only have the member number,
but also the suffix associated with the share
or loan account on that member number.
Share accounts have a 3-digit suffix that
indicates the savings or checking type, and loans
have 1 or 2-digit suffixes that tie to a specific
loan for that member. These do not auto-populate
when a member number is chosen and must
be correct for the transfer to be allowed.

For several years, AFCU has donated drawstring bags to student participants
of the Long County Public Library Summer Reading Program. This year, Wayne
County Library got in on the act,
and each student in their program
received a bag too.

These programs help keep students
reading and learning during their
summer breaks, and they are a vital
part of their progress year over year.
AFCU is always looking for new
ways to help our community, and
we are pleased to support our area
students’ growth in this and in many
ways throughout the year.

Is that email request you received to transfer funds to someone a scam, or is it legit? Here are five warning signs you may be dealing with a fraudster.

1. The message is marked urgent or is written with a tone of urgency.
2. The request comes from someone who is stranded outside the country.
3. You are requested to keep the transaction confidential.
4. You are only communicated with through email or text.
5. You are promised a larger sum of money after the urgent situation has been resolved.

If any, or all, of these signs exist, contact the credit union before you make any transaction to transfer funds to the requestor. We can help you determine whether you should proceed with the transaction or not and maybe help you identify a scam.

I talk a lot about the 7 Cooperative Principles in
this column, and often I focus on the principle
of education and even how cooperatives
cooperate with each other, as shown in our
article about our joint donation to The Hanger.
However, this quarter I want to focus on the principle of
members’ economic participation. This principle can be
viewed in two ways – one from sharing in the profits of
the entity and the other from members’ responsibility
to the organization.

Most people would consider members’ responsibility to
the organization to include not abusing privileges or not
causing harm to the organization. However, members
should also consider their level of participation as part
of their responsibility. Each member has a choice as
to which products and services of the credit union he
chooses to use and to which financial institution he
uses to begin with. For optimal cooperative success,
however, choosing the credit union for as many of
the products and services he uses anywhere can have
an enormous impact. Doing so can further increase
efficiency at the credit union and can therefore drive
down costs and increase the returns – whether they be
dividends or new products and services – of the credit
union.

AFCU already has many low-cost products and services
and provides great value for members, but I invite you
to explore any products and services you don’t currently
use. As always, if it’s been a while since you took a look
at our offerings, stop by and see the good we can do for
you! I know you will be glad you did.

Labor Day – Saturday, September 2nd and Monday, September 4th

In your younger days, getting disciplined may not have been much fun. In adulthood, discipline can be a good
thing. When it comes to credit, it can even help build or boost your credit score. We have learned in the past that paying
debts on time and keeping your utilization rate (the percentage used compared to your total revolving credit limits) low can
both help improve your credit score, but this doesn’t come naturally to many. That’s where discipline comes in.

Discipline is one part intent and a lot of parts practice. In terms of credit, it means deciding to make
timely payments and to make payments in full on credit cards, when possible, and then doing it
month after month. If you fall short one month, don’t get discouraged. Keep the goal and get
back on track as quickly as possible. Don’t allow single mistakes to negate all your prior practice
and know that future practice has the power to overcome any shortcomings in your past. When
it comes to your credit score, practicing good credit habits through a disciplined approach is your
best path towards a better credit score.

Need to have a wire sent
to your account at AFCU?
Be careful! You’ll need more than your account
number and our routing number. For full instructions:
click on the “Other Services” tab at
altamaha.org and view, download, or
share our PDF wiring instructions.

What is ODP?
(And how can it cost me?)

ODP is the abbreviation for Overdraft Protection, which
is a product that allows you to overdraft your share draft
account with the credit union. You may have also heard it
called Courtesy Pay. ODP matters because it is a product that
can come with a hefty price tag if not used sparingly. It is
the belief of AFCU that ODP can provide a valuable service to
you when you overlook a debit coming out of your account or
when you incorrectly calculate your available balance.

When usage of ODP is triggered, you incur a fee for that
single usage. In other words, each item that overdrafts or
further overdrafts your share draft account incurs a separate
fee. Relying on ODP too heavily to ensure your debits are
paid by the credit union can cause you to pay multiple fees,
sometimes resulting in a continuing cycle of negative account
balances and escalating fees.

If you use ODP in its intended fashion, you likely have very
few incidents, if any, over the course of a year and therefore,
incur very few fees. If you don’t and you find yourself relying
on ODP to keep your debits paid, you should consider one of
two far more economical methods to cover the items coming
out of your account. The first is to link your share savings
account to your share draft account, so that any debits,
for which you don’t have available funds in your share draft
account, get paid. This eliminates the fee that Courtesy Pay
charges. The second is to open an overdraft line-of-credit.
While interest does accrue on the unpaid balance of this loan,
it is far less than paying repeated ODP fees.

Having a safety net to ensure that items attempting to clear
your account are paid is wise. Knowing and choosing the best
and least costly method for your needs is even wiser!

Once again, Altamaha Federal Credit Union has spearheaded a joint donation to support a local
need. Altamaha joined forces with Interstate Credit Union and Marshland Credit Union to collectively
donate $7,500 to The Hanger for start-up costs to provide no-cost new clothes to area students in need.
Each credit union contributed $2,500 towards the total. Founded by CEO Hannah Grant, The Hanger
currently operates in Ware, Pierce, and Brantley counties and provides
donated new clothing, from area clothing retailers, free of charge to local
youth in need in the discreet setting of a mobile store, in which the youth
may try on and select items of their choice.

There are many opportunities to serve Wayne Countians, but AFCU found
the service provided by The Hanger to fill an unmet need, and we felt
led to see them meet their immediate need of securing a trailer to house
the mobile clothing unit here, so they could begin services here quickly.
We look forward to seeing this wonderful service open to Wayne
students, and AFCU is honored to play such an integral part in their
startup here.

Reading your AFCU newsletter each quarter,
you may feel like there are a lot of bad guys in
the world. Truthfully, the number of potential topics
for Scam Alert and Security Tip articles on my ongoing
list is easily three times that of any other running article.
So, yes, there are a lot of bad guys out there. But that
is what we are here for – to educate you and to protect
you from potential threats.

One of the seven cooperative principles is education,
training, and information, and it is baked into our mission
of delivering products, services, and financial literacy
outreach to enable our members to make informed
and provident financial decisions. Your economic wellbeing
is at the center of our existence, and ensuring you
are aware of and able to protect yourself from threats to
that security is paramount to us.

We will continue to bring you articles such as these, and
we invite you to visit or call us with your questions. It is
all a part of the good we can do for you at AFCU!

Memorial Day – Saturday, May 27th and Monday, May 29th
Juneteenth – Saturday, June 17th and Monday, June 19th
Independence Day – Tuesday, July 4th

We’ve learned in the
past that paying on secured installment loans over time is a
good way to build credit and thus create and improve a credit
score. Altamaha FCU has two great ways to help credit
newcomers build their credit.

The first is our traditional CreditBuilder loan, whereby the proceeds are put on hold in the member’s share account for the duration of the loan. The funds are released upon payoff.

The second is a share-secured loan. The beauty of this loan is that shares or share certificates used to secure the loan can be owned by anyone at the credit union who gives permission for the borrower to borrow against them. This allows parents or grandparents the ability to assist their children or grandchildren, who may not have much savings, in building their credit without having the share owner’s name tied to the loan in question directly.

If you are just starting out building credit, or will be in the near future, consider one of these two alternatives to help build that credit score!

You may have never heard of formjacking, but it has been around a while, and it is
stronger than ever. Formjacking is a method that hackers use to steal and use the
debit or credit card credentials you submit when making purchases online. While
small online retail websites are often more vulnerable to this activity, both larger and
well-known retailers and their shoppers have been victims of this malicious scheme.

You can protect yourself by installing a web script blocker specific to your
browser. These blockers help identify the presence of the code used in formjacking
and can keep your card information safe.

Moving or working outside of Wayne or Long counties?
Even in other states, you can find branches of other credit
unions who participate in the Shared Branching network,
where you can make transactions on your AFCU account.
Visit altamaha.org/find-us and click on Shared Branches in
the sidebar to find a location near you!

The application period for our college scholarships ends April 13th!
Visit altamaha.org/about-us/scholarships
for official rules and eligibility.

What is LTV
(and why does it matter?)

LTV is the abbreviation for Loan-to-Value, which is the
ratio of the loan amount versus the value of the collateral
(like a vehicle) used to secure it. LTV is important because
it tells you and the lender how much of the loan is actually
secured by the collateral against which you are borrowing. If
you have an LTV below or at 100%, the value of your collateral
fully secures the loan. If it is above 100%, a portion of the loan
is unsecured. You may have heard this called being “upside
down” or as having “negative equity.”

Being upside down, or having negative equity, at the start of a
loan might lead to you receiving a higher rate on your loan or
even being denied for the loan altogether. Even worse, if your
LTV starts high, it’s likely to remain high throughout the life of
the loan, leading to a big chunk of the loan amount not being
paid off in the event of a total loss.

Take time to learn the LTV on any collateral you want to
finance and work to keep it low. Doing so may keep you
from paying too much for your loan and can be critical in
avoiding big surprises later.

If you are still writing checks, ditch the ballpoint pen and
swap to a gel pen to write and sign your checks. Gel pen ink
is not as easy to “wash” as ballpoint pen ink, making it more
difficult for fraudsters to alter your original check.

One of the central tenets to any cooperative is democratic control. Credit unions put that into practice by allowing each member one vote. No one member has more control because of their account balance or their length of membership. If you are a member, you have the same ownership of the credit union. 

We further extend that to how we determine what products and services are needed in the credit union. You each have one vote, but you each have different needs, and we shouldn’t only strive to meet the needs of a chosen few for any reason. In addition, we understand that the services we do offer may seem overwhelming or out-of-reach to some. This is where our AFCU staff members come into play. Each of us is dedicated to being your trusted advocate, and we are here to help you navigate the sometimes complex processes and products we offer. We sincerely want each of our members to achieve the security that comes with being able to make informed and provident financial decisions. In fact, it is our mission to deliver products, services, and financial literacy outreach to enable our members to make informed and provident financial decisions. 

If you don’t know where to start or are struggling with financial decisions (or your finances themselves), stop by and see the good we can do. We will be glad to share the journey to your financial wellness with you! 

MLK Jr. Day – Saturday, January 14th and Monday, January 16th
Presidents Day – Saturday, February 18th and Monday, February 20th
Annual Meeting – Thursday, February 23rd, 6pm at Coastal Pines Technical College

While pulling your credit for yourself on legitimate sites like annualcreditscore.com doesn’t hurt or alter your score, keeping on top of the information showing on your reports may help improve your score, if you find inaccurate information on them. Each of the credit reporting agencies allow one free pull each year (two if you live in the state of Georgia), but you don’t have to pull all at the same time. You can stagger them throughout the year to keep fresh eyes on any new information that may be showing. 

If something inaccurate shows on one, you can take the time to pull the others again to resolve the issue. Otherwise, pull from just one of the agencies every so often to avoid paying for your reports. 

If your email or social media accounts have been hacked or you’ve been informed that your provider has experienced a breach that may have included your account, take time to update your passwords. This is especially important if you have the unhealthy habit of sharing passwords across websites and other platforms. Further, when changing them, be sure to take time to use unique and complex passwords. Finally, if you have work-related accounts and website access, where you have failed to use best practices, notify your employer of the event and update your passwords there too.

Moving? Have a debit card with us? Even if you use online and mobile services for all your interaction with us, be sure to update your mailing address with us to ensure that mailed renewal or replacement cards are sent to the proper address. 

Everybody has heard the good advice of “pay yourself first,” but what about “pay yourself instead?” This advice has some benefits too. Let’s imagine that you want a new car. You neither have the money for it nor want a hefty payment. So what do you do? You pay yourself instead. 

When you do this, you can make choices. While you are making payments to yourself to save for the car, you may experience an unexpected expense. If this happens, you can simply take a payment holiday from paying yourself. The benefit is three-fold. You can use the money you would have normally paid yourself to pay for the expense, you may not have to dip into savings to cover the expense, and neither may you have to borrow to cover it. Another reason, saving just makes good cents! 

Two AFCU team members saw promotions this past quarter. Ken Davis has been with the credit union since 2015, when he started as a teller. After a stint in member services, he moved into the accounting department, where he previously received another promotion. In December 2020, Ken completed his Associates in Accounting at Coastal Pines Technical College and was promoted to Staff Accountant.

Also hired on as a teller, Heather Ford has been at AFCU since 2019. In January 2021, she was promoted to Member Service Representative II, where she will be assisting members with both account and loan needs. Congratulations to both these team members! We are very proud of their accomplishments.

Keeping the oil changed and the tires balanced on your vehicle is important, but none of that matters if you miss an important safety recall on your vehicle. Make sure you know the very latest on your vehicle by doing these two things: 

• Check for recalls on most vehicles 15 years and newer by entering the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 

• Subscribe to email alerts for future recalls at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/subscriptions. 

If you find or are alerted of a recall, be sure to have the needed service performed on your vehicle as soon as possible, so that you and your precious cargo are protected from dangerous malfunctions! 

Every new employee who comes to AFCU meets with me to
learn about the credit union philosophy. Recently, I hosted a
class to catch up with a few I had missed this year. At the end
of the class, I talked about the threats to the
credit union industry. We discussed other
financial services trade organizations,
federal and state regulation, and a
potential proposal by some members
of Congress to offer banking services
on the rails of the United States Postal
Service. (The latter drew quite the
response from the group!)

I ended the session by telling them about one
other threat – one that, as someone who has spent
her career leading credit unions, bothers me a great deal.
That threat is an enemy within. It is us. It is credit unions
ourselves. I told the group how when I entered credit
unions twenty-six years ago, there were over 350 credit
unions in the state of Georgia alone. Five years ago, that
number had dropped to less than 100, and today it stands
at a mere 87. This is mostly due to credit union mergers.
Occasionally, two or more similar healthy medium-sized
credit unions will merge to achieve better economies of
scale. More often though, the largest credit unions take in
the very smallest, and in recent years, many of those large
ones are aggressively searching for smaller credit unions
to merge in. As the market for the very smallest has dried
up, the targets have become community credit unions
like us and many of our neighbors, and in many cases, the
healthier the credit union, the more desirable.

I walked out of that class and into a meeting, where within
two hours I had learned of two other credit union mergers
in process in our state. It was disheartening to say the least.
Those who know me know that I fully support access to
multiple credit unions.

I support the credit union
cause because of its notfor-
profit, member-owned
cooperative structure, and
I support access to multiple
credit unions because I
believe in choice – whether
that is between credit unions
and other financial institutions
or between multiple credit unions.
Choice is what makes us each stronger. Credit
union mergers eliminate this choice, and they
diminish the democratic control on which credit
unions were founded. The improvement in efficiency
gained by economies of scale in these mergers eliminates
products and services unique to the needs of the specific
groups served by multiple credit unions, and often it also
cuts access to whole sections of credit union membership.

As you make daily choices about which debit or
credit card to use, where you will make your loan, or where you will open your child’s savings account, let it be AFCU. Continue to support your local choice and continue to fight for your right to choose. Doing otherwise may leave you with no choice at all.

Columbus Day – Saturday, October 8th and Monday, October 10th
International Credit Union Day – Thursday, October 20th
Christmas Club Account Balances Transfer to Savings – Tuesday, November 1st
Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 24th and Saturday, November 26th
Christmas – Saturday, December 24th and Monday, December 26th
New Year’s Day – Saturday, December 31st and Monday, January 2nd

We have focused on tips to improve your score for many years in this part of our newsletter, but this issue, we want to focus on some common misconceptions about credit scores. Can you spot which of the following statements are true and which are false?

1. True or false: Checking my credit score will cause my score to drop.

2. True or false: My credit score is impacted by how much money I have in my checking or savings accounts.

3. True or false: A few mistakes when I start establishing credit won’t damage my credit score.

4. True or false: The more money I make, the better my credit score will be.

5. True or false: Student loans don’t calculate into my score.

Credit Score Tip Answers: All answers are false! Here’s why:

1. Pulling your credit report for yourself through proper channels such as annualcreditreport.com does NOT impact your score.

2. Your credit score is only impacted by your CREDIT history. No deposit accounts allowed!

3. It doesn’t matter how old you are when you make poor credit decisions. They will still negatively impact your credit score in some way.

4. While lenders may use your income to determine how much credit you can be given, it is not considered in the calculation of your score.

5. Finally, while payments on student loans may be deferred for various periods of time, your payment history, number of student loans, and payment amounts may all impact your credit score.

Make yourself a reminder to check your subscription status every month on the same day each month and get in the habit of knowing when it expires, that it is up to date, and that you have a valid card on file for renewal payment.

We are unable to stop debit card transactions prior to posting. Once posted, you may make an unauthorized transaction request to dispute a transaction.

This last quarter has seen our hands helping many throughout the community. AFCU was proud to welcome new teachers to Long County schools this year by supplying them with items helpful in their daily activities. Our teachers are tasked with many things to provide our children with the very best education they can receive, and we hope our donation helps ease their burden.

Staying in Long County, AFCU also once again provided backpacks to the Long County Public Library’s summer reading program. This program shares the joy and importance of reading with our youth every year, and we are honored to be a part of it.

We saw a tremendous heat wave early in
the summer, and AFCU made sure that
many of our first responders and our area
lineman in Wayne County stayed hydrated
by providing them with bottled water. The men and women in these jobs play a critical role in our well-being, and we are happy to play a role in their safety and health during the summer months.

Finally, we exemplified our focus on financial education in our community with a visit by our very own Rocky Raccoon to the Altamaha Area Boys & Girls Club to teach our young ones about the value of saving. It is important that children are taught early about financial wellness so that they can build on this knowledge as they grow. For this and all our opportunities in Long and Wayne counties, we want to continue to play our part and to help make a positive impact on the people who live in both.

AFCU has welcomed two new faces last
quarter. Matina Schmelz is our newest
Loan Advisor. She takes the place of Ashley
Sweet, who moved to her home state to be
closer to family. We know many of you have
worked with Ashley and will miss her, as will
we. We have no doubt that Matina and Tracy,
who was promoted to our new second Loan
Advisor position earlier this year, will take
great care of you and your borrowing needs.

Christopher Ausland joins us as a Member
Service Representative in our Jesup office
and will be assisting members with a wide
array of account needs. He will also be
representing us at many local events. Help
us to welcome Matina and Christopher by
stopping by to say “hello” on your next visit
to our Jesup branch. They both look forward
to meeting you!

Payment apps are great to pay someone back for money borrowed or to split a bill with someone, but they can provide significant risk when used to pay for promised goods from someone you don’t know. If you use one of these methods to pay for something and never receive the goods, the likelihood of getting your funds back is almost zero. Payment apps are only the middleman and often don’t offer the protection that more traditional payment options, such as debit and credit cards, do. Once you send the money on these apps, it belongs to the recipient, regardless of whether the transaction proves to be fraudulent or not.

Javelin research estimates that nearly
18 million people fell victim to personto-
person fraud in 2020 alone. Following
safe practices can help keep you from
joining this group. If you choose to use
payment apps to pay someone directly
for a purchased item, make sure you have
the goods in hand before you send the
payment. Otherwise, you may not get
what you pay for.

Welcome to “Good Cents,” our new column
focusing on your financial wellness. This issue,
we focus on protecting one of your biggest
investments.

You’ve picked out your perfect vehicle, settled on the price, and
obtained the AFCU-financing. Now let’s talk about protecting that
investment. Whether buying new or used, protecting your automobile
with an extended warranty makes good sense. AFCU can help.

We offer extended vehicle warranties, also known as mechanical
breakdown coverage, with terms up to 96 months and mileage limits
of up to 120,000 miles for most vehicle types, all for affordable prices.
The policies are provided by a highly reputable company who has
served credit union members nationwide for many years. In addition,
these warranties may be obtained at the time of purchase or after and
regardless of whether you have financed with us, anyone else, or not at
all. They can also be financed with the vehicle itself, or they may be paid
for out-of-pocket. The choices are yours!

The one choice you don’t want to make though is not properly covering
your investment. If you can’t afford to pay for a surprise or emergency
repair on your vehicle, protect your investment and yourself with an
extended vehicle warranty. It just makes “good cents!”