MoneyWisdom Blog

Like many young couples, Bryan and Allysann looked forward to owning their first home together. They quickly discovered, however, the financial requirements for home ownership can be daunting … even a bit discouraging.

Earlier this summer Hanscom FCU was presented with the America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence Award in recognition of our member outreach during America Saves Week, February 26 - March 3, 2018. The award was given by the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America, which coordinates the week-long spring campaign.

Recently two of our members reported unauthorized charges on their Hanscom Federal Credit Union credit cards. Both members stated their cards had been compromised when they clicked on a pop-up ad that appeared after they’d completed a survey on a third-party web site. The pop-up ads offered a choice of three “free prizes” when the member paid a shipping and handling fee. What neither member realized is they were also signing up for ongoing subscriptions of products, which would be charged to their credit cards each month.

I learned two things from my free Mass Save® home energy assessment last year: both the attic insulation and windows of my home are in great shape. This was good news to hear before investing in central air conditioning. The auditor also helped me prioritize home energy projects on my honey-do list.

Hanscom Federal Credit Union has named Sgt. Ryan D. Jallad, U.S. Army, as its third Heroes Among Us honoree in 2018.

Sgt. Jallad was honored at a Lowell Spinners game played against the Vermont Lake Monsters on August 6, where he met some of the players, threw the first pitch of the game, enjoyed delicious summertime food at The Home Plate BBQ, and watched the Spinners win from a prime spot at LeLacheur Park.

If you've had your eye on a new laptop or need to replace a washer/dryer, this may be a good weekend to drop some serious cash. Last week Massachusetts lawmakers passed an economic development bill that includes a tax-free holiday on the weekend of August 11-12, 2018...the first tax-free holiday since 2015!

One of my coworkers at the credit union recently forwarded me a news clip about a single mother whose car caught on fire. The young mother was stunned when she learned that although the car was totaled by her insurance company, she still owed $5,000 on the loan she'd taken out to buy the car. On top of this stress, she needed a new car to replace the one that had been totaled. You can see the news clip here.

Hanscom Federal Credit Union has named Henry Benson, a retired U.S. Army veteran, as its second Heroes Among Us honoree in 2018.

Employees at Hanscom FCU's main office on Hanscom Air Force Base welcomed home military and civilian service members. Nearly 50 service members returned to base within the last year after being deployed overseas.