Money Basics
32 articles found
Loan Comparison Calculator
Compare loan options side by side with LMCU's calculator to find the best rate and terms for you.
Income Required for a Mortgage Calculator
Estimate the income needed to qualify for a mortgage with LMCU's easy-to-use calculator.
Personal Loan Calculator
Estimate monthly payments on a personal loan with LMCU. Compare terms to find the right fit for your goals.
Auto Refinance Calculator
See how much you could save by refinancing your auto loan with LMCU. Estimate your new monthly payment.
Boat Loan Calculator
Use LMCU's boat loan calculator to estimate monthly payments and find financing that fits your budget.
RV Loan Calculator
Estimate monthly payments on your RV loan with LMCU's calculator. Plan your adventure with confidence.
Auto Loan Calculator
Calculate your monthly auto loan payment with LMCU. Compare terms and rates to find a plan that fits your budget.
Aircraft Loan Calculator
Calculate estimated payments on an aircraft loan with LMCU. Plan your financing before you take flight.
Wallet Wisdom: Getting to the heart of your financial health
Financial wellness isn’t just about money. While the numbers in your bank account may be the most obvious bill of financial health, they don’t tell the full story. Your everyday confidence, impulse control, self-care strategies, and even physical activity all play a part in your holistic financial wellbeing. In our latest Wallet Wisdom podcast episode, Producer Brett spoke with LMCU Financial Wellness Coordinator (and former Teller) Tiarra and LMIA Administrative Assistant (and LMCU Wellness Champion) Stevie to better understand just how all these moving parts work together as building blocks for healthy money habits.
Financial Wellness: How to Build Confidence and Control Over Your Money
Presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union’s Wallet Wisdom Podcast With Host Brett Christiansen and Guest Savannah, Girmscheid, LMCU Financial Wellness Manager
How The Latest Fed Rates Impact Your Budget & Borrowing Power
In the latest episode of Wallet Wisdom, host Brett sits down with LMCU’s VP of Accounting, Tommy Minchew, and SVP of Finance, Mike Steele, to demystify one of the most talked-about financial topics with this latest decision to maintain interest rates by the Federal Reserve and how it impacts your wallet*. Whether you’re a saver, borrower, or somewhere in between, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you navigate today’s economic landscape.
Simplify Budgeting with the 50/30/20 Approach
Budgeting can be tough, especially if debt has already started piling up — or the amount you think you’re spending doesn’t match up with your credit card statement. That’s why it can be helpful to start with a flexible framework that makes it easy to visualize your spending and saving habits, while still allowing you to have some fun with your money.
How to Budget with a Credit Card from LMCU
It may seem counterintuitive, but a credit card can actually help you be more financially responsible — the key is to make sure you use it in a responsible way.
Holiday Bites on a Budget
Does a successful meal have to be an expensive one? Not necessarily. At LMCU, we love budget talks and are happy to share a few ways to create an elevated meal without breaking the bank.
5 Steps to Furnish Your Dorm Room on a Budget
Dorm rooms are created with efficiency in mind: a place to sleep, a place to study and a place for your clothes. If you’re in the market for figuring out how to change things up, here are a few budget-minding ideas on how to do so!
10 Money-Saving Activities for Summer Fun
The summer months are the perfect time to try something different without breaking your budget. Warm weather lends itself to lots of outdoor activities that are often free or cheap. Even if you’re not the outdoorsy type, lots of communities offer discounted activities for families to get out of the heat while still having fun.
Big Financial Decisions
Big financial decisions. Are wedding bells in your future? Here are the top four things you should discuss with your future spouse to get your finances ready to walk down the aisle.
Valentine's Day Budget Friendly Craft
Kids of all ages will enjoy creating a happy hedgehog craft with hearts, paint, pom poms, and our printable hedgehog template. Best of all it's budget friendly and you can easily adapt it to use items you already have at home.
Better Budgeting
LMCU Budget Tool: All Your Finances, All in One Place. When you're juggling checking and savings accounts, loan payments, retirement savings, and more, it can be easy to lose sight of your overall financial health. That's why LMCU offers its members FREE access to the budget tool, an easy-to-use tool where you can view your entire financial portfolio in one place.
Spending Your Savings on Purpose
Three Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Savings. You’ve made a budget. You’ve stuck to your budget. And you’ve finally managed to have money left over at the end of every month. Congratulations! Now comes the tricky part: what to do with that extra cash?
Host Thanksgiving on a $50 budget
Thanksgiving Dinner for $50?! If this seems crazy, you may be surprised to learn a typical Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people in 2019 was just shy of $49.* The beauty of this meal is that while it seems rich and extravagant, the ingredients are simple, hearty, and easily feed a crowd. If the task of hosting falls to you this year, sticking to the menu below will keep your budget on track.
Making (and sticking to) a budget.
Four Steps to get You Started. Making a budget can be intimidating. Sticking to it can feel impossible. But a budget simply tells your money where to go. So if you’ve ever uttered the phrase, “Where does all our money go?”, here are 4 steps — and a few tips — for making and sticking to a budget.
The tax filing deadline has changed- get special savings on TurboTax
Have you filed your taxes yet? In response to COVID-19, the IRS has extended the federal tax filing deadline to July 15, 2020.
File online and get your maximum refund plus special savings on TurboTax®
With TurboTax, you’ll get your biggest possible refund fast and your taxes done right. Plus, credit union members save up to $20 on TurboTax federal products, all through tax season.
Stay safe. Stay connected.
Our lobbies are open by appointment only, but all drive-thrus remain fully accessible and ready to serve your banking needs. To help slow the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), here are the safest ways you can access your money, manage your accounts, apply for a loan, and even deposit checks without coming inside a branch.
When getting to the branch is tough sledding
Between the snow, shopping, traveling, taste testing the Christmas cookies, and more snow, swinging by the branch can be hard. Thankfully, our mobile check deposit feature is easy.
Plan ahead for the holiday budget crunch
Every year, millions of Americans celebrate the holidays with traditions such as throwing parties and buying gifts for family and friends. Unfortunately, many also participate in a tradition that lands them in debt -- spending more than they can afford.This year, break the buy-now, worry-later habit by creating -- and sticking to -- a special holiday spending plan. It won’t take long, and you’ll still be able to spread cheer without completely draining your wallet.
Earn 4.00% APY interest on your checking account balance
LMCU’s 4% Max Checking account is the nation’s number one checking account.** Earn up to $600 per year! (That’s 140 scoops of ice cream!) Plus access to over 55,000 free ATMs. Best of all, it’s free! No minimum account balance and no monthly fees.
Skip the trip with mobile check deposit
Conveniently located on the main menu of our mobile app, mobile check deposit is just as secure as coming into a branch, and it’s even easier than taking a selfie.
Appointment scheduling is now available
Skip the line and schedule an appointment with us in advance. Whether you’re opening a new account, applying for a loan, or servicing an existing account, just go to LMCU.org and click Schedule an Appointment.
At Tax Season, We All Hope for a Refund
If you have a refund coming you may consider putting your tax return into LMCU’s 3% Max Checking - the nation’s number one checking account**. You could earn up to $450 over the next year in interest.
Keep Track of How Much Joy You’re Spreading (and Spending)
‘Tis the season for giving…and giving…and giving. And all that giving can be hard to keep track of. Don’t worry, our budget tool located within Online Banking can help. Here are just a few of the features:
