Money Rules Of Thumb From Our Staff

When our members are in need of financial products, they often speak with their loan officer or one of our Member Service Representatives, but when seeking financial advice, our staff likewise can provide words of wisdom. We recently asked some of our staff to offer us their financial planning suggestions that they use to guide their own finance – words that they would likewise share with a friend, neighbor or a member who asked for guidance in developing financial plans.

Budgeting often forms the basis of our staff’s two cents worth, from creating one, to sticking with it, which we know can be easier said than done.

As old-fashioned as it may seem in the modern age of online accounts, Lindsey in our Grenora branch suggests, “Always write down your transactions in a register and balance your account regularly.” Doing so helps you more easily recognize when you’ve exceeded your budget.

Dennis in Watford City agrees. “Balance your checkbook every month when you get the statement – makes you monitor your account for fraud or unusual charges.” Keeping tabs on your dollars and cents alerts you to transaction errors, duplicate charges, and charges and credits from online purchases and refunds.

In addition to what you allocate for spending, consider where you divide your incoming funds. Todd in our Washburn branch recommends, “The 50/30/20 rule. Fifty percent of after tax income for needs, thirty percent for wants, and twenty percent for savings (additional retirement, investments, cash). Best rule a wage earning person can live by for long run financial solvency.”

If watching your account penny-for-penny is not your style, Khadero (New Town) recommends an estimating approach. “Over budget expenses and under budget income.”

To find out what approach works best for your present and future financial goals, we encourage you to visit with one of our loan officers and discover how Dakota West can help you put together short- and long-term plans based on your personal needs and what we can build together to help you live, dream, and achieve.

Celebrating Retirement

It’s National Retirement Security Week. What are you doing to celebrate?

You may think retirement is too far off to celebrate, or perhaps even too far away to think about, but this week is to bring attention to the fact that saving for the future should already be a part of your here and now. At Dakota West, we have options available to making your later-in-life security a priority, even if you’re still decades away from your actual retirement plans.

When we are just starting out as adults, our budgets may not offer the flexibility of a large contribution to our futures, but every little bit adds to your long-term goals, but only if you make it a priority. As our partners at Kasasa® suggest, the best way to start working towards your retirement goal is to start early. Planning long-term helps you see the big picture, and remembering in the short-term of the importance of saving as part of your weekly or monthly budget work together to help you reach a big goal through consistent contributions over time.

As you watch your investments grow, you can celebrate your retirement, even if it is still decades away, because your contributions to your own future are the real cause for celebration. Whether you want to move your current nest egg into an IRA or certificate of deposit, or even just get started on your road to your retirement, Dakota West wants to help you Grow West for years to come.

What’s Going On In Your Account?

Some of us may have entered adulthood fully engrossed in the digital age, while others may have watched the development of online technology advance from dial-up, to wireless, to mobile technology. Regardless of how we arrived here, we can all benefit from the ability to know at any given moment exactly what is going on in our checking or savings accounts thanks to online account access.

A generation ago, the most you could ever know at any given time was a balance inquiry at your local ATM. Two generations ago, you could only know what checks cleared your account by getting a monthly statement in the mail or visiting a branch to inquire. Now, you can know what’s going on in your account right now – this very minute – or later tonight, or on Sunday morning if you prefer thanks to mobile and online services.

Do you know that 81% of people utilize this technology? But are you taking advantage of all the services available to you? Dakota West offers dozens of how-to guides to help you navigate your online account or make the most of our mobile app, but the true value of being able to access your account anytime you like is to have more control over your own finances.

Our Rewards Checking partner, Kasasa, offers several suggestions on how you can automate your money-movement and investing services to take advantage of the technology designed to serve you. Whether navigating an app is second nature to you, or if you can brag about the digital advancements you have witnessed and conquered, Dakota West’s online account access is designed to connect you with your money so you’ll always know what’s going on in your accounts.

Remembering All Those Numbers

Do you know your member number? In a modern world of speed dial and smart phones, we sometimes don’t even remember important phone numbers, much less the details of each account we manage. Many of our members do know their member numbers, though, and some members have more than one. It’s less likely you know your account numbers, since they include numbers, letters, dots, and yes, your member number. It can be tough to keep track of them all.

As we continue to prepare for our upcoming Core Conversion, we recognize one of the most significant changes will be the transition to just one member number for each member – you’re oldest member number will now be your only member number. Since member numbers are part of the account numbers, those members who happen to keep close track of their account numbers are going to want to know more. We don’t blame you – we want you to know more, too.

To understand these account number changes, we created an Account Number guide to translate your current account numbers to your new account numbers. Of course, we’ll always be able to access your information by your member number, but most importantly, at Dakota West Credit Union, we’ll always know you by your name.

If you are a joint account owner without your own member number, we want to remind you that for security purposes, we require that each individual accessing our online system have his or her own separate username and password. Learn more about how to obtain your unique logon from your local branch.

At Dakota West Credit Union, our new core will bring our members into the latest technological age, and enable you to benefit from streamlined processes, improved security, and one of the most up-to-date systems available. We’ll keep track of all those numbers, and allow you to remember that we are here to serve you.