In just 42 years since the first credit card was issued, more than 46% of Americans carry a credit card balance, with the median balance being $3000. As of January of this year, that added up to more than $960 billion in outstanding consumer credit!
Maybe this holiday credit unions should be promoting an additional celebration of freedom: freedom from credit cards!
I say cut them up, shred them, melt them – whatever it takes – start paying off those balances, and learn to live debt-free. I've lived both ways and… Read More > In just 42 years since the first credit card was issued, more than 46% of Americans carry a credit card balance, with the median balance being $3000. As of January of this year, that added up to more than $960 billion in outstanding consumer credit!
Maybe this holiday credit unions should be promoting an additional celebration of freedom: freedom from credit cards!
I say cut them up, shred them, melt them – whatever it takes – start paying off those balances, and learn to live debt-free. I've lived both ways and… Read More > 
We have a silly little tradition at my credit union. Whenever an employee notices someone going out of their way to help a member they generate an email and send it out to the entire staff. Some are silly, some are serious, but each displays what's inherently good about our credit union.
As a bonus, our CEO responds to each and every shout-out with a reply to the entire staff about how the email exhibits our brand. Even though at performance review time the proportion of shout-outs strangely skyrockets, they are usually genuine and heart-felt. It's… Read More > Topics: Current Events
Seventy five years ago this month, John Dillinger fatefully returned to Chicago only to die leaving a movie theater, betrayed by the "Lady in Red." And today we have a new Dillinger movie opening with Johnny Depp playing the title role.
While this may not be too newsworthy for some of you (unless you are Johnny Depp fans), it's big around here. You see, Dillinger was born in Indianapolis (where iDiz is based), and his gravesite is located in the largest cemetery in town, so the numbers… Read More > Topics: Current Events
The nation will be celebrating the 4th of July this weekend. What that usually entails is cooking out, watching fireworks, and maybe best of all, getting a day off of work. Now that's freedom!
Here's a quick look at the fun side of Independence Day:
- The U.S. imports from China around $200 million worth of fireworks each year.
- The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council state that over 150 million hot dogs are consumed during 4th of July parties.
- The Star Spangled Banner' was written by Frances Scott Key and… Read More > 
One of the more interesting angles I've seen lately on the whole health care/insurance mess is legislation taking shape to set up health insurance co-ops. It's hard to tell what will emerge and whether it will still look like a good idea given the inevitable political wrangling, but gee, doesn't this sound like a familiar approach to tackling a tough financial problem?
And it is a purely financial problem, when you think about it. We have excellent health care available in the USA, but an absolutely insane and… Read More > 
Loading ...