Pay It Forward Day

 

Last week a friend of mine went out to dinner with her family. That may not seem very exciting, but as a mother of two young children a dinner out with the “whole family” can be more like a trip overseas than a relaxing evening out.  As the meal ended and the bill came, they were surprised to see that that half the bill had been paid for by an anonymous stranger – leaving them only a note:

“You have a cute, happy family and we remember how tight budgets can be when children are young. We ask only one thing in return – pay it forward.”

She was so touched by that outreach of human kindness, she immediately wrote on her Facebook wall to share with her friends that in a world so filled with violence and doubt that this one small act completely restored her faith in the goodness of humanity. 

After reading her story I found myself at a toll booth paying for the person behind me and telling the toll booth attendant to tell that person to “pay it forward”…I’m not sure if he was confused by my words or by the fact that I wanted to pay the extra $1.25 for a total stranger and hopefully he did indeed convey my message.

April 25^th has been dubbed as International Pay It Forward Day, a day to commit random acts of kindness for others in our community. So today as you head home from work, go to the grocery store, pick up the kids from soccer practice, or whatever else occupies our busy lives, think of one thing you can do to bring some goodness into the life of others.  Here are a few ideas:

• If you walk into a coffee shop, buy the person next you their cup of coffee, or that student    busy studying for finals
• Put a dollar or spare change in the box next to the cash register for whatever charity that store is supporting
• Thank a soldier
• Stop at the pet store and pick up a bag of food for the local animal shelter
• Pick up the tab for someone else at a restaurant
• Take a walk around the neighborhood and bring a bag to pick up any trash that you might find
• Take a look around your house and see if there are books or clothes that can be donated
• Let someone go before you at the grocery store
• Pay a toll for the person behind you (I did it and it felt great!)

These are just a few ideas that you can do today, or any day.

From all of us at Tropical Financial Credit Union Happy PAY IT FORWARD DAY!   

^Amy

The Value Of A Relationship

As a member of Tropical Financial, Ken
knows who he can count on, even in the tough times.

The payoff for establishing a good relationship with all our business partners comes when we least expect it.  Life is easy when the going is good, when difficulties begin to arise, things get tougher and we all learn who our real friends and partners are.It is not difficult for a company to have a mission and a vision, and then find ways to tell everyone that they are living up to their written statements.  When we do what we say we do, we don’t have to tell everyone, but then everyone will tell you!

This is an email we received from our member, Ken:

Wow, what an experience.  Gone are the days you walk into a dealership and walk out with a car.

My special needs certainly represented a problem.  Thank for working so diligently to get me the loan.

This loan represents the beginning of the next segment of my life.  The vehicle and the loan is the first step to rebuild my credit that stands shell shocked from the construction crunch.

You clearly went above and beyond to gather the information to re-butt each problem and situation.

Tropical Financial is the place to bank!

Every time I cash a check at a bank they ask me to open an account with their bank.  This how I reply:

I ask them if their bank would call to instruct me on a quicker, less costly way to receive money from Canada.  Because my credit union did! 

I ask if they would know me by name when I enter the door?  My credit union does and at more than one location!

As you know, I'm loud enough and I make sure that everyone hears Tropical Financial is the place to bank.

Thanks again.

Looking forward to a long financial relationship.

 

 

Members of Tropical Financial Credit Union can count on our continuous commitment to helping them find ways to make their financial lives easier and better.  In this particular case, Ken found that his relationship with the credit union provided a huge payoff when he needed it most.Tropical Financial has provided all basic banking products and services to Ken and his business. Ken has relied on the expertise of the Tropical staff to help him with all his banking needs.  For the most part, Ken managed his business and Tropical provided a banking platform than allowed him to focus on his business and not his banking.

Ken owns a Kitchen remodel and design company.  In his own words:  “Life was good for many years.  Then someone flipped the switch”.  The economic downturn and the impact on the construction industry placed a tremendous burden on the business and on Ken’s personal finances. 
The economy is improving, and with that, consumers are beginning to make improvements to their homes.  Ken’s business is improving and he is back on track. 

When Ken called TFCU for a business vehicle loan, our staff worked to find a way to get Ken the loan he needed.  Instead of just looking at Ken “on paper”, we took a look at the whole person.  We look for reasons to say “yes”.  In Ken’s case, we were able to see how hard he struggled to meet his obligations.  We understood that his financial difficulty was not caused by frivolous overspending, but was the result of insurmountable circumstances over which he had no control.

Credit unions seek to establish a relationship with their members.  The focus is not on a single product, a checking account, or a loan.  The focus is on understanding our member’s needs and providing the best possible solutions for their day-to-day financial strength.

And like Ken, we are looking forward to a long relationship!

^Steve

Ken's story was also shared in a recent Sun Sentinel article

YOUNG & FREE FLORIDA

We are extremely excited to officially launch Young & Free Florida! Our Tropical team has been working hard to get this important initiative off the ground and today we've done it!

Introducing

 

You can connect through the Young and Free Florida website, through which we will be offering products, services and great resources aimed at those just starting out in their financial lives - the under 25 crowd.  On the site you'll find ways to get money smart, save your money, and of course, win free stuff (check out April's contest)!

We also are looking for someone to connect with that under 25 year-old crowd by becoming the first Young & Free Florida Spokester!  This person will get a full-time dream job writing blogs, creating videos, using social media and attending in-person events to connect with young adults in Southern Florida.  The job comes with a great salary, benefits, and gear to do the job including a MacBook, video camera, iPhone, and even the use of a special Young & Free Florida car!

Do you think you've got what it takes to be our first Young & Free Florida Spokester? Or do you know someone who would be perfect for the job? Check out how to apply at YoungFreeFlorida.com.

It's an exciting time here at Tropical Financial! Hope you get involved and follow along, or better yet - get involved!

^Amy