COOL IT

What is the temperature today?  90, 95, 100!!!  What does it matter, it’s HOT!!

Being born and raised in South Florida, I don’t ever remember it ever being THIS hot, do you? 
In this humidity, bad hair days are a given,  deodorant is a must,  and sundresses and sandals, linen and swimwear are staples for the hot, sunny days of summer.  

But there are things that you should keep in mind when facing the sizzling summer days in South Florida:

• HYDRATE, whatever you do, wherever you go, bring plenty of water if you'll be outside!

• Avoid mid-day heat. The sun is always hottest between 10am - 2pm and if you can stay indoor during those hours your body will thank you. 

• Dress cool. In cool fabric, that is, cottons are always your best friend when the thermometer sees all red.

• Limit exercise. Yeah yeah, we all need it, but if you're gonna go for a jog make sure you do it early in the morning or after the sun starts setting...and make sure you HYDRATE! 
• If you're gonna play - go for water play, we have plenty of water around here, just pick a beach and jump in...just make sure you have lots of sunscreen...oh and HYDRATE with lots of drinking water...the salt water can drain you without keeping your body hydrated!

Some other ideas?  Zoo Miami always has some fun activities for the kids to keep them cool and happy in the summer.   Why not try a discount movie theater where you can catch a flick AND keep cool.  Cruises are always a good idea to get away, and after a mojito or two, who cares how hot it is??

My favorite way to keep cool, is trolling the Mall…with my trusty Tropical Financial Credit Union Visa at hand,  and as amazing as it seems,   I can always find something that I just have to have!  

Keeping cool in South Florida…

 ^Kat

LOCAL AND COMMITTED TO YOU - TFCU

What better way to learn about Tropical Financial Credit Union, than to hear about it from our own CEO, along with a fellow TFCU member!

Share the credit union love, share the video - About Tropical Financial Credit Union!

^Amy

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

TFCU Member Jack C. with his new car!

Recently one of our members, Jack C., came to our Plantation office to apply for a new auto loan.  Whenever a member comes in for an auto loan we like to take the time to find out the kind of car they are looking for, the dealership they are going to, whether or not there is a trade in, and what kind of down payment they are looking to make.  This quick assessment helps us find the very best loan to fit their needs and make sure the loan fits into their overall financial picture.  We found out that Jack was not only looking for a specific type of vehicle, but because he had recently been in an car accident, he wanted a vehicle that would also provide a high level of safety.

While Jack continued to search for his vehicle, the TFCU Financial Services Specialist, Janet, continued to stay in touch just to make sure that Jack was secure in the knowledge that we at Tropical Financial were here when he needed us.  Jack had been approved for a loan and was happy with what the credit union offered, knowing that the loan was tailored to meet the payment that Jack could work comfortably into his monthly budget.  Everything was set to go, all that was left was for Jack to go get his new car!

When Jack arrived at the dealer, he found the car he wanted and negotiated the price with the dealer.  Before closing the deal, though, the dealer was aggressive and offered Jack a financing deal that was “too good to be true” - one that sounded like he wouldn’t have to pay any interest for a full 72 months.  When he called to tell Janet that he wouldn’t be financing through the credit union she was disappointed but only wanted the best for the member so congratulated him on his new purchase. 

Whenever we see this type of scenario, it always raises the concern of what the member may be giving up to get that 0% financing that some dealers love to talk about.  We looked at a chart once back in January in terms of how much 0% financing can actually cost you, but it’s so important it bears repeating.  Let’s take a look at that real simple example – you find the perfect car and negotiate the price to be $20,000. There is a manufacturer rebate of $2,500 OR 0% offered AND you qualify (congratulations you must have pretty good credit). You also have a trade-in valued at $1,000 and you even have an extra $500 to put down. For simplicity sake we’ll keep the term the same – 36 months, here’s how it breaks down:

	0% Dealer financing	Credit Union financing
Price of car	$20,000	$20,000
Down payment	$500	$500
Trade-in	$1,000	$1,000
Manufacturer rebate	$0	$2,500
Amount financed	$18,500	$16,000
Number of months in loan	36	36
Loan interest rate	0%	3.00%
Monthly Payment	$514	$465
Total cost	$18,500	$16,751
Total interest paid	$0	$751
SAVINGS	$0	$1,749

 

As you can see the 0% financing actually ends up COSTING you money in the end, so although it may sound tempting, but sure you get all the facts and know what you're giving up to get that deal.

As it turns out in Jack’s case that’s exactly what was happening. He found out that he was misinformed about the details of that “too good to be true” deal, so he came back to the credit union to get the REAL deal.  When he told the dealer what the rate his Credit Union was offering, the dealer didn’t even try to re-negotiate.

Now Jack is driving in the car he wanted with financing from a lender who really cares about him, Tropical Financial Credit Union…and we couldn’t be happier!

^Steve 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

It’s that time again, Red, White and Blue!  We, the proud Americans, gathered together to celebrate the most American of all American holidays – the Fourth of July. 

Our multi-cultured family will gather together in Cocoa Beach, a central point for most of the family.  All of our rooms have been reserved since January, all the relatives are aware and the plans are made. 

Uncle Ray fires up his BBQ grill, hooks up his fishing boat and packs up his dually with all kinds of gear.  Ron Jons is sure to have a fabulous display of fire cracking patriotism off the pier over the Atlantic.

Several of our family members are first generation Americans, and we have grown up hearing about how lucky we were to be born in the greatest country in the world!    With all the sunshine and beaches, our new found relatives from across the pond think we live in HEAVEN, we do too! 

Our pre- teenagers, the youngest girls in our tribe, will be parading around in their bikinis; Patrick will be surfing the waves; Marc frolicking in the ocean and screaming with happiness at the top of his lungs; Tio will have the chimichurri meat marinating since dawn; Uncle Richie and Uncle Raul will be arguing over who made the best  "fill  in the  blank"…Auntie Linda will be serving up her specialty drinks; and Bubbe will be making sure everyone has eaten – enough!    Most of the girls will be hiding under big hats, covered in sunscreen as we prepare for the excitement of the day relaxing on the beach as the firecrackers explode in multi colored displays over the ocean, the little ones shrieking with delight. What a beautiful sight.

We do live in the greatest country in the world, and those of us living in South Florida have the unique opportunity to live amongst and learn about different cultures and learn languages from our neighbors, coworkers and friends.  Invest in your community, your friends, your neighbors and provide yourself and your children an education they cannot get from books.  We are a true melting pot and the Fourth of July provides us a simple reminder. 

Let’s all embrace the opportunities around us, raise your flags and celebrate a safe and united holiday in what we all know as, the greatest country in the world. 

^Kat

FREE YOURSELF!

Freedom means something different to everyone. It could mean something as simple as kicking off your high heels and trading them for some flip flops (one of my favorites), putting the top down on your convertible and hitting the open road, or heading to the shopping mall and having a few extra bucks to splurge.  For many the word “freedom” has a much deeper meaning and is one of the most precious things they have. 

I know this is the time of year I enjoy spending quality time with my family. As a fairly newbie Floridian a lot of my family is still back in Michigan and I still don’t know all the great places to go for the festivities this week.  My oldest daughter is coming down today to spend the week with us so I want to be sure she has a memorable week.  So I’ve done a little research and found a few sites that were really helpful:

• Fireworks – South Florida.com has a really good list of municipal firework celebrations throughout the tri-county area. 
• Events – The Sun Sentinel has a nice listing of events in their Parenting section for activities the whole family can enjoy.
• Rules Regarding Fireworks – Sparklers can be fun, but some people may feel they need to have something more exciting. But before you blow all your hard earned money on that firework stand, you should know the laws regarding what’s allowed in the state of Florida.

Speaking of things to do – if you’re in the market for a new or used car, you might want to put car shopping on your “to do” list.  The dealerships all over town are pulling out the stops to offer some great deals.  Combine that with the Tropical Financial “Freedom Is” deal of up to 90 days before your first loan payment is due – THAT can put some extra cash in your pocket and give you a little freedom this summer (yes that was a shameless plug, but in this case it is SO worth it)! Remember if you see a dealer offering a rebate they might try and convince you to forgo the rebate for special financing, but we already know that can actually COST you money.

Regardless what you decide to do this weekend, everyone here at Tropical Financial Credit Union wishes you a happy and safe 4^th of July holiday…just remember to FREE YOURSELF!

^Amy

YOUNG & FREE FLORIDA SPOKESTER SURPRISE!

 

 

On a rainy afternoon in South Florida, Alysha Klein ran into the Tropical Miramar branch thinking she had a few more papers to sign in her quest to become the first Young & Free Florida Spokester.  Instead she was greeted with family, friends and TFCU employees all yelling "YOU GOT THE JOB!"  Rich Helber, President and CEO of Tropical Financial, made the official offer to which Alysha promptly accepted. 

 

Check out the video of the big surprise event!

 

Make sure to like the Young & Free Florida Facebook page,  the Young & Free Florida Twitter (@YoungFreeFl) account and check the Young & Free Florida website throughout the year to follow along with Alysha on this financial educational journey!

 

^Amy

Young & Free Florida Meet Up

Last week the ten candidates for the Young & Free Florida Spokester job came together to show us their stuff in a meetup interview...unlike any interview they've ever been through!  With different stations like "Meet The CEO," "Blog on the Fly," and "Lights, Camera, Action" each candidate had ten minutes to show how they can think quick on their feet and let their personality shine through.

We learned that these candidates are all unique, strong, impressive individuals who would bring great strengths to the Young & Free Florida Spokester job!  No matter who gets the job, I'm sure every one of these people will make significant contributions in whatever career they land in and Tropical Financial Credit Union will be lucky to have one on our team!

^Amy