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2009 Holiday Supply Drive
Over the years, the Unitus Community Credit Union holiday supply drive has collected over 12,000 items and raised thousands of dollars for Unitus’ community partners.

This year, each Unitus branch will be collecting canned foods, children’s toys, new gloves and hats and new sleeping bags and blankets to support our partners.

In addition to physical donations, each branch will also be donating $5.00 for each new checking and savings account opened now through December 18 to our community partners. Be sure to let your friends and family know about this opportunity to help these worthwhile organizations.

Where Our Donations Will Go:

• SnowCap:
Unitus Plaza Branch + University District Branch + Mall 205 Branch

• Good Neighbor Center:
Beaverton Branch + Tanasbourne Branch

• Clackamas Women's Services:
Clackamas Branch

• Helping Hands:
Salem Branch

• Share:
Mill Plain Crossing Branch

Online Bill Pay Enhancements!
Your online bill paying experience just got better. Here are a few of the changes now in place.

• A more intuitive and user-friendly layout
• Screens are visually cleaner and simpler helping you navigate the site better
• Enhancements to payment and payee screens making it even easier to pay your bills
• Now you can receive electronic summaries of your bills from participating merchants
• A new Help feature and Quick Links section

November Newsletter (View PDF)
Read the latest news and special offers from Unitus.

Switch to a Credit Union, Suggests Online Financial Expert
"You aren't bound to your bank. Learn why credit unions deliver big savings and better service for many consumers..." -MSN Money

Read: Ditch Your Bank for a Credit Union

Nominations Open for Board of Directors
Unitus Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, and those who serve on our Board of Directors are unpaid volunteers elected by their fellow members and announced at our Annual Meeting.

Serving on the Board of Directors is a fulfilling experience and furthers the long-standing Credit Union philosophy of “people helping people.” The Board meets monthly and guides the Credit Union through strategic planning and the setting of policies. Board members also participate in various other duties and activities throughout the year.

Two (2) positions on the Unitus Board of Directors are now open for nomination. The Board-appointed Nominating Committee of Pete Reinecker (Chair), Sue Iggulden, and Terry Gavin will review applications and interviews will be held for qualified candidates. The Nominating Committee will nominate at least one candidate for each available position.

If you would like to be considered as a candidate, we encourage you to obtain a “Board Candidate Packet” from our Administrative Office. Please call 503 423 8840 or 800 452 0900, extension 8840 for more details. Packets must be completed by the Board Candidate and received by Friday, December 11, 2009.

Nomination by petition is also permitted and details are included in the candidate packet. A candidate for the Board of Directors must be of legal age, be a primary member, and be in good standing with the Credit Union. A “primary member” is a member whose name appears first on a Unitus Prime Share Account.

Squeezing More Out of Less
These days it seems you can’t go anywhere without seeing or hearing about home values declining, gas prices rising, and unemployment skyrocketing.

If you’re trying to figure out how to tighten your fiscal belt a couple notches, you are not alone. The struggling economy has almost everyone taking a long, hard look at ways to trim back and “spend smarter” wherever possible.

Whether you, a loved one or someone you know has been affected, it’s important to stay focused on savings and set aside an adequate amount of your earnings (3–6 months) as an emergency fund.

While the dollar may not go as far as it used to, here are a few helpful ways to get a little more bang for your buck:

• Start by reviewing your monthly expenses. You may have a rough idea of where it all goes, but it’s usually helpful to list it all out.



• Eating out less and cutting back on the daily mocha are a good start and add up over time. But the big ticket items like your mortgage, car payment, and credit card bills are where you should focus. They can make a huge difference.



• If your home mortgage is ballooning or you have a higher interest rate, consider refinancing at today’s lower rates.



• Consider consolidating credit cards or an auto loan with a lower interest, tax deductible* home equity loan.



• Driving a gas guzzler? You might think about trading it in for a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle.



• Compare the interest rate and fees of your current credit card rate to a Unitus Platinum Rewards Visa.



• If the price of gas has you carpooling, riding your bike or working at home more, you might be able to save more on your auto insurance.



• Take advantage of rewards programs that provide cash back, gas cards and other incentives that translate into savings.

Make every dollar count by contacting Unitus to review products, services and to discuss other ways to save your hard-earned money.

Longer CDs Ensure Solid Earnings
The power of compound interest is easy to underestimate. While 2-year CDs are popular choices, committing to a 5-year term in today's market will lock in a higher rate with earnings that may prove difficult or impossible to match with a combination of shorter term CDs.

In our example below, investing $100,000 in a 5-year CD will earn $16,250 of interest, while a 2-year CD stops short at $2,560. Yes, you have three more years to make up the difference of more than $13,690 in earnings, but that will require a much higher rate for all three years - 4.56% APY* in our example.

That higher rate may or may not be available when you need it, but your earnings are guaranteed with the 5-year CD.

Unitus offers CDs with terms as short as three months and as long as five years. This gives you both short-term and long-term flexibility in managing your funds at the highest rates we pay.

If you would like assistance with comparing your options and implementing a savings strategy, please give us a call or visit your Unitus branch. We're here to help!

Unitus Mobile
If you have an Internet-enabled mobile device you are ready to access our new mobile website. No registration is necessary. Simply bookmark the following URL on your mobile device to ensure a successful connection: www.unitusccu.com

For iPhone users, add the bookmark to your home screen. A Unitus icon button will appear making it easier to access the site.

Unitus Mobile features: Current Mortgage Rates ATM Finder via text message Deposit & Loan Rates (via Unitus' main website) Branch Locations & Hours Products & Services Membership Information Contact Information Current Promotions Interactive Phone Numbers and Web Links Access to Unitus' main website and uOnline

Shred-It for Safety
Bring in your old statements, bills and more and we’ll make sure they get properly shredded. Now using Shred-It service, Unitus members can shred a limited amount of personal and confidential documents per month. You’ll find a Shred-It console in every Unitus branch location. Put your documents into the secure receptacle and Shred-It will take care of the rest.

Shred-It consoles are key locked, making them more secure. And since they have a mailbox type door/slot in the front, this prevents anyone from attempting to fish out documents. If you happen drop something in that you didn’t intend to - no worries. A branch staff member can help you retrieve it. Drop by any branch today!

Where is Your Money Safest?
Unitus is federally insured, well capitalized, and continuing to thrive as the banking industry struggles

While mounting mortgage losses and their ramifications continue to eat away at many banks and other financial institutions, America's credit unions "remain healthy, vibrant, and well capitalized," as Credit Union National Association President/CEO Dan Mica reported to Congress in mid-July.

He added that "Credit unions remain the most tightly regulated and well capitalized of all depository institutions and provide the same level of deposit insurance as their bank and thrift counterparts." Each member's funds on deposit at Unitus are federally insured to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and retirement accounts are separately insured by the NCUA to $250,000.

In more than half a century, America's credit unions have not cost taxpayers any money through a bailout. There are several reasons why, but it largely boils down to local ownership and local operation.

• All of our capital comes from member deposits. We do not have outside investors and do not need outside capitalization.
• Funds from member deposits are primarily used to make low risk loans to members. We don't issue subprime or similar higher risk home loans that can jeopardize the funds entrusted to us.
• We do business locally and are staffed by professionals from the community who make their decisions based on what is best for members.
• We are not-for-profit, so all of our earnings after reserve provisions are returned to members through better rates, lower fees, and improved service.

What all this means is that even when other institutions are struggling to stay afloat, Unitus remains a safe harbor for your savings. We pay consistently competitive rates on savings, CDs, IRAs, and other accounts that will leave you feeling good about choosing Unitus.

For more information or help with moving funds to your safe and secure community credit union, simply give us a call or visit your Unitus branch.

Locate an ATM via Text Message
When you're on the go and need to find an ATM fast, simply text your location (address, intersection, or zip code) to 692667 (MYCOOP) from any mobile phone or call 888 SITE CO-OP to access the voice ATM Locator.

As a Unitus member you have FREE access to over 28,000 surcharge-free CO-OP ATMs nationwide, including most 7-Eleven stores equipped with special Vcom units that handle most branch transactions. Your Unitus VISA debit card can be used anywhere VISA cards are accepted*

*When using a VISA Check card, funds are debited directly from your checking account.

Events

Holiday Choir Performances
Please join us this holiday season for some special choir performances featuring local students at select Unitus branches.

We'll be hosting St. Mary's High School Choir at Unitus Plaza in downtown Portland on Thursday, December 17 at 3:30 p.m.. Join us for some holiday merriment, music and complimentary hot chocolate.

Our other branch choir performances feature students from local elementary and middle schools around the area. Please stop by and support these students as we celebrate the holidays!

• Salem Branch
  Hoover Elementary
  Monday, December 7
  12:30 p.m.



• Clackamas Branch
  Whitcomb Elementary
  Friday, December 11
  10:00 a.m.



• Mill Plain Branch
  Shahala Middle School
  Monday, December 14
  2:00 p.m.



• Beaverton Branch
  Walker Elementary
  Wednesday, December 16
  1:00 p.m.

See something we've overlooked? Send us a newsworthy email at events@unitusccu.com. If it's suitable, we'll post it!