The Bottom Line
Small business is important to Central Oregon, and to Mid Oregon. Find tips and resources for business, and information about Mid Oregon’s commercial services and business members.
10 Smart Money Moves for Your 20s
10 Smart Money Moves for Your 20s
If you’re in your 20s, you have a financial asset money can’t buy–time. And time makes your money grow. Making some smart money moves in your 20s pays off now and in the future. Here’s a list of 10 Smart Money Moves for Your 20s:
1. Set financial goals, say, to take a vacation, go back to school, get married, buy a house, or start saving for an early retirement. Put your goals in writing, then calculate how much you’ll need to save each month to reach them.
2. Make a spending plan, limit your debt, and concentrate on paying off existing bills. Limit debt to your ability to repay. Monthly credit payments, excluding a mortgage, shouldn’t exceed 20% of your monthly take-home (after-tax) pay.
Establish An Emergency Fund
3. Build an emergency fund equal to three to six months’ living expenses, even if it takes years to build. Use this fund only for true emergencies, such as unexpected car repairs, illness, or unemployment.
4. Save at least 10% of gross income for your emergency fund, future goals, and retirement. If you can’t manage 10%, start with 5% and increase it over time.
5. Take advantage of the services Mid Oregon Credit Union offers. You’ll earn more when you save and pay less when you borrow.
6. Make it a priority to get adequate insurance: health, disability, auto, personal liability, and tenants’ or homeowners’. If someone else depends on your income, you also need life insurance.
Save & Invest
7. Once you’ve implemented your spending plan, built your emergency fund, and obtained appropriate insurance, make the most of your money by starting to invest. The key to making the most of your money is investing small amounts gradually and sensibly over time.
8. Use tax-advantaged savings plans your employer or the government offers to save money for your retirement, such as company 401(k) retirement savings plans and individual retirement accounts at Mid Oregon Credit Union.
9. Keep job options open by keeping your job skills fresh. Get necessary training and education so your knowledge and skills stay up to date.
10. Maintain orderly financial files to keep track of your money and put your hands on important records when you need them.
Central Christian School- One Class at a Time Debuts!
Central Christian School- One Class at a Time Debuts!
Mid Oregon Credit Union and KTVZ kicked off a new community investment program called “One Class at a Time” this week, as Bob Shaw of KTVZ and Kyle Frick of Mid Oregon Credit Union visited Central Christian School in Redmond. Science teacher Karrie Johnson is the first One Class at a Time grant recipient, and was awarded the check in her classroom at the school. The grant will be used for purchase glassware and updated chemicals and to replace dilapidated chemistry textbooks. A new program kicks off in Central Oregon, as One Class at a Time debuts.
Funding Needs in Central Oregon Schools
One Class at a Time is a joint effort between News Channel 21 and Mid Oregon Credit Union to help fulfill needs of area schools across Central Oregon. The campaign will award $5,000 in 2015 by identifying and funding applications for ten $500 classroom projects in the Central Oregon school districts in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook Counties.
Visit the KTVZ One Class at a Time webpage for more details and contest rules.
2015 Adopt-a-Bear Effort Raises $2,034
2015 Adopt-a-Bear Effort Raises $2,034 for Healthy Beginnings
The 2015 Adopt-a-Bear promotion at Mid Oregon was very successful, thanks for the staff and volunteers of Mid Oregon and Healthy Beginnings! Over $2,000 was raised through donations in the branches and at our Free Shred Day on Saturday, April 18.
Members were especially generous at our Olney ($1,032.02) and Redmond ($680.50) locations! The total of $2,034.68 will will go a long way in helping Healthy Beginnings with their free screening clinics to families in Central Oregon.
Adopt-a-Bear
Since 2004 Mid Oregon has supported Healthy Beginnings by giving our members the opportunity to Adopt-a-Bear. Traditionally we put their names on a bear (if they choose) and hang them up in our branches so we can show our support. Starting on April 6 and going through Friday, April 24, members and the community will be able to support Healthy Beginnings by Adopting a Bear.
Healthy Beginnings, a Central Oregon Non-Profit provides access to health, education and behavior services for young children and their families.
Free Screening Clinics
Did you know there is a program in Central Oregon that can help children with health and development issues succeed? Healthy Beginnings offers FREE, that’s right, FREE screening clinics all throughout Central Oregon for 
The screening clinics have 12 stations – each hosted by an expert in their field of work – where parents can sit and have time to discuss their concerns about the child’s behavior, health, nutrition, motor and concept skills, hearing, vision and other areas. If an expert does detect a concern, Healthy Beginnings staff partners with community organizations to help parents connect with resources like an audiologist or Early Childhood Special Education to ensure that their child will enter kindergarten prepared and ready to learn at the same rate as their classmates.
Adopt-a-Bear Funds
All the funds raised through the 2015 Adopt-a-Bear program will ensure that all children will have a healthy beginning by attending our screenings. The state has identified universal community screenings as best practice, providing consistent, reliable, valid, evidence based screening for young children – but there is no state funding available. Instead, Healthy Beginnings relies heavily on community support to keep the screenings available to children and their families free of charge. By encouraging your members to purchase a bear in honor of the young children in their life, they are in turn providing a bright future to the children of Central Oregon.
To donate online or get more information, visit the Healthy Beginnings website.