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.
Car Buying Tips That Pay Off
Be Happy With Your Car Deal
If you’re ready for a new car, make sure you’ll be happy with the deal you get at the dealership. We want you to enjoy your new vehicle more, so here are some car buying tips that pay off.
Start by deciding, before you even shop, how much you’re prepared to spend. This is great protection against the lure of the showroom—and you’ll still be thrilled with your new car.
Manageable Payments
One guideline is to shoot for a car payment no more than 20% of your disposable income. So after you deduct all your debts and living expenses, calculate one-fifth of the balance. The best scenario is for this amount to cover your car payments as well as insurance and gas.
Now think about how long you intend to make those payments. No surprise here—the longer you pay it back, the more you’ll pay overall. Stretching the loan out reduces each monthly payment, and that can be appealing. But you will pay more in total interest.
Use the Vehicle Affordability Calculator at MidOregon.com to play with various loan terms. Then be honest with yourself about the impact on your bottom line and your other financial goals. A Mid Oregon Credit Union loan officer can help you walk through this step and explain your loan options.
And get pre-approved for a loan with Mid Oregon. This means you will go to the dealership and effectively bargain for your new car with cash—an ideal way to keep within your budget and give you the most options for financing.
Good Timing for Car Shopping
Now, does it matter when you go shopping? Here are a few timing tips:
- Shop early in the week. Weekends are a busy time on most car lots. So say you show up on Monday—a seller could be motivated to bargain, knowing that business likely will be slack for a few days.
- Shop at the end of the month. Dealers who sell enough cars earn monthly bonuses. Show up toward the end of the month, and you may find yourself getting a better deal.
- Shop for a model at the end of its design cycle. Check websites that feature vehicle news, such as Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com) and Edmunds.com, for reporting about the “all new” models coming into showrooms soon. The last of the previous inventory is still new—but it may go at a lower price.
Mid Oregon has an additional resource for you, CUDL AutoSMART. There, you can search for information by model, type of vehicle, dealer or local inventory.
Your Mid Oregon Credit Union loan officer has more insider car-buying insights for you. Stop in, email or call (541) 382-1795 today.
Supplies 4 Schools Raised $2,725!
The credit union and community rally together to provide students with supplies.
Mid Oregon Credit Union and Supplies 4 Schools raised $2,725 during our annual Supplies 4 Schools drive. This year’s campaign included school supply donations as well as cash contributions to better support local students and families who are facing increased financial hardships due to COVID-19 and the shift to remote learning.
Mid Oregon Matched $1,000 of Donations
Throughout August, the credit union’s seven branch locations collected donations from members and the community. Mid Oregon pledged to match the first $1,000 donated in cash, which contributed to the overall total of $2,725.
The Supplies 4 Schools funds and supply donations will stay in the local community where they were collected. Mid Oregon partnered with Family Access Network (FAN) and school districts to distribute the supplies to students in Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties who lack the necessities to be successful at school.
“We are grateful for the generous support of our members and local communities during the Supplies 4 Schools drive,” says Kyle Frick, VP of Marketing for Mid Oregon Credit Union. “These donations are helping local families and their children in their preparations for this unique school year.”
FAN Advocates Work Directly With Students
Julie Lyche, Executive Director of Family Access Network, adds, “Last year, FAN connected 2,190 students to school supplies. Even though this year is different, kids still need the items they would use at school, and FAN advocates are making sure that they have access to these items. This year, we are seeing a greater need for over-the-ear headphones for elementary students and earbuds with microphones for older students. Mid Oregon Credit Union’s contribution makes a difference in helping source these items.”
Family Access Network offers assistance, possibility, and hope to Central Oregon families in need by connecting them with crucial resources that will help children flourish in school and life. FAN is unique to Central Oregon, located in all public schools in Deschutes County and Prineville. Dedicated FAN advocates work with families to connect students with essential services such as food, shelter, heating, health care, clothing, and more. To donate or learn more, visit http://familyaccessnetwork.org/.
Telling-A-Friend Is Win-Win!
We love rewarding our members when they spread the word about our great checking accounts—that’s why we introduced our Tell-A-Friend program. When your friend opens a Mid Oregon checking account, you’ll both get a reward! We’ll buy back their old debit cards and checks for up to $10, and enter them to win a prize! (Prize through October 9th is an Amazon Blink Two-Camera Package). But Telling-a-Friend is win-win!
What do you get when you refer someone? A $10 gift card! And there is no limit, so you can keep referring. As long as the person you refer provides us with your name and email address, your award will be automatic.
But for a limited time, you are also entered to win an Amazon Blink Two-Camera Security Package! Details are below.
Many Ways To Refer
There are three easy ways to refer your friends:
First, you can obtain a Mid Oregon Tell-A-Friend referral slip, complete your information on the back and give it to your friend. We will capture your information when they present the coupon as they open their checking account.
Second, you can email your friend automatically using our online referral page. Just visit the page, complete your information, and enter your friend’s name, email address, and a brief personal message before you send. When your friend opens their checking account, our new account representative will see you sent them an email, and complete the process.
And now you can also share through your own email or social media with a shareable link. Visit the same web page at https://refer.midoregon.com/. Instead of clicking “Email A Friend”, click “Get Shareable Link”. That will produce your personalized URL you can copy and paste into any number of places. When the friend opens their new checking account, you will be credited with the referral. Telling-a-Friend is a win-win!
Win an Amazon Blink Two-Camera Package
And now through October 30, 2020, you’ll also be entered into a free drawing for an Amazon Blink Two-Camera Package.
The Blink XT2 Outdoor/Indoor Smart Security 2 camera kit comes with cloud storage included, 2-way audio, 2-year battery life. You’ll get Extended battery life, on two AA lithium batteries with a combination of two-way talk, live view, and motion recording. And it works with Alexa – View live streams, motion clips, arm and disarm your system, and set up smart reorders for batteries through select Alexa-enabled devices.
Just visit refer.midoregon.com to start referring. There’s no limit—you can refer as many friends as you like (and earn as many gift cards as you want). You don’t even need to have a Mid Oregon checking account to Tell-A-Friend and be entered to win. Although why would you miss out on all the savings and convenience by having your checking account anywhere else?
Amazon Blink Two-Camera Package Drawing Rules: No purchase necessary to enter or win a prize. Must be 18 years of age or older. Entries accepted through October 30, 2020. No cash equivalent, substitution or transfer of prize permitted. One entry per person. Other restrictions apply. See a Mid Oregon associate for details.