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.
Back-to-School Study Tips
Back-to-school season is in full swing, and that means it’s time to establish a study routine.
Now that the school year is well underway, it’s also time to make sure your family has a study plan to tackle lessons and learning from the get-go. Parents can help kids with a few simple back-to-school study tips for getting into the groove of back-to-the-books studying and homework.
Set Your Kids up for Success
Set up a quiet study space: Whether it’s a desk in the corner of the bedroom or a study nook in the family room, students need a dedicated space to really hit the books. Is it quiet? Is it away from multimedia distractions? Find the right spot in your home to create the best atmosphere so they can buckle down for success.
Set goals: Regardless of your child’s age, it’s beneficial to help walk and talk them through what they want to accomplish this year. Does one child want to ace the algebra exams this year? Does another want to make the school play, or earn a spot on the soccer team? Talk to your kids about their passions and what they want to achieve—then help them create a plan to meet those goals.
Make ground rules: Maybe it’s setting a routine time for studying after school, before bed, or a ‘no TV or cell phone’ rule during study hours. Agreed upon ground rules keep the family on the same page and frustrations at bay. Understand the family’s routine and plan around that.
Keep a planner: It’s important for busy families and students to track far more than just homework. Even younger students can learn to keep track of all activities and chart a course for the week. Help the kids track study times, test dates, extracurricular commitments like dance class, band practice, or sports practices. Even helping the kids keep track of holidays, conference days, and family activities will help reduce stress and let everybody see the big picture.
Get organized: Everybody has a different way to organize work, projects, and activities. Help your child find out the best way to organize their work: do they prefer a different folder for each class? Or is a large binder with color-coded tabs best? Keep it simple to make it easier to stay the course with homework.
Get into a routine: Studying a little every day is a far better approach than cramming for a test or a term paper at the last minute. Pick the best time of day to work a little on projects or reading—researching a little everyday for that term paper makes it easier to thread notes and thoughts into a successful and stress-free draft.
Save the easiest assignment for last: Just get ‘er done! Tackling the most challenging assignment first alleviates worry and fret. Stay focused on the bigger project and then dive into the more bite-sized lessons.
Grab a study buddy: You know the old adage ‘Two heads are better than one?’ Sometimes it’s just more fun to stir it up and study with someone—let alone more productive to share ideas and solutions. While a desk at home is a good fallback spot to focus, the local library or coffee shop could offer options for students who want to study together.
Ask for help: Make sure your student knows that an open door of communication with both teachers and parents is OK! If you just don’t understand the assignment or how another peer got to that math equation, ask. That’s what teachers and staff are there for.
Stay healthy: Remember that plenty of rest, daily exercise, and a healthy diet make studying and focus all that much easier—at any age! While we all get busy with activities and plans during the school year, it pays in dividends to keep to a routine bedtime, stock the fridge with plenty of healthy snacks and foods, and make sure the kids have time for outdoor play and activity.
Now, let’s hit the books! It’s going to be a great year.
Seven Ways College Students Waste Money
Managing Money is Challenging, Don’t Waste it!
Seven Ways College Students Waste Money
Going to college is expensive, no doubt about it. Between textbooks, tuition, housing, utilities, and maintaining a social life, managing your money can be challenging. So, here are a few habits to avoid if you want to save more: Seven ways college students waste money …
1. Buy new textbooks
College textbook prices have increased faster than tuition, healthcare costs, housing prices, and inflation. You can cut this expense by buying used books online through Amazon or Half Price Books, or renting through sites like Chegg, Campus Book Rentals, or Campus Books.
2. Carry a credit card balance
If you use a credit card, only charge what you’re able to pay off in full each month. If you’re already carrying a balance, consider transferring the balance to a credit card with a lower interest rate and no or low annual fees. Mid Oregon offers a credit card with low rates, no cash advance or balance transfer fees.
3. Go out to eat
If you spend on average $6 for breakfast daily and $12 on lunch or dinner, you will fork out $90 for 5 days of food. Instead, buy $90 worth of groceries and you’ll eat for a month.
4. Go to bars for fun
Drinking can be a very expensive habit. On average, college students spend $900 a year on alcohol. The cost goes up if you get hit with a ticket for drinking underage or driving while intoxicated. Instead of going to bars, have fun inexpensively by going to student union events, bowling, or cooking dinner with friends. – COCC Events – OSU Cascades
5. Own a vehicle
If you live on or near campus, having a car is a needless expense. By avoiding monthly car and insurance payments, parking fees, as well as gas and maintenance expenses, you’ll save over $20,000 during your 4 years at college. Consider using public transportation, getting a bicycle, or walking. And if a car is a necessity, consider a safe, late-model, used car financed with a Mid Oregon Credit Union car loan.
6. Buy a daily latte
A latte at $4 a day adds an extra $120 to your monthly expenses. Instead, buy a coffeemaker, a pound of coffee, and a travel mug and you’ll be able to brew a month’s worth of coffee for a fraction of that cost.
7. Live alone
Save on housing and utility costs by sharing an apartment with a couple of friends. With rental prices in Central Oregon, living alone is very expensive. If you are in Bend or Central Oregon, check out the COCC Off-Campus Housing page.
A Personal Debt Assessment
A Personal Debt Assessment:
Your Financial Life Preserver
Do you feel like you’re drowning in debt? Trust your instincts. You might need a personal debt assessment.
The national average credit card debt per household is $5,700. About 41.2% of households carry a balance on credit cards from month to month. Our reliance on plastic and other forms of credit makes life difficult for families struggling to make ends meet.
Even if you’re still in shallow water, a personal debt assessment may be just the financial life preserver you need to keep your debt from spiraling out of control.
Do You Need a Personal Debt Assessment?
How do you know if you need a debt assessment? Ask yourself whether you’re experiencing these warning signs:
• Do you frequently pay bills late?
• Do you pay only the minimum due on your credit cards?
• Do you use credit for necessities like groceries?
• Have you ever used one credit card to pay off another?
• Do you find yourself paying off holiday debt for several months or years?
• Have you been contacted by creditors?
• Do you use high-cost loans such as payday loans as “quick money” for desperate circumstances?
Mid Oregon Can Help
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may benefit from a personal debt assessment from Mid Oregon Credit Union. We can help you plan a strategy for getting out—and staying out—of debt, develop a sensible spending plan, and communicate effectively with creditors. And, if you don’t know which debts to pay off first, we can help you figure that out, too.
It’s important to follow the right path. There are many false messages out there, convincing thousands that fixing debt issues is easy. Beware of those credit repair and quick-fix ads.
No Quick Fix
There is no silver bullet, but there are ways which make a bigger difference. For example, lowering the interest rates on your debt can reduce the amount of interest you pay, freeing up more of your payment to pay down the debt balance. For some, a Mid Oregon Visa credit card will have a lower rate of interest, and no balance transfer fee. For others, refinancing a car loan can reduce interest by several percentage points. Getting set up on automatic payments can help avoid late fees. Opening a Savers Club account can help you put aside a little bit every month, so you can pay cash for those Holiday gifts or vacation expenses.
Call us today at (541) 382-1795, or visit one of our seven Central Oregon Mid Oregon Credit Union branches. A personal debt assessment may be just the financial life preserver you need to keep your debt from spiraling out of control.