Here at FGCCU we love seeing youngsters come in with their parents or guardians to set up Junior Accounts. It's a great way to instill in our youth the importance of saving and begin, what we hope to be, a long lasting relationship between our newest member and this credit union. In the blink of an eye, children grow from bright eyed children with a ziplock bag or piggy bank full of change to deposit to teenagers with their sights set on a first set of wheels. And whatever their plans are post high school, we, as parents hope to send them out into the world with some kind of financial stability, whether it's enough money for a deposit on their first apartment, a college fund, or money set aside for those inevitable rainy days.
And equally important, we want to prepare our children to understand ... how to budget, how to save, how to establish credit and be responsible with credit. Mistakes and bad decisions are going to be made, but sometimes that's how we learn. Who has ever overdrawn that first checking account, and
then realized the important of tracking and recording every transaction? Probably quite a few reading this post. But how many of us left the nest understanding credit scores, the impact of interest rates on loans or credit cards or the basics of investing? (I hear crickets....)
So it's back-to-school time, and a perfect opportunity to start the school year off with a little financial training.
High School age? 18, 19, 20+ years old? Read on....
Whip out your iPad or get comfy in front of your computer. No lectures on balancing a checkbook with a registry and pencil....We're going to give you a few websites that can make financial planning and education a little less boring, maybe even fun and social.
Mint.com : Link it to your accounts for automatic updates, set up a budget and financial goals, track progress, get alerts on over-spending or low account balances.... visually see how your money is coming and going. It's totally user-friendly, offers a smartphone app, and it's free.
Payoff.com : Another freebie site, Payoff.com has a lot of the same features as Mint.com but bonus... it's like a game. Earn badges and " Cash Sur-prizes" for reaching goals. Facebook friends can share their "dreams" (not personal financial information), tag each other and comment to make this site social and interactive.
Money Talks : A site geared towards teens by the University of California, it allows readers to play games, take quizzes, watch videos and download easy-to-follow guides on financial education topics, such as "Keys to Credit" and "My Money Personality"
In the spirit of the credit union movement and "People Helping People", Fort Gordon & Community Credit Union is here to help guide and educate members of all ages. We give presentations to groups of young people throughout the community, and we're here if you just want to call or pop in to give some one-on-one financial education. High school or college students interested in diving in and learning more about the behind-the-scenes of the financial industry are welcome to contact Brooke Willis at (706) 262-7927 for opportunities on volunteering, marketing panels, and community outreach.
Six Flags is honoring the men and women currently serving by hosting Military Appreciation Days! 
