.jpg)
.jpg)
This month, Mainstreet Credit Union was featured in an article in Forbes & Fortune magazine. The article explains the history and future plans of Mainstreet Credit Union.
"Mainstreet Credit Union was founded with a mission to serve the teachers and educators of Kansas City metro communities. Though the credit union have evolved in size and services over the years, now serving 70,000 members of varying professions, the role of education is still a driving force."
To read the rest of the article check out the feature on our website.
"Mainstreet Credit Union was founded with a mission to serve the teachers and educators of Kansas City metro communities. Though the credit union have evolved in size and services over the years, now serving 70,000 members of varying professions, the role of education is still a driving force."
To read the rest of the article check out the feature on our website.
Happy Anniversary Mainstreet!
.jpg)
It's time to celebrate! Mainstreet Credit Union is turning 70 this year. We want to thank you, our members, for making the past 70 years possible. Whether you’ve been a member for five days or 50 years, we appreciate you for trusting us to be your credit union! We look forward to serving all our members for many more years to come. Stay tuned for more updates on our Facebook page and website.
8 Tips to Reduce Your Food Bill
.jpg)
.jpg)
1. Limit Eating Out
It's probably obvious, but takeout, that delicious ramen place, and even quick "cheap" burgers add up quickly. That's why hitting up your go-to restaurant less often is one of the most effective ways to lower your food budget. Of course this doesn't mean to stop eating out entirely. Restaurants are cultural, they're social—they're not the enemy. But, when it comes to your budget, they can turn into a bit of a black hole.
So how often should you eat out? It’s up to you. The key is moderation and balance. If you can’t stomach the idea of eating out less, know that you’ll have to cut your budget in other categories. Just remember that eating out truly is one of the largest chunks of your food budget, so think critically and carefully about how much you’re currently spending at restaurants and how much you want to be spending.
2. Plan Your Grocery Shopping
We’ve all been advised to create a grocery list and stick to it, but that’s only one way to save money at the store. Coupons, even if the savings seem small ($0.50 here, $1 there), make a difference in the long run. Also, grocery stores often send out a weekly ad; take notice and plan your meals for the weak around discounts. Finally, try buying staples that are affordable and versatile, things like bread, pasta, beans, and rice. You can use those things for a whole bunch of different meals and tailor them to your tastes.
3. Reduce Food Waste
Another full vegetable drawer ready for the garbage can? Wasting food is wasting money. Try canned or frozen produce instead! It lasts much longer and is just as good for you. Preservatives can be rinsed off canned foods and frozen is a-ok. Do your best to avoid spending money on food you won’t eat, and remember that good intentions can often pave a road to rotten zucchini...and lettuce...and grapes.
4. Buy in Bulk
You can save money per package or ounce when you buy in bulk. It’s a great strategy for foods you buy and eat often. Keep in mind, though, that buying more than you’ll actually eat isn’t saving you any money. Do you really need 15 pounds of onions? Plan how you’ll use something you buy in bulk before taking it to the register.
5. Set a Food Budget
Buying food without a budget is like forgetting your umbrella in a downpour—a recipe for disaster. In order to create a budget, though, you’ll need to know what’s reasonable. To figure that out, track your spending. After a month or two, assess how much you’re actually spending on food each week and then make a plan. Can you cut back? By how much? What’s doable? Once you have a baseline, you can start making adjustments. Create a spending limit and stick to it!
6. Plan for Leftovers
Try making big meals a few times a week—meals that you couldn’t possibly eat at once! Why? Leftovers! Leftovers are a great way to have ready-to-go meals and snacks that you don’t have to spend a lot for. Of course, try not to waste food! But if you’ll eat the leftovers, making them can stretch ingredients longer and get you more bang for your buck.
7. Meal Prep
Meal prep isn’t just for the organized ones among us—no seriously, everyone can meal prep. If you plan your meals ahead of time (or better yet, prepare them), you’ll be less likely to eat out when you’re in a bind or pressed for time. If this seems overwhelming, start small. Try making lunch the night before or putting together a dedicated drawer for go-to snacks (ooh and new picks each week?). You can also go big and cook the ingredients for a week of meals ahead of time or create “freezer meals” that you can pop into a slow cooker or oven. Whatever works for you is the perfect place to begin, and every bit of planning matters.
8. Brew Your Own Coffee
A lot of Americans need that little bit of a pick-me-up each morning—that’s fine! But recurring costs, like a daily latte, cause your money to disappear exponentially. Take coffee, for example. An average cup of coffee costs around $3. While that isn’t much on its own, a full month of 31 cups will cost you roughly $93. Meanwhile, a 12oz bag of coffee beans costs about $10 and gets you around 12 cups of coffee. That would mean you’re spending about $0.83 per cup, or just under $26 for a whole month. That’s a lot of savings over multiple months or years! If you need it, buy the extra cream or fancy toppings, too. It’ll still save you money in the long run.
Reducing your food bill is something most of us could really use, and yet, it’s one of the toughest expenses to cut down. It requires a complete shift in your mindset and a lot more awareness. But, with a little bit of effort, your changes can make a big difference.
Source: https://banzai.org/wellness/resources/reducing-your-food-bill
Business Loans Designed for Entrepreneurs Like You
Mainstreet's Business Services ensure your business is covered 24/7. Our accounts were created for members with a lot of responsibilities, but only a little time to make it all happen-that's when we step in to help.
.jpg)
Fake Check Scam
If someone you don’t know wants to pay you by check but wants you to wire some of the money back, beware! It’s a scam that could cost you thousands of dollars.
Stay safe. Be Informed.
-
There are many variations of the fake check scam. It could start with someone offering to buy something you advertised, pay you to do work at home, give you an “advance” on a sweepstakes you’ve supposedly won, or pay the first installment on the millions that you’ll receive for agreeing to have money in a foreign country transferred to your bank account for safekeeping. Whatever the pitch, the person may sound quite believable.
-
Fake check scammers hunt for victims. They scan newspaper and online advertisements for people listing items for sale, and check postings on online job sites from people seeking employment. They place their own ads with phone numbers or email addresses for people to contact them. They buy “sucker lists” on the black market which has sensitive information of people who have been previously scammed. And they call or send emails or faxes to people randomly, knowing that some will take the bait.
-
They often claim to be in another country. The scammers say it’s too difficult and complicated to send you the money directly from their country, so they’ll arrange for someone in the U.S. to send you a check.
-
They tell you to wire money to them after you’ve deposited the check. If you’re selling something, they say they’ll pay you by having someone in the U.S. who owes them money send you a check. It will be for more than the sale price; you deposit the check, keep what you’re owed, and wire the rest to them. If it’s part of a work-at-home scheme, they may claim that you’ll be processing checks from their “clients.” You deposit the checks and then wire them the money minus your “pay.” Or they may send you a check for more than your pay “by mistake” and ask you to wire them the excess. In the sweepstakes and foreign money offer variations of the scam, they tell you to wire them money for taxes, customs, bonding, processing, legal fees, or other expenses that must be paid before you can get the rest of the money.
-
The checks are fake but they look real. In fact, they look so real that even bank tellers may be fooled. Some are phony cashiers checks, others look like they’re from legitimate business accounts. The companies whose names appear may be real, but someone has dummied up the checks without their knowledge.
-
You don’t have to wait long to use the money, but that doesn’t mean the check is good.Under federal law, banks have to make the funds you deposit available quickly–usually within one to five days, depending on the type of check. But just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check is good, even if it’s a cashier’s check. It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and the check to bounce.
-
You are responsible for the checks you deposit. That’s because you’re in the best position to determine the risk–you’re the one dealing directly with the person who is arranging for the check to be sent to you. When a check bounces, the financial institution deducts the amount that was originally credited to your account. If there isn’t enough to cover it, the financial institution may be able to take money from other accounts you have at that institution, or sue you to recover the funds. In some cases, law enforcement authorities could bring charges against the victims because it may look like they were involved in the scam and knew the check was counterfeit.
- There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back. If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashiers check for the exact amount, preferably from a local financial institution or a financial institution that has a branch in your area.
Want to learn more? Go to www.consumerfed.org/fakecheckscams to read CFA’s Don’t Become a Target brochure, watch the funny videos about sweepstakes/lottery and work-at-home fake check scams, and check out the other materials on the Web site. Visit NCL’s www.fakechecks.org, where you can take a quiz to see how well you can spot this fraud, send an ecard to warn other people, and find information to help you and people you care about avoid losing money to fake check scams.
Source: https://fraud.org/fake-check-scams/
Main Perk* For School Employees
As a special perk for school employees, Mainstreet offers a $1000 signature loan with a 0% APR** with a 12 month term to be used for anything you need. Buy supplies for your classroom, pay student loans, or take a dream vacation.
*One Main Perk loan (A 0% APR**, unsecured loan for up to $1000 with a term of 12 months) per calendar year per member. Proof of employment from AdventHealth, JCCC , or a school district is required. Automatic payment scheduled from a Mainstreet CU deposit account required. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Mainstreet reserves the right to terminate this program at its discretion. Federally Insured by NCUA.
APR**= Annual Percentage Rate. The Annual Percentage Rate applies to qualified individuals' creditworthiness at the time of offer.
APR**= Annual Percentage Rate. The Annual Percentage Rate applies to qualified individuals' creditworthiness at the time of offer.
Community Events in December
- Mainstreet shows appreciation to the educators in our community through our partnership with local school districts.
- Volunteers worked at the Johnson County Christmas Bureau to help spread holiday cheer to the whole community.
- The Leavenworth branch hosted a Meet Santa event. Over 30 kids met Santa and Mr. Claus to start off the holiday season.
Learn more about how you can nominate a staff member for recognition at the Olathe Public Schools Foundation website, http://bit.ly/OPSFAwards.
Annual Meeting
Date: April 26th
Time: 4-5 P.M.
Location: Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center
8788 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS
RSVP by calling 913-599-1010 Ext: 290
The Reservation Line will close on April 20th.
No meal will be provided at this event. Light refreshments will be available before the meeting.
2023 Shred Days
Saturday, March 25th
Saturday, October 14th
9 a.m. to noon, unless trucks are full
Shred It Facility / 10000 Lackman Rd. /Lenexa, KS 66219
This FREE service is available to every Mainstreet member. All types of dry paper are accepted. Please make sure your shred materials are clear of plastic, media tapes, corrugated cardboard, electric cords, electronics, lighters, and metal objects. Those items can potentially cause serious injury to volunteers and truck operators.
Please note: Times and locations are correct at this time and are subject to change. Always check the Announcements page on our website at www.mainstreetcu.org/announcements for updates.
Refer A Friend
Vital Statistics
As of November, 2022
Number of Members: 73,861
Assets: 631.3 Million