Tag Archives: UChoose® Rewards Points

Three Steps To Managing A Credit Card

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A credit card can be a useful tool when managed mindfully. Setting and following ground rules is a powerful first step to success.

Whether you have your first credit card or have gotten yourself into trouble with several, it’s never too soon or too late to learn good credit card management habits.  Here are some rules to live by.

Know Your Why

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to set some ground rules for yourself. First, you need to decide why you have a credit card.

Some cards offer incentives for using them. For example, the Visa® Platinum Card at VCNB offers UChoose® Rewards Points for every purchase. These points can be redeemed for incentives like gift cards, cash back and travel. Many of our customers use this card for much of their spending and then pay off the balance when it’s due.

Some credit card holders keep their cards for emergencies. If the fridge dies or you have a medical issue, a card to help you past this bump in the road offers peace of mind. Others use their card only for building credit or for specific kinds of purchases like hotels when they travel or just at the gas pump.

This is a personal decision for you to make and there’s no wrong answer.

Keep Your Debt In Check

We caution customers against allowing debt to accumulate. In fact, we encourage customers to never charge more than they can afford to pay off in a month and to actually pay off that balance monthly. Even a small balance left unattended can accumulate large interest charges and snowball into a massive sum over time. In fact, making the minimum payment on even a few hundred dollars could be costly: added interest could amount to hundreds of dollars over a period of years before the debt is paid off.

Make A Plan For To Pay Off Debt

If you have credit card debt, we recommend making a plan to pay it off as quickly as possible.

For most people, the first step toward paying off debit is making a realistic budget. Click here to read about the basics of building a good budget.  If your budget is tight and you think you don’t have extra money for paying off that debt, click here for some practical ways to cut expenses.

Finally, avoid accumulating more debt while trying to pay off the old. It may be a challenge but you’ll never see a zero balance if you keep charging what you can’t afford. For more on this topic, visit our partners at Nerd Wallet who have a repayment calculator and tips to help you.

Reward Yourself With Rewards Checking This Holiday Season

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What’s on your holiday list and how much money will you spend? A VCNB Rewards Checking Account would reward you for all those purchases!

Tis the season of holiday spending and many savvy VCNB customers are ready to reward themselves while giving to others this holiday.

Think about how much money you spend during the holidays.

Maybe you’re buying gifts and stocking stuffers. Maybe you’re sending Christmas cards and need stamps and cards or family photos to share with loved ones. Do you cook special foods for holiday celebrations? Perhaps you leave a gift card for your mail carrier or use the holiday sales as an excuse to spiff up your wardrobe or update some things around the house.

Whatever your spending patterns this time of year, most Americans are spending money and a lot of it.

But our VCNB customers who use our Rewards Checking Account will tell you that they can pay for their purchases from their checking account while accumulating uChoose Rewards® points that can benefit them later.

It’s simple, really.

When you use your Rewards Checking account debit card, you will earn one point for every $3 spent. Use your card 21 or more times per cycle and receive an extra 200 points. You can also accumulate points for using Online Bill Pay, Direct Deposit and Automatic Loan Payments. We will even give you 1,000 points when you open the account and 500 points on your anniversary.

Sign into the uChoose Rewards website to find special offers for online purchases and for in-store purchases with offers you can activate.  

The website is also where you manage and redeem your rewards points. Here you’ll find it easy to request cashback or to order gift cards, arrange travel or shop for merchandise.

There are many benefits to using this account but also some important details to remember. First, there is a $7 monthly fee that is waived if you do one of two things – either make 15 or more debit card purchases per statement cycle or maintain a combined relationship of $5,000 or more with VCNB. That would include your personal checking, savings and CD balances.

Most customers find that they are easily using their card fifteen times per month.

Also, you must register your debit card on the uChoose website to begin earning rewards points. Purchases made prior to registering your card cannot be retroactively awarded points so be sure to get that done before you begin spending.

What are you waiting for? You can open this account online or visit any of our branches to have one of our Personal Bankers open it for you. Click here to get started!  

Already have Rewards Checking? We would love to hear how you use your Rewards! Comment below and tell us!

Earn Rewards Points With A Visa Platinum Credit Card

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Earlier this month we told you about Rewards Checking and how so many of our customers are accessing uChoose Rewards®. These rewards points can be redeemed for cashback to your checking account, gift cards, experiences, and other things simply by doing regular debit card spending and banking.

Today we’re going to talk about our Visa® Platinum Credit Card and how it can be used for earning rewards as well!

Here for You BadgeOur points savvy customers will tell you that having both the credit card and the checking account linked to the same uChoose Rewards account allows them to accumulate points more quickly. That’s because credit card customers earn one point for every dollar spent on purchases.

To earn points, you must register your card with the uChoose site. If you have both Rewards Checking and a Visa Platinum Credit Card through VCNB, be sure to link those cards to the same uChoose account to watch your points accumulate more quickly.

Click here for terms, rates and other important details about the Visa Platinum Credit Card. Note that customers who hold only the credit card are not eligible for cash back but can still receive all the other rewards including gift cards, movie passes, travel and merchandise. Receive 1,000 bonus points when opening a new Visa Platinum Credit Card account.

Contact your local banker or visit any of our branches to apply for a credit card or to learn more about uChoose Rewards and the Visa Platinum Credit Card.

 

Pointers For Earning With uChoose Rewards

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UChoose LogoIf you have Rewards Checking or a Visa® Platinum Card at VCNB, there are a few things we hope you’ll remember about your uChoose Rewards® points.

  1. You have to register your cards to earn points with them. That’s right – you need to register your cards with an account on the uChoose website so you may earn and redeem points. It’s an easy process that takes just minutes.
  2. Once you’re registered, it’s easy to log in to your uChoose account to check your points balance and redeem your points for great merchandise, gift cards, cash book, travel and more!
  3. New cards have to be registered. That means if you were reissued a card that replaces one that was lost, stolen or in some way compromised, you’ll need to take a minute to register the new card. In this instance, when you attempt to log in to your uChoose account, a pop up box will instruct you to register the card with a new account. Never fear, all the points you have accumulated will be available in your new uChoose account!
  4. Points are good for just three years. If you’ve been saving up your points for a big reward like plane tickets or if you simply forget to redeem them, you need to use them before they’re gone. To find out if you have points nearing expiration, simply log in to your uChoose account. There will be an expiration warning next to your points balance.
  5. You can earn even more points if you use your debit card 21 times or more each month. Do this and you’ll earn an extra 200 rewards points!
  6. There are even more point earning opportunities on the uChoose website! Log in to your account and look for online earning opportunities as well as in-store offers that you can activate for your card!

What are you waiting for? Click here to register your card or to log in to your existing account and start redeeming points!  

 

 

VCNB Can Make Your Holidays Brighter

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The holidays are supposed to be joyous but worries over money, fraud and time constraints can turn the happiest time of the year into an ordeal. Today we want to talk about some tools we offer to make your season brighter.

First of all, we think it’s important for you to know what’s happening with your money at all times. That’s why we give you a multitude of account alerts to help you know where your money is going, how much you have and even when payments are due. With Account Alerts, you can receive a text every time your debit card is used, when your balance falls below an amount of your choosing or when your loan payment is due. This is an easy way to stop fraud in its tracks because you’ll know when purchases are happening and be able to quickly spot any that aren’t yours.

Account alerts can be set up through your online banking account and are a free service. Click here to see the full list of account alerts. 

Along the lines of awareness and security, VCNB Mobile is another easy way to manage your money and your cards. With VCNB Mobile, you can monitor your transactions, transfer funds and pay bills on the go. You can also manage your VCNB debit cards with geographic and monetary spending limitations. Best of all, you can even turn your cards off and on, ensuring that they can only be used when you say it’s ok. Read more about this exciting feature of VCNB Mobile here.

With VCNB Mobile, you can also use the camera on your mobile device to deposit a check with Mobile Deposit. It might save you a trip to the bank which gives you more time for what’s important to you. And who couldn’t use more free time this holiday season?  Learn more about this free service here.

Speaking of being busy, there’s no busier time of year than the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. With all the shopping, baking, gift wrapping and cleaning, there is hardly time left for the family functions, work parties and tons of special events. Many of these activities call for a good bit of spending. Be it for groceries and gifts, travel expenses or dinners out, there is seemingly unlimited opportunity to spend money.

As long as you’re spending, we think you should be rewarded. That’s why we offer VCNB Rewards Checking customers and Visa Platinum credit card customers the opportunity to earn UChoose Rewards® Points for their daily purchases and bank behaviors. For example, Visa Platinum customers receive one point for every dollar spent using this card. These points can be redeemed for gift cards, event tickets, travel expenses and thousands of products.

Rewards Checking customers receive one point for every $3 spent using their debit card and bonus points for using bank products like direct deposit, Mobile Deposit and Popmoney® personal payment service. These points can be redeemed for cash back or for any of the great rewards offered to our credit card customers. If you already have Rewards Checking or a Visa Platinum card, remember that you must register your card at UChooseRewards.com to begin earning rewards points.

One last thing – if you need to send someone cash, Popmoney is the way to go. Learn more here.

We wish all our customers a joyous holiday season and hope these products will simplify and brighten your holidays.

A Quick Look: Simplify Your Banking

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Most of us lead busy lives. In the spirit of Simplify Your Life Week, we wanted to do a quick summary of some ways you can simplify your banking and {hopefully} free up time for things that are important to you.

Online and Mobile
Gone are the days you have to wait for the mailman to bring your monthly statement. You can still do this but you can also just log in to your online account and see your current balance, past statements, current statement and even pay bills, open an account or prequalify for a loan. It’s free and easy to use our website, plus it gives you greater control over your own money. With VCNB Mobile, you’ll find a one stop shop for your quick banking needs. This is free app gives you access to your deposits and loans from your mobile device. Here you can also pay bills, transfer funds and even deposit a check. It’s like carrying around the bank on your phone.

Want to know more? Here are some specifics!

Online Bill Pay
Many customers seem to think Online Bill Pay is the greatest thing since sliced bread and we are inclined to agree. Set up recurring bills to automatically pay at your convenience or log in and pay a single bill. Either way, it saves using checks and stamps. It also guarantees your payment will be taken from your account when you say. It’s free as long as you use it at least once a month. The great thing about Bill Pay is that it requires so little effort and time to keep paying bills within your complete control.

Popmoney® personal payment service
While Bill Pay helps you pay bills, Popmoney allows you to send funds electronically to individuals. All you need is the person’s email address or mobile phone number. They will receive a text or email notification that your money is waiting for them. They can deposit the money into the checking or savings account of their choice.

Mobile Deposit
Have a check but no time to hit the bank? Deposit it using VCNB Mobile and the camera on your mobile device. You can deposit funds in to the VCNB checking or savings account of your choice for free!

Account Alerts
You don’t even have to log in to keep up with activity related to your checking account, savings account, certificate of deposit or loan. There are nineteen notifications to choose from, allowing you to receive an email or text for activity that interests you. Want to know when your debit card is used or when your checking balance dips below a certain amount? Request reminders for when your loan payment is due or late and even get an alert when your CD is about to mature. Sign up for this free service online.

A Few More Things
Our website and mobile app provide a host of other ways to simplify your banking and save you money. For example, if you’re in the market for a new home, use our online pre-qualification to learn how much you can afford. Open accounts online, track the UChoose Rewards® you earn with Rewards Checking, request a credit increase for your credit card and even chat online with someone in customer service!

Life is too short to waste time on banking. Streamline your banking and your money management with these and other great products at VCNB!

VCNB Is Saying Thanks!

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November is the month of Thanksgiving and we want to use this time to thank our customers for another great year. As a community bank we have the opportunity to not just meet our customers, but to get to know them, and we can say with certainty that some truly wonderful people bank with VCNB.

Here’s how we’re saying thanks:

Earn 5,000 Points – Customers both new and existing can earn 5,000 bonus points by opening a Rewards Checking account online now through the end of the year. Rewards Checking has been extremely popular with our customers and employees because it provides the opportunity to earn UChoose® Rewards Points for every day banking habits. That means you can earn points for dollars spent with your debit card, for using Bill Pay and other VCNB products.  Those points can be used for gift cards for your favorite restaurants and retailers, for gifts, travel and even cash back! Click here to learn more about Rewards Checking.

Free Mobile Deposit – Mobile Deposit is now free for VCNB Mobile customers! Use the camera on your smart phone to take pictures of your check inside the VCNB Mobile app. Your check is deposited into the checking or savings account of your choice, saving you a trip to the bank!

No Purchase Fee Gift Cards – We all have folks on our list who are hard to buy for or who simply like to receive gift cards for holidays and birthdays. Through December 31, our VCNB prepaid gift cards are now free of purchase fees. These cards can be used anywhere that Mastercard© is accepted. Secure, even for online purchases, this is a great gift for anyone. Prepaid gift cards are available in any denomination up to $1,000.

Giving Back – We try to be good neighbors by supporting community organizations and events throughout the year. During the holidays we like to partner with our customers to help some special organizations that are close to our hearts. Every VCNB office is accepting monetary contributions to assist a local organization including food banks, Project Backpack and even a local humane society. Stop by your local office to find out what we’re doing in your neighborhood.

Contests – Throughout November and December we are giving away a $100 gift card every week to one lucky winner on Facebook. Visit our page to learn more about our weekly contests! 

We love our customers and hope you will love the things we are doing to say thanks!  Learn more by clicking here!

 

 

 

Rake In The Points At VCNB!

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With the arrival of September, we’ve noticed that some leaves are starting to turn colors and fall. While raking leaves in your back yard isn’t so fun, we think you’ll like our offer to “Rake in the Points” this fall.

Rake in the Points is our latest offer for new Rewards Checking customers to receive 5,000 extra points when they sign up online.*

We bet you’re wondering what these points are all about. Customers who use VCNB Rewards Checking earn UChoose Rewards® points for their regular banking habits. Customers can earn points for using Online Bill Pay, Direct Deposit, and for making automatic loan payments. They also earn one point for every three dollars spent using their debit card. Additional point earning opportunities are available to customers. Read more here.

These points can be redeemed for gift cards, cash back, concert tickets, travel, merchandise and more! Rewards Checking offers so much added value that we’re seeing more and more customers embrace  the Rewards Checking lifestyle every day!  Click here to read an example of how an average customer might earn points.

Opening an account online is easy and can be done in five easy steps. What are you waiting for? Put down that rake and pull up a chair. You can rake in the points at VCNB with just the click of your mouse!

*Limit two per household. Personal accounts only. Account must be opened online and have a $100 minimum deposit, an activated debit card and a debit card registered with UChooserewards.com within 60 days of opening account to receive the bonus. Points will be awarded within 30 days of meeting criteria.

 

Peace, Love and Points Offer Ends Soon

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Peace, Love and Points has been our theme here at VCNB all summer long and we’ve had a fun time embracing our inner hippie. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and this campaign is no different. Have you taken advantage of this opportunity to earn up to 20,000 Bonus Points with a Rewards Checking and a Platinum Credit Card at VCNB?

It is good through August 31, both in office and on our website.

Customers who qualify for a Visa© Platinum Credit Card may receive a bonus of 10,000 UChoose Rewards® Points. With our Platinum Credit Card, customers can receive bonus points for using it to make regular purchases. Those points can be redeemed for gift cards, travel, experiences and merchandise.

Customers who open a new Rewards Checking account or switch an existing VCNB account to Rewards Checking will be eligible to receive a bonus of 5,000 points. Those who opt for self-service and open a Rewards Checking account online will be eligible to receive a bonus of 10,000 points.

To receive a Rewards Checking bonus, the customer must activate a debit card and register it through UChooseRewards.com within sixty days of account opening to receive the bonus. New accounts must be funded with a minimum $100 deposit within 30 days of account opening. Click here to read the full terms and conditions for this promotion.

Click here to open your Rewards Checking account online  or stop by any of our seventeen offices to apply for a Platinum Card or to open a Rewards Checking with one of our friendly staff.

What are you waiting for?  The summer of Peace, Love and Points will end soon but your point earning opportunities with Rewards Checking and a Platinum Visa will continue every time you use them!

Have You Tried Rewards Checking?

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We have been amazed at the customer response to our new VCNB Rewards Checking account. When we introduced this account to customers last year, we knew we had something special but we weren’t expecting such an incredible response. Months later, we continue to hear from customers about how much they love this account and we are simply delighted. After all, community banks are about providing personal service to customers and providing them with the banking tools they need and want.

If you haven’t tried Rewards Checking, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a checking account that rewards you for your regular banking habits. You receive points for spending money with your debit card, for using direct deposit and Online Bill Pay, among other things. We even give you points to get you started when you open the account.

Those points can be used to receive cash back and gift cards for major retailers and restaurants. You can also use those points for travel expenses, merchandise and experiences like concert tickets.

We are thrilled to offer this account and to reward our customers for their loyalty.

If you have signed up for Rewards Checking, we have a reminder for you: Be sure to register your debit card with the UChoose Rewards® website so that you can begin earning and spending all those points! Registering is very simple and can be done by clicking here.

Once you’re registered, take a look for special offers under the “Earn Points” tab. Here you will find point earning opportunities that are only good online as well as some special opportunities that must be activated to learn. You can also browse all the great things you can redeem your points for under the “Redeem Points” tab.

Learn more about Rewards Checking by visiting our website.

We sometimes offer bonus rewards points so pay attention for those offers as well!