VCNB Rewards Checking has opened a new world of opportunity for our customers to earn points toward things they want! Gift cards, cash back, travel and other great rewards are available.
Ever wonder what other people are saving their UChoose Rewards® points for? We asked some of our employees to tell us about their savings goals!
Here are their answers. Click to enlarge:
What are you saving your UChoose® Rewards points for? Don’t have VCNB Rewards Checking? Learn more and open an account here!
Let’s face it. Back to School time is expensive and it’s busy. Between school functions, extracurricular sports and the flurry of other activities that occur in the fall, most of us are on the go all the time. While debit and credit card usage is on the rise, many of our customers find themselves without cash – sometimes when they need it most.
That’s where Popmoney® Personal Payment Service can come in handy. This service allows customers to send funds to other people using just their mobile phone number or email address.
That’s right. You don’t need their bank account information to send funds. You don’t have to stop at the bank or the ATM. Just login to your bank account via online banking or our mobile banking app to get started.
Just think how useful it could be if you are sharing a bill with someone or if you owe money to a friend. It’s Saturday night and you’re having pizza out with friends. Instead of making your poor waiter split the bill five ways, have one person pay and everyone else can just reimburse the buyer by sending the money via Popmoney!
Your neighbor is replacing their like new kitchen table and is offering you first dibs for a good price. You don’t have the cash on you but you can send them the money right from their living room with just a few clicks on your phone.
Your niece is away at college and is always desperate for spending money. You take pity on her and want to give her a little extra but want to do it more quickly than sending a check in the mail. If you send it via Popmoney she can have it before the leftover pizza is gone.
Whether you are sending or receiving money, Popmoney is easy to use. It does cost .50 per transaction to send money but it’s free to receive. If you have a Rewards Checking account with VCNB you can earn a few rewards points when you use Popmoney.
To get started with Popmoney, just sign in to your online or mobile bank account. Click on Online Bill Pay and look for the Popmoney tab.
Lots of our customers are signing up for Rewards Checking and are excited to find ways to earn points with UChoose Rewards®. Here are a few ways points can be earned.
Swipe your card(s)
Receive one point for every $3 spent with your debit card. Have a VCNB Platinum Visa® Favor Credit Card? Earn one point for every dollar spent when you swipe this card.
Direct Deposit
You’re receiving a paycheck anyway. Now you can earn ten points for one direct deposit per monthly cycle.
Swipe your debit card more
Swipe your debit card 21 or more times during a monthly cycle and receive 200 bonus points! Earning points was never so easy.
Online Bill Pay
Pay bills with VCNB Online Bill Pay to earn even more! Receive twenty points per transaction and receive up to 100 points per monthly cycle simply for paying your bills. Just remember, if you sign up for Bill Pay, you must make at least one payment during the calendar month or you will be assessed a $3 fee.
Popmoney ® Personal Payment Service
Send money to someone with Popmoney® and earn 50 points per transaction. You can earn up to 200 points just using this service you may already be using. At .50 per transaction to use Popmoney®, it’s cheaper than mailing a check!
New Savings Account
Receive a 1,000 point one-time bonus at the time of account opening when you open a new savings account.
One more thing. We will reward your loyalty to VCNB with 500 Anniversary rewards points. This will happen every year for the life of the account! Also be sure to check in with us periodically – we may offer future promotions for loan accounts.
Don’t have Rewards Checking? Learn more about this account here. Have an account but still need to sign up for UChoose Rewards? Click here to get started.
This is a big day here at VCNB. That’s because we have released a new product to our customers and frankly, we couldn’t be happier.
This week marks the debut of VCNB Rewards Checking. With Rewards Checking you can earn UChoose Rewards® points just doing what you always do – buying things with your debit or Platinum Visa® card and by using bank products.
We’ll give you points for having direct deposit, for automatic loan payments and for some other things you may already be doing with us. The more you use your card and the more VCNB products you use, the more points you will earn.
Points can be redeemed through UChoose for cash back, gift cards, travel, concert tickets and all sorts of other great things! Essentially, we’re rewarding you for your loyal business with VCNB!
Many of our employees have been testing Rewards Checking this summer and are thrilled with their points earnings. To reward you even more, we are offering 5,000 bonus points if you sign up for Rewards Checking before December 31, 2015.
There is a monthly service charge of $7 which will be imposed each statement cycle. However, you can receive a $7 credit to your account each statement cycle by either completing fifteen or more debit card transactions per statement cycle or by maintaining a combined monthly total deposit relationship of $5,000.
Want to sign up? It’s easy! If you are an existing VCNB customer, just contact an account representative and ask to switch. If you’re a new customer, you can sign up either online or at any of our seventeen bank locations. Once you have signed up for Rewards Checking, you will need to take just a few minutes to login to the UChoose Rewards website to register your debit card before you will begin earning points.
You can learn more about Rewards Checking and the 5,000 point promotion by clicking http://www.vintoncountybank.com/rewardschecking/.
What are you waiting for? Rewards Checking is HERE! Sign up today!
It’s the height of summer and we’re ready for some fun! That’s why we are hosting a Backyard BBQ in Ashville. The Pickaway County Banking Center will host this free event from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday. It will take place behind our bank at 26 E. Main St. in the heart of town.
Bring the entire family and your appetite because we’ll have free food, lemonade and ice tea as well as door prizes. There will also be free bounce houses for the kids. While they play, you can visit with our bank staff and executives from the VCNB Financial Family.
Ashville Branch Manager Kati Maple explained the purpose of having this event. “We are having this backyard bbq to show appreciation to our customers and introduce ourselves to anyone who is not familiar with our bank,” Maple said.
We hope to meet community members and to visit with customers so stop by and enjoy a free evening with your family and our VCNB family!
How savvy are you when it comes to protecting yourself from fraud? Earlier this week we discussed what we do to keep your VCNB accounts safe. Today we want to talk about what you can do to protect yourself.
Protect Your Information
Sometimes you have to provide personal information for legitimate business reasons. For example, you are required to provide personal information when you open a bank account, apply for a credit card or enroll in college. However, you should avoid giving out this personal information unless absolutely necessary. Examples of personal information that should be kept personal include:
Address and Zip Code
Phone Number
Date of Birth
Social Security Number
Card or Account Number
Card Expiration Date
There is some information that you should NEVER share with anyone else. Passwords and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) should absolutely never be shared and should always be kept private.
Using Your Card
Be attentive and vigilant when using your card at an ATM, in a store or a restaurant. Always cover your card and PIN and watch for anything out of place including:
Online Safety
Never respond to unsolicited emails that request personal information or that ask you to verify your card or account number. Legitimate businesses do not send these types of emails. Also beware of links to websites. A website may look legitimate but may collect data or even install spyware on your computer.
Plan Ahead
Are you traveling? If traveling abroad, contact VCNB before you leave. We can provide assistance and advice to help keep you safe on your journey. If traveling domestically, you do not need to contact us but it is wise to make some purchases along the way. Headed to the beach? Use your card to book the hotel and purchase gas along the way.
Also, make sure we can always reach you if we suspect fraud. Be sure to keep your current home, cell and work phone numbers on file with us. If we suspect fraudulent activity on your account, we need to reach you as soon as possible.
As we told you yesterday, we never solicit personal information via phone, email or text message. If someone contacts you requesting account information, your social security number, PIN, passwords or other personal information, do not provide this information. The bottom line is you should trust your instincts. If it feels suspicious it probably is. If you missed yesterday’s post, be sure to check it out.
Fraud is on the rise, putting every American at risk of becoming a victim. This is why the security of your VCNB accounts is our number one goal. In everything we do, every decision we make, we first consider the risk involved and how our actions will affect your security.
We have systems in place to keep your Debit/ATM card and your VCNB accounts safe and secure. To protect your account, we monitor your transactions for possible fraudulent activity 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
What is potential fraudulent activity? Some red flags include a string of expensive purchases inconsistent with your usual spending patterns or a sudden change of locale. We also look for patterns associated with new fraud trends around the world.
For example, if you purchase gasoline in Lancaster, Ohio just hours after a purchase is made in Florida, this would raise a red flag. A series of purchases for hundreds of dollars of merchandise may also be cause for concern.
If we suspect fraudulent activity, our monitoring agency will call you to verify the validity of your transactions. It is imperative that you respond to this call to prevent additional risk and avoid restrictions that we may place on your card for your protection.
If we contact you:
If we are unable to reach you, the transaction that triggered the suspected fraud may not be approved. Also, your card may be temporarily restricted to prevent your exposure to fraud.
It is imperative that we reach you if potential fraud is detected so please keep VCNB apprised of your correct contact information including home, cell and work phone numbers, email address and home address.
Also remember that our policy is to never solicit personal information via phone, email or text message. If someone contacts you requesting account information, your social security number, PIN, passwords or other personal information, do not provide this information.
If you are uncertain about the validity of a contact you receive from someone claiming to represent VCNB, please call our Customer Service Department at 1.800.542.5004 or the number on the back of your card.
Want to learn more? Stay tuned. Later this week we’ll talk about what you can do to protect yourself and your accounts from fraud.
Let’s talk Christmas. We know it’s only August but it’s time.
Christmas is now less than five months away. That means in just a few months we will be celebrating this joyous season. What comes to mind? Family traditions, delicious food, stockings filled with candy and buying gifts? The song tells us it is the most wonderful time of the year but that isn’t the case for everyone.
Unfortunately, Christmas also is the most expensive, most stressful and most debt filled time of the year for millions of Americans. As Santa’s Wish List grows every year, so does the amount of debt Americans owe every January. If you typically are still paying for Christmas when Groundhog Day rolls around, now is the time to think about how to avoid debt and the interest that comes with it, beginning this year.
There are several ways you can tackle this problem. The first is to shop year round. If you need generic gifts for co-workers or if you already know what you are giving someone, watching sales and clearance racks is a great way to pick up nice gifts while saving a few dollars. If you buy just one or two gifts a month, when December rolls around you’ll be ahead of the game. Start with after-Christmas sales, to save a bundle for next year.
Another way to go is to begin saving a little bit each month. Start by adding up all your anticipated holiday expenses: gifts, cards, stamps, wrapping paper, bows, food, travel costs and anything else that is an added expense during the holiday season. There are five months until Christmas. Is it possible to save a fifth of the total each month?
If the answer is yes, that’s terrific! Start squirreling away the money today!
If the answer is no, think about how much you can save. Are there expenses you can trim to get you to your goal? Maybe you have something to sell. Maybe you can cut back on the holidays some and lower your savings expectations.
Even if you can save just a small amount of your goal before the holidays, it will give you a leg up when shopping season arrives.
Speaking of savings for the holidays, in October we will begin enrolling folks for the 2016 Christmas Club. You decide how much you would like to save each month and we will automatically take your payments from your checking or savings account. In October 2016, you’ll receive a check from us for the full amount of your Christmas Club savings. There is a $20 fee for an account that is closed early. See an account representative for details.
Imagine starting the year without Christmas debt. It can be done if you get organized and begin in advance!
This week is National Simplify Your Life Week. That sounds nice but sometimes simplification is the hardest thing you can do. Between work and family, it often feels like a struggle to just keep everyone fed and on time for school.
Since much of your life hinges on money – paying bills on time, buying groceries, saving money and the piece of mind that comes with knowing these things are done – we want to give you a quick overview of how you can simplify your money.
If you’re a VCNB customer, you have access to several of things that will make your life easier thanks to Online Banking and VCNB Mobile. Accessing accounts electronically really is a lifesaver for a lot of our customers. Need to save money? You can automate it and forget it. Have trouble paying bills on time? You can automate those too! Do you sometimes overdraw your checking account? Get a balance alert via text or email when you go below a certain balance!
Here are some features that will simplify your life:
Save Money
Experts say you should save ten to fifteen percent of your income toward retirement. They also recommend having an emergency fund to help with life’s little surprises. But are you actually saving? Schedule on-demand transfers from your checking to your savings. Better yet, set up automatic transfers to ensure it is done regularly. Automatic transfers can be scheduled for any amount on any day of the month. Just set it up once and watch your balance grow!
Think you won’t be able to leave your savings alone? A lot of our customers use Christmas Club accounts as a means to save. Regular transfers are made from your checking or savings account into a Christmas Club account. Since there is a $20 fee to access those funds before the Christmas Club cycle finishes, most customers successfully reach their savings goal.
Track Money
Do you sometimes overdraw your account? Wonder if your direct deposit hit your account? Forget to make a loan payment? Set up account alerts for these things and more. There are nineteen different account alerts that can be sent via text or email. If you need a gentle reminder that your car payment is due or if you want to know that a check cleared, we will let you know!
Do you have a lot of plastic in your wallet? Between credit cards and store rewards cards, most Americans are carrying a lot of plastic. You can personalize your VCNB debit card to make it easy to find. Upload your own picture or use one of ours for a $5 annual fee! Locating your debit card has never been simpler!
Pay Bills and Spend
It’s a fact of life. Busy people often pay bills late. Whether it’s a lack of time or stamps, or simple forgetfulness, it’s easy to incur a late fee. Streamline your bills with Online Bill Pay. You can put your payments on autopilot and schedule them to pay the same day every month or you can manually schedule payments as needed. Either way, the service is free as long as you use it at least once a month. Otherwise, there is a $3 monthly fee.
If you use Online Bill Pay, you also have access to Popmoney ® personal payment service. Popmoney allows you to send money to anyone with just their email or mobile phone number. Best of all, other people can send you money too! So the next time you split the cost of a gift for your boss you can just send your share via Popmoney. If you buy concert tickets for the gang, they all can send your share to you! The cost is .50 per transaction for the person who sends the funds.
Save Time
Online and on your mobile device, you can save yourself time by checking balances, paying bills and keeping things straight. But did you know you can also save yourself a trip to the bank? Use our mobile app to deposit a check for just .50! You can do this by logging into your mobile account and taking a picture of the front and back of the check. CLICK HERE for complete instructions and details. (W/LINK TO WEBSITE)
Still write checks? You can reorder those online as well!
Keep Us Close
Keep us close – on your computer, on your mobile device, in branch or over the phone. You can also chat with our Customer Service Department during business hours. Just visit our website and click the Green Chat Now button to start a conversation!
Phew! That’s a long list! How do you use VCNB to simplify your life? Tell us in the comments section!
Is this hot, humid weather starting to impact your budget? At VCNB we are always looking for ways to save a little money and to use our resources more efficiently. So today we are talking about ways to lower our summer cooling bill.
If you’re like a lot of our customers, you cool your home using either a central air conditioner or window units. Or maybe you simply use fans to keep the air moving and the windows open. Either way, there are methods you can use to keep air conditioners running efficiently, to prevent heat build-up and to prevent energy waste.
Here are some tips to get you started today:
Close the blinds Anything that prevents the sun from beating in and creating a greenhouse effect will make it easier for your AC unit to maintain cooler temps. If possible consider planting leafy trees or bushes that will provide shade for your home.
Look for leaks It sounds silly but you can lose a lot of cool air through small openings around doors and windows. Another major source of loss is around window air conditioning units. A few minutes sealing small drafts can help with energy bills year round. If you have a little extra money, consider adding insulation to your attic as well!
Clean the filters Keep your air conditioner in great working condition by cleaning the filters once every month and replacing them when necessary.
Program the thermostat While you may like your house at a comfortable 75 degrees when you’re home, there’s no need to keep the house so cool when you aren’t there. Invest in a programmable thermostat and set it to increase five to ten degrees while you are away from home and to return to a comfortable temperature an hour before you return.
Turn off the oven Turning on the oven heats up the house, forcing your air conditioner to work harder. Cook on the grill, in the microwave or on the stop top!
Set your air conditioning fan to auto This turns the fan motor off when the unit is not cooling. Using Auto rather than On can save you $15 to $25 a month during the summer.
Use ceiling fans Set ceiling fans to blow downward during the summer to circulate air rather than lowering your thermostat.
Thinking ahead When it’s time to replace your air conditioning unit, talk to a qualified air conditioning specialist who can determine the right size cooling system for your home. A unit that is too large for your house will operate as inefficiently as one that is too small. Also choose a higher SEER unit. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and basically rates the efficiency of a cooling unit. The higher the SEER number, the more cooling you will get for your dollar.
What are your techniques for keeping your home cool and your cold, hard cash in your wallet? Comment below!
VCNB Family 