Budgeting 101

Posted on February 18, 2021 by vcnbfamily

The hardest part of any budget is getting started. Gather your income and bills and just dive in!

Whether you are a spender or a saver, one of the scariest words in the English language is the word BUDGET. Where do you start? Is it hard to make one? What’s it really meant to accomplish? More importantly, how do you stick to a budget?

First, take a deep breath and know that there is nothing scarier than not knowing what happens to all your money. Your budget is just a tool to help you determine where your money goes. It’s that simple.

The best way to get started is to work on one month at a time.

Before you begin

Choose your tools – You need to decide if you want your budget to be digital, say in a budgeting app or an Excel spreadsheet, or if you’re going old school with paper and pen. There’s no right answer to this. Some people prefer the pretty graphs and automated math features found in an app. Others find it grounding to sit down with a piece of paper and a calculator.

Gather documentation – To make an effective budget, you must know how much you make and how much you spend. So take the time to gather up all your bills including utilities, rent or mortgage, car payments, insurances, daycare bills, tuition payments, and anything else you pay. Do you have things that you pay less than monthly? You’ll need to plan for annual property taxes or quarterly car insurance too.

Getting Started

Make a list – Make a list of every bill you will pay this month, estimate the cost and add it all up. Now add up your income and take a long, hard look at how much money is left after you pay your bills.

Non-bills – What else do you buy each month? You will need groceries and gas for the car. Do you have a gym membership? What about clothes, movies, eating out and other fun purchases? Don’t forget about birthdays, vacations and holiday gifts. Make a list of everything you spend money on. Are there big purchases that you need to save for every month? Do you even know how much you spend on these things? Look back through your credit card and bank statements to get an honest feel for how much you’re really spending on these extras

Pay yourself –Saving money is important so don’t forget to save for retirement and emergencies. Most Americans are woefully unprepared for even a $500 emergency but tucking away a little each pay will help you be ready.

Add it up – Take a moment to add up all these bills, discretionary spending and saving. How does it look? Is your spending outpacing your income? Are you incurring credit card debt for clothes, dining out and vacations? This can be a sobering moment in the budgeting process and will determine your next steps.

The reckoning – How do you feel about what you’ve learned so far? Did you realize you were spending so much on food? Do you see room for cutting expenses? Are you pleased with where you are? For most first time budgeters, there is something shocking about this complete snapshot of their spending habits. Once you reach this point in the process, it may be time to go back and start making some edits.

Working the puzzle – Most Americans are living at or above their means. If this is the case for you, building an effective budget will be like working a puzzle. You may need to look at cutting some costs to make that puzzle fit together more easily.

Looking ahead – If you have large quarterly or annual expenses to plan for, it’s smart to look ahead and consider the best ways to do that. Often, the easiest thing is to budget a little every month and then use automatic transfers from your checking to savings so that you’re not bearing the burden all at once.

Every month – You will need a budget for every month. Eventually, you may find that it’s easy to simply copy last month’s budget with some small changes while other months require more work. It’s often most effective to budget an entire quarter at once so that you get a broader view of your needs.

The Hard Part

The hardest part to any budget is sticking to it. It’s easy to get carried away on vacation or to forget all about it when the kids need shoes. That’s why it’s important to check in with your budget before making purchases and to make needed adjustments. Remember, your budget isn’t carved in stone. It’s a living, breathing document that is most effective when it’s kept updated and when it’s used.

Are you ready to get started with a budget that will put your money to work for you? There’s no better time to start than today!

We also offer tips for sticking to a budget and ideas for saving money when you need to trim some costs.

What Do Our Lenders Wish Customers Knew About Home Loans?

Posted on February 9, 2021 by vcnbfamily

Building or buying a home can be stressful. There are countless decisions to be made and processes to follow that customers typically don’t experience often. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced banker who can show you the way. We asked some of our experienced lenders what they want customers to know prior to financing a home.

Mortgage Loan Officer Brooke Adams works at our Ross County Banking Center in Chillicothe where she provides borrowers with a checklist of items she will need to start their loan application.

She pointed out that there are many moving parts and pieces of any mortgage or construction loan process at the bank as well as through other individuals including appraisers, surveyors and the title company. Working within their individual timelines can create some challenges. “Each person involved in the many steps of the process have the same goal – to help the person close on their loan. However, in this big mortgage boom, we all have to be patient with turn-around times.”

Chad Meadows, a Mortgage Loan Officer at our Friendly Banking Center in Lancaster spoke specifically about the effort involved in building a home. “It’s always a pleasure to help customers realize their dream of building a home which will probably be their largest investment within their lifetime,” he said.

He suggests that customers speak with a lender prior to meeting with a builder to insure they are setting realistic financial expectations. “Realizing this dream and making it a reality requires coanstant communications between the homeowner, builder and lender. The continuity of this team is paramount for a successful project. It is most helpful to speak with a lender prior to meeting with the builder to accomplish realistic financial goals from the start.”

He elaborated on why this is important. “Items such as property taxes, insurance and monthly mortgage payments are a necessity to set realistic expectations for their dream home. This also helps the builder to save time and resources to effectively initiate the project on the right path. Accomplishing these few objectives in the beginning along with the team communicating consistently will make for a smooth and effortless construction project.”

Salt Creek Banking Center Senior Retail Lender Doug DeLong said that there is never a perfect time to take the leap but that there are practical reasons that make this the right time. “I would tell customers that now’s the time to do it! Rates have literally never been lower. With the costs of construction materials pretty high right now, the customer can more than make up for it with the extremely low interest rates.”

Still not sure if you’re ready to take the first step toward buying or building your next home? Our lenders will be happy to answer your questions. “It is pure joy at the end of the day to watch a borrower achieve the dream of owning a home or buy that next home to grow their family.” Adams said.

Contact our Customer Service team at 1.800.542.5004 or contact a lender close to you!

Debbie Pickett Will Retire Friday

Posted on January 14, 2021 by vcnbfamily

It’s a new year and soon to be a fresh start for Debbie Pickett who will retire tomorrow. She joined the bank family nearly twenty years ago when she came in to do some business and was invited to apply for a job. That was twenty years and a few job titles ago. While she still enjoys her job, she says it is time to go.

“I had it in my mind that I would retired at 65 and I’m almost there,” she said. “After all, you have to weigh how long you want to work with what you want to do when you finally retire and have time to do the things you enjoy.”

Debbie Picket Retires Debbie started out as a teller at the Friendly Bremen Banking Center on West Fair in Lancaster. Since that beginning in 2001, she has taken on other new and challenging positions both on the front line and behind the scenes. “Friendships grew with staff and customers. I have deep respect for those working on the front line. I became the receptionist there before moving to the East Main branch as Ned Hinton’s processor for several years. I learned so much from different seasoned employees which helped me later as I was promoted to a loan officer.”

She went on to serve as Branch Manager at our West Fair location but had developed a curiosity about the bank’s Indirect Department.

“I thought it was interesting, working with all our dealers. I was able to join the department full time in 2015 and have enjoyed working with our dealerships to grow our relationships for auto and other financing opportunities,” she recalled. “I like the relationship that we build with our dealers that provide trust and loyalty to us which in turn provides us with new customers to offer our services to. They choose to do business with us from our personal attention and reputation of good service.”

Before joining the bank family, Debbie had a varied career that started when she was a young car hop at Kenny’s, a popular hangout on Memorial Drive before she went into office supplies and even funeral planning. “I have always worked. It’s exciting to think I won’t have to anymore but it’s strange at the same time. What will it be like to not get up and go to work for someone else?”

The good news is that Debbie has a lot to keep her busy. She has been saving projects for around the house and especially looks forward to having more time with family including her husband Mark, a daughter, a son, and grandkids.

“I often work after hours and on Saturdays so it will be wonderful to have more free time when the kids are not in school. I won’t have to wait for a day off to plan time with them. It’s also important to be available for my little granddaughters to come over to visit and to spend time at my grandsons’ sporting events. Being involved in their lives means a lot to me.”

Debbie has worked from home for much of the last year and says this time at home has aided in the transition to retirement. “I miss spending time at the office and the people I see there. But maybe having this separation from the office will make the shift to retirement a little easier,” she said. “I have developed friendships with so many of my coworkers. I’m sure to miss all those people.”

She expects to make a cake with her family to celebrate tomorrow night. “Every time we make a cake lately, my granddaughters want to sing the Happy Birthday song. I can hear them changing the words to ‘Happy Retirement to you!” she laughed.

“I have a lot to look forward to and I’m going to enjoy just enjoying life!”

Your Dreams Matter To Us

Posted on January 8, 2021 by vcnbfamily

At Vinton County National Bank, we have spent over 150 years helping customers reach for their dreams. It’s actually our favorite thing to do.

There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping a young person buy their first home, a family take their dream vacation, or to see eyes light up when a customer realizes their dream home is within reach.

But dreams can be lofty and it’s not always easy for individuals to know where to start. That’s ok because we have experienced, proven lenders who not only know where to start but who can also guide you down the road ahead.

There are few dreams bigger than building a house. Most customers have a floor plan, they have a vision of a big kitchen with a farm sink or a living room with just the right spot for the Christmas tree. Few are experienced with choosing a contractor or the hiccups that come with every home built.

We will guide you through this process because your dreams matter to us.

Ready to build? Now is a great time to start! Visit VCNBConstruction.com to get started.

Audit Your Expenses To Boost Your Savings This Year

Posted on January 5, 2021 by vcnbfamily

Saving Money.

It’s a goal that many of us have. We want to save money, to put away something for a rainy day or maybe for a sunny one at the beach. But, let’s be honest. Saving money can be hard when it seems there is an endless stream of expenses and needs that throw our savings goals off track.

Looking for ways to cut costs is a good start toward saving more money.

There are typically two ways to save money – either make more or spend less. Today, we will focus on spending less.

For most Americans, there isn’t one easy fix that will save them a ton of money but there usually are some small savings opportunities that add up to a good bit in a month or year. Some require research. Others require lifestyle changes, discipline and maybe some inconveniences in the name of cutting costs.

The first thing you need to do is understand how you spend your money in the first place. Is it all eaten up by bills and debt? Are you spendy when it comes to eating out? Do you blow all your money shopping online?

Keep a log of every dollar you spend and then honestly consider opportunities for cutbacks. It’s smart to audit your own spending and bills every year.

Examine Your Monthly Bills – When was the last time you shopped your car or homeowners insurance? What about internet, phone and television? Are you paying for a landline that no one uses? Call the cable or dish company to ask for a discount or consider alternate means of watching your favorite shows. If your mortgage is high, refinancing could be an option for you. A few simple phone calls could save you a lot.

Scrutinize Memberships And Subscriptions – Chances are you are paying an annual fee for something you don’t need or a magazine or website you don’t use. Review your credit card statements as many of these expenses auto renew. If you never go to the gym, that $20 a month could be better spent elsewhere.

Study Your Habits – If you eat lunch out five times a week and average $10 per lunch, that’s $2,600 a year. Maybe you can pack part of the time. If you shop when you’re bored, bring home take-out because you’re unprepared for dinner, or make purchases without looking for a deal there is room for savings. What habits are you willing to change in the name of having more available cash?

Avoid Late and Overdraft Fees– Always pay your bills on time to avoid late fees. The easiest way to do this is to automate your payments and this can be done with VCNB Online Bill Pay. Also, keep tabs on exactly how much money you have in your checking account to avoid overdraft fees.

Pay Yourself First – When you’re cutting expenses, be sure to safeguard your savings by tucking away that money in a savings account. If you save $40 a month on car insurance, set up an automatic transfer to your savings account each month. By the end of the year, you’ll have $480!

Save Those Windfalls – If you get a bonus at work or a tax refund, transfer those funds to your savings account. Use this good fortune to give your savings a boost!

The bottom line is that the way to savings is often through mindful spending. You work hard for your money. Be smart about how you spend it so you can save more.

Looking Back On A Year Of Giving

Posted on December 28, 2020 by vcnbfamily

Looking back on 2020, we can say this year has been unlike any other we’ve seen in our 153 year history. This global pandemic has changed the way we do business, how we are entertained, how we interact with loved ones, and in countless other ways.

It has been challenging and scary for many who are suffering economically or because of their health. That’s why we have committed to working with our customers who have struggled due to income loss this year. We also continue supporting our communities in the best way we know how – through volunteerism and monetary donations.

Our employees log hundreds of hours volunteering in their communities every year and have continued to do so when safe this year as well. You’ll find them helping at food pantries, serving on boards and lending a hand at animal shelters. They give blood, are leaders in their churches, visit nursing homes and seek other ways to make a difference.

Our branches have donated nearly $300,000 to causes important to their communities. Those causes come in many forms. We have supported events like the drive-thru Pataskala Cookie Walk, a Chamber event that gave local families a socially distanced and fun way to welcome the holidays.

We bought livestock at county fairs, supporting the age old tradition of 4-H members learning useful skills and responsibility while caring for their animals.

We’ve donated to some big projects too. The Logan Theater project will provide local teens a place to go after school and a place for movies to roll and the arts to come alive in downtown Logan.

Donations were made to high school programs, libraries, and food pantries. In McArthur, we donated care packages of non-perishable food and snacks to be sent home with local kids when schools were closed.

We even gave away $2,020 to a graduating high school senior from each of the counties where we have a branch.

Supporting our local communities and people and the causes important to them is important to us. As we bid farewell to 2020, we look with hope for the new year ahead. From our bank family to yours, we wish you a new year that is happy, healthy and prosperous.

Charlotte McCarty To Retire On New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 23, 2020 by vcnbfamily

When Charlotte McCarty rings in the new year, she will do so as a retired person. In fact, New Year’s Eve will be her last day on the job after a 26 year career at Vinton County National Bank.

Charlotte McCarty will wrap up her 26 year career at VCNB when she retires on New Year’s Eve.

She began her career as a part time teller, a position that grew into a full time job. She has held a few titles including Head Teller, Branch Service Manager and now Branch Manager. Through it all, she has served the customers of our Wilkesville branch where she has gotten to know scores of people who she says she will miss. “I’m looking forward to retiring but I’ll miss the people a lot. We have customers who I’ll miss. Plus we have some wonderful employees who I’ll miss too,” she said.

Charlotte has worked for the bank for 26 years and has spent most of them with coworker Alice Mccloud who just retired last week. “We live close enough we can see each other sometimes but it will be strange not seeing her every day,” Charlotte laughed.

She didn’t intend to get into banking. A friend who worked at VCNB called and asked if she would be interested in the job. “I didn’t know anything about banking and wasn’t sure I could even do the job. But I really enjoyed it when I got the hang of things.

One important part of community banking is building relationships with customers and she is especially good at doing that. “The thing about working in a small community is that you get to know almost everyone and they get to know you. It feels good when someone calls and asks for you. It tells you that you’re doing something right – that you’ve built a relationship with that person and they trust you to take care of them,” she explained.

While she says she will miss those human connections, Charlotte looks forward to having free time for the things she enjoys. “I just like the idea of being able to do what I please, when I want to. It will be nice to get into sewing more or to get in the car and go somewhere. I’m hoping to do some gardening and take better care of my flowers. I always have good intentions in the morning and think of all the things I’ll do when I get home after work but sometimes I’m lucky just to make dinner and do dishes. It’s hard to keep up.”

Her husband Denver has been retired for a few years. “It has been hard to get up and leave home on cold, frosty mornings when he gets to stay home,” she laughed. “Now I can stay in or we can go to Amish Country or something. I was up there a while back and did some fun things but I really loved just driving around a looking at things. I hope to do more of that.”

Charlotte and Denver have two grown children and three grandchildren. Denver pastors the Fairview Church of Christ in Christian Union and the couple have been involved in the church for their entire married life. She has taken on many roles including Sunday School teacher and song leader. She also is a talented seamstress who made over 200 masks early in the pandemic and has made special occasion dresses including her daughter’s wedding gown and all the dresses for the bridal party.

“Sometimes I think I might come to really miss working. I like staying busy and I like the people. This has been a good place to work. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to work all these years but I’m glad that I’ll have more time for me.”

Meet Your Banker: Jodi Motta

Posted on December 18, 2020 by vcnbfamily

When Jodi Motta talks about her role as a Regional Manager at VCNB, she rarely talks about herself. Instead, she discusses the team she manages, the people who have helped her along the way, and the drive she has to be better every day.

Perhaps that’s why she thrived in the leadership training programs offered by the Community Bankers Association of Ohio (CBAO). Motta recently completed the organization’s Advanced Leadership Development Program. Before that, she completed their Emerging Leader Program as well.

Jodi Motta is a Regional Retail Manager for VCNB and is known for developing others.

“There are many opportunities to help others and developing people is my passion. My motivation comes from helping others grow,” she said. “Maybe that’s because it’s important to me that I grow every day and because I’ve had so many people help me. Developing others is a true passion.”

Jodi’s path to becoming a successful member of the VCNB family actually began at Kroger where she started as a teenaged bagger. She went to college while working her way up at Kroger until landing in the back office. “Much of the work was similar to teller work. Balancing cashiers, money orders, some supervisory too so it really was good training for my banking career.”

She started as a teller for the Friendly Bremen Banking Center in Bremen in 2000 before making a shift to the Loan Operations Department. Here she learned all the back end processes of banking and worked with experienced employees who were happy to teach her.

She eventually made the shift back to retail to manage our Bremen branch before becoming a Regional Manager in 2009. While VCNB is just her second employer, she says she gained knowledge and was helped by others every single day and that those experiences have helped her become a better leader.

Her most recent accomplishment, graduating the CBAO Advanced Leadership Development Program earlier this month, was a ten month journey along with just a handful of other bankers who represented various departments of banks of all sizes. “Everyone came from different backgrounds and departments and brought a diverse perspective to the conversation,” she said.

Their instructor asked each participant of the elite program to bring live problems for class discussion and for one-on-one coaching sessions. “It was helpful to be coached through real life situations and to see the results,” Jodi explained.

One of her strategies is finding someone’s strengths and passions and to help them use those tools. “A lot of people don’t know their own strengths, they don’t give themselves enough credit and underestimate where they are. If you can help them identify their strengths, help build their confidence, they will grow,” she continued. “It’s a great strategy to use when building your team. When you, as a leader, can identify everyone’s strengths and develop them your team will succeed.“

Jodi admits that she has high expectations for her team but she holds herself to high standards as well. “I never want to feel like I’m not pushing myself to grow and learn new things and to be a better leader. I have high expectations for my team and push them to be better because I know they’re awesome and I know they’re capable.”

She is actually known for reviewing her own performance on each project or even when facilitating a meeting. “Anytime I do something, I like ask myself what I could have done differently. What could I do better next time to get better results? It’s important to always do this because there is always room to improve and grow, to learn from your experiences.”

The Sugar Grove native has been married to her husband Chris for 22 years. They have three children who keep her very busy. “I guess you could say my hobbies involve spending time with my kids and their activities. Marching band, sporting events – those things and spending time with my extended family keeps me busy,” she exclaimed.

Jodi serves on the Lancaster Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce Board and is a board member and Treasurer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County. “That organization is very near and dear to my heart. Anything that has to do with children and developing young minds is important and this organization pairs young people with adults or ‘bigs’ as we call them. Every child deserves to grow up knowing that someone believes in them and sees their potential.”

She is known for encouraging others and for supporting those who wish to work in community banking. “Working in any aspect of community banking is very rewarding. It is a profession that offers a variety of opportunities for career growth and development.”

Perhaps that’s why she rarely meets a colleague without extending the offer to help if they ever need advice or just someone to listen on a bad day. “I like to help people understand their why. Sometimes you don’t know what’s bugging you, you just know you’re having a bad day. Understanding the why can help you work through it. In the bigger picture, knowing your purpose and understanding your why will help you to grow, to succeed and to be better.”

Alice McCloud Will Retire On Christmas Eve

Posted on December 17, 2020 by vcnbfamily

Longtime VCNB employee Alice McCloud is giving herself the gift of retirement this Christmas. In fact, Christmas Eve will be her last day as a teller in our Wilkesville branch. “I don’t think it has really sunk in yet that I won’t be coming back after Christmas. It doesn’t feel real yet,” Alice said.

Alice McCloud will retire on Christmas Eve.

Real or not, the day is fast approaching and Alice said that she is excited even though she will miss the people she works with and many of her customers. “I enjoy my coworkers and how we all get along. We help each other out and no matter what comes up, we work together. It’s fun being a part of that,” she said.

She also talked at length about her customers and what they mean to her. “Our customers are all so great. They make you feel like part of their family because they kid with you, they joke, and stand and talk to you even when they’ve finished their business. We have so many wonderful customers that I’ll miss,” she said.

She talked about helping regular customers and getting to know their needs. “You get to know them, you remember their account numbers and sometimes I know what they want before they tell me. That makes them feel good,” she said.

While she will miss the people she encounters at work, she looks forward to having more free time and to doing the things that she enjoys best. “Family. I want to see my family more. I’m looking forward to having more time for my hobbies and crafts too.”

She has a grown daughter and two grandchildren who she hopes to see more. She enjoys needlepoint, cross stitch and reading as well. Alice also hopes to do some traveling in the form of day trips. She enjoys getting out to hike and sightsee. “There are a lot of places I would like to see that are close but I could never get around to visiting. It’s hard when you work all day, all week and you try to fit everything into a weekend,” she explained.

Alice is a self-proclaimed homebody who likes to call herself “a plain old person.” However, there is a part of Alice’s life story that isn’t at all boring and that is actually inspiring.

After the end of a “not so great relationship,” Alice went back to school and got her degree from the University of Rio Grande more than twenty years ago. ‘I always told my daughter that school was important and thought I should act like it,’ she said. The single mom was older than most of her classmates and sometimes even older than her professors. “The first time I walked into a class and my teacher was younger than me, I wanted to turn around and walk out,” she laughed. “It was a lot of work and it was hard to get back into the swing of studying and doing homework but I’m so proud of myself for doing it.”

She saw a number of life changes while pursuing her education. It was during this time Alice met Keith, the man who would become her husband. She also started working part time at the bank. “When we started dating, I told him that I wasn’t looking to get married or anything until I could take care of myself and stand on my own two feet. That was important to me that I be able to do that for myself.”

Today, the pair have been married for 22 of the 29 years they have been together. She says he’s a good guy and a great cook and that she looks forward to spending more time together when she retires.

As for that degree, she never actually put it to use. “I went full time at the bank at about the same time I graduated and didn’t really want to leave. The bank has been good to me, it’s like a big family here, and I have always enjoyed what I do,” she said.

With her last day fast approaching, Alice said she will miss working but has much to look forward to in the future. “I will miss it. Coming here every day is like being part of a family but I’m looking forward to having time for myself.”

Make Deposits At The ATM

Posted on December 15, 2020 by vcnbfamily

Need to make a quick deposit or get some cash on the go? You probably knew that you can get cash from the ATM but you can also deposit cash and checks at your local VCNB ATM. The ATMs at all of our branches have updated machines with advanced capabilities.

These new machines can read images. That means that the customer can insert cash and checks without an envelope. Just follow instructions on the screen to receive immediate credit for up to $500 per day. The remainder of the balance will be processed and credit will be given next business day if deposited before 2 p.m. and on the second business day if deposited after 2 p.m.

This service gives customers 24 hour access to deposit funds to their accounts without waiting in a drive-thru lane or visiting a branch lobby.

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