American 1 Federal Credit Union’s Blog

If you’re coming to Teen Idol tonight (6 p.m., downtown Jackson), you don’t have to worry about thunder sticks (above) or snacks or talented teens.

Our tip? Bring a blanket or chair to sit on.

The Riverwalk Amphitheater is a comfy, cozy place to watch a music event. But to avoid grass stains on your shorts (it’s going to be warm!), bring something to sit on.

To get you warmed up, here are pictures of last year’s competition. See you tonight!

After some experimentation, I found out that our online banking service, A1@home, works just fine in the iPhone’s Mobile Safari browser, but I wondered how Bill Pay would work.

It turns out it works just fine (see above). You can zoom in to input your bill pay amounts, and while it lacks the fancy features like pop-up calendars, Bill Pay works like a charm.

So there you have it. Pay your bills anywhere you have a cell connection with American 1’s online Bill Pay and your iPhone.

After our Flip video camera arrived from Amazon.com, I took it out of the box and immediately started to shoot some video of our Home Office crew here in Jackson.

That’s them, plus a tour of the branch, in the video - waving hello and (mostly) looking pleased to be videotaped.

Recognize anyone?

If you were one of the brave folks who ventured out Friday to grab a new iPhone 3G - you survived the crowd, the lines, the servers crashing - you may wonder whether your American 1 A1@home online banking services are available through the phone’s internet browser, Safari.

Rest assured: accessing A1@home is easier than activating your phone was.

I pulled up our homepage and placed it as a bookmark on one of my home screens. Logging into A1@home works just like it does on your computer, and you’re able to view your accounts and balances.

We don’t have the fancy-schmancy mobile banking platforms some bigger banks do (must be all those fees they charge), but knowing you have access to your online banking anywhere you go is a good feeling. I still have to try out Bill Pay, but I’ll let you know as soon as I test it.

We’re wondering: how many members open up their statements when they receive them in the mail. Pick your choice above, then click the “VOTE” button. Be honest!

With doom and gloom in the economic world these days, it’s getting harder to put away any kind of savings for yourself - what with gas and food prices.

I stumbled on a NAFCU lesson plan on “Paying Yourself First” (the PDF file is here), and it had some items to think about.

Do you use a check-cashing business? Do you pay for extras like cable TV? If you get a raise or a bonus, do you spend it as soon as you get it?

NAFCU is the legislative lobbying group that fights for credit unions on Capital Hill, but they also look our for credit union members, and their “Pay Yourself First” program is good for getting tips on how to save even a little extra each week.

Our tip? Set up a Christmas or Vacation Club , if your financial institution has them, and use automatic deposits to sock away even $5 or $10 a week. Chances are you won’t miss that little bit of money, and each year - when the account matures - you can just keep rolling over the savings. After a while, you’ll have quite a bit saved up. Make it automatic is important; you won’t even think about it after a while.

Do you pay yourself first? What strategies do you use?

Last month was kind of a milestone: we had a Silver and a Bronze winner for our membership referral contest.

Alexis R. of Jackson (above) came in to open an account with her friend, Emily, and entered her name as the referral on a whim. As luck would have it, Alexis was picked as our $25 dollar winner in June.

“I was pretty excited,” Alexis says. “I’ve never won a contest before.”




Maricela Orozco of Jackson (above, with daughter Alondra) opened up an Eagle Earners account for all three of her kids. The shotgun approach worked, earning her a $50 cash prize.

Congratulations to both of our June membership winners. Only one more drawing to go before our big $1,000 cash prize is awarded, so keep referring new members and the winner could be you.

We in the credit union world are not big fans of so-called “pay-day lenders” - those businesses in strip malls and abandoned offices that offer “cash advance” loans for up to 400% APY.

So when this article about credit unions giving “Grace Loans” popped up in another credit union blog, it reminded me about the whole credit union philosophy: not for profit, not for charity, but for service. Isn’t that a great outlook? We’re not here to profit off our members’ money, or to give them “hand outs,” but to serve them in a responsible and beneficial way.

And that goes for our community, too. The recent articles on American 1 have highlighted that, yes, our many events help locals keep us in mind when they’re thinking about a financial institution, but in the end we hold community events because it gives families a chance to do something fun for absolutely nothing. No cost. No admission. Just bring the kids, walk through the door, and have a great time.

There are many ways to define “service,” but I think any definition shouldn’t be limited to money matters alone. What does being a “good” person mean? What about a “successful” business?

We define “service” in many ways, and we hope that you take advantage of all of them. That’s what we’re here for.

Tomorrow, July 4, all American 1 branches will be closed to celebrate Independence Day. Branches will open back up during normal hours on Saturday, July 5.

Branches will open up late next Wednesday, July 9 as well for our quarterly staff meeting. Jackson-area branches will open at 10 a.m., while all other branches will open at 11 a.m.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Who will take the stage at this year’s American 1 Teen Idol competition?

After listening to more than 100 teens in Jackson, Hillsdale, Calhoun, Washtenaw, and Lenawee Counties, we’ve narrowed it down to 10 semi-finalists who will compete for a $2,000 savings bond and a trip to a Fox “American Idol” audition city. Plus each contestant will be raising $250 that will benefit the Jackson School of the Arts and a charity of their choice.

The 2008 lineup includes:

• Emmaline Brown (14) of Hillsdale
• Blair Grotbeck (18) of Adrian
• Teeshlee Hawkins (18) of Jackson
• Bobby Kucinski (16) of Chelsea
• Austin Olano (17) of Adrian
• Bridgette Powell (18) of Jackson
• Charlotte Prenevost (13) of Jackson
• Kelly Preston (16) of Jackson
• Jenna Roark (15) of Stockbridge
• Eden Zysk (18) of Somerset

Blair and Eden are returning from previous Teen Idol performances.

Look for these talented teens on Friday, July 18 at the Riverwalk Amphitheater in downtown Jackson, starting at 6 p.m. And check out last year’s winner, Trevor, performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” on our YouTube page.