Union Plus Offers Tools to Address Debt, Build Credit

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/08/10/union-plus-offers-tools-to-address-debt-build-credit/

Several links in story at link above.

by Mike Hall, Aug 10, 2008

The nation’s slumping economy, rising joblessness and tightening credit crunch have hit millions of working families, and those who are riding out the storm have put worries about the economy at the top of their anxiety list.

Where can union families go for advice to help shield them from credit disasters or help pull them from stormy economic seas? Click on over to Union Plus. Along with its credit education advice and debt management sections, Union Plus now offers a downloadable Smart Credit Strategies PowerPoint presentation with audio that union members can view on their own and union leaders can show at local meetings.



The presentation is built on a live “webinar” Union Plus hosted with consumer credit expert Gerri Detweiler. She’s the author of four personal finance books and has testified before Congress and been featured in many news articles. John Ross, Union Privilege vice president who develops and manages credit education programs for union members, also took part in the webinar.

During the live Webinar, Detweiler covered many credit topics including:

* Strategies for saving money by avoiding credit card fees.
* The value of boosting your credit score by just 30 points.
* How to read your credit report, and more.

She also answered credit questions from union members.

The presentation also includes sections on:

* Why good credit is so important.
* Smart credit card strategies.
* Steps to better credit.
* Debt reduction strategies.

Along with the webinar, don’t forget to check out Union Plus’s mortgage assistance hotline, budgeting advice and credit score and credit report sections. Union members who have poor credit or little or no credit history might be interested in the Union Plus secured credit card to help them rebuild a clean credit record.Union members and retirees of participating unions are Union Plus programs are eligible to participate in Union Plus Programs. Check here for more information.

[Gman]

1. We've had a Union Plus card since it came out

however many years ago that was (going on 20 years now?). Originally it was an organizing tool (among other similar things like preferred mortgage rates) for "added value" for being a union member.

Over the years, that has been the overall best credit card we've ever had. They fluctuate the interest rate on new purchases occassionally, so then we move everything onto something that has a low rate for the first 6 months or year, then they come back "begging" for us to transfer everything back at (usually) an even better rate than the one we transfered to.

I highly recommend it for union members everywhere.