Hi there,

’Tis the season…for identity theft. I almost fell victim to fraudulent activity recently, but my credit union was quick at preventing the transactions from going through! How did I deal with my own personal fraud story? Find out here!

This is Financial Literacy 101 but better, because there is free pizza! Learn to manage your money at “By the Slice” sessions, where there will be discussion topics like: budgeting, account basics, building your credit, identity theft, etc. in a casual, conversational way. Check out some tips on preventing identity theft from the most recent session here!

The 12 Days of Savings is back! Much like last year, I’ll be sharing videos highlighting tips on saving during the holiday season. Saving money can seem impossible during this time of year, but I’m hoping to show you how to make it to the New Year without putting a major dent in your wallet. Whether it’s unplugging your Christmas lights during the day, using apps to your advantage or even making your own gifts and decorations, I’ll have plenty of tips to help you save! Keep an eye on my blog and YouTube channel, as well as my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts for all the upcoming videos!

The 16th Annual Maine Credit Unions’ Ending Hunger Walking and Awareness Tour came to its conclusion recently, with nearly $30,000 raised! Brenda Davis, one of Maine’s leading ending hunger advocates, spent the past five weeks traveling across the state in order to bring attention to the severity of hunger in Maine. Brenda covered more than 1,600 miles, with visits to a record setting 91 communities throughout all of Maine’s 16 counties. She made a visit to 97 credit unions along the way, with each branch making a contribution to the Ending Hunger Campaign. Maine Credit Unions have collectively raised $7.2 million since 1990. All of the money raised will stay right here in Maine and help those in need throughout the holiday season and beyond.

Job interviews are stressful when you are under-prepared. In this It's a Money Thing video, Jen learns the four keys to acing the job interview!

What tips do you have on saving during the holiday season? I’d love to know!

Take care,

Jake Holmes
Young & Free Maine Spokester