Associates Today

Your Good Health: Be Safe! Tis the Season to Think Before the Party

Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas! Time to THINK AHEAD about your bar-hopping, partying or even family gatherings.

Your personal Designated Driver could be a taxi, Uber or a non-drinking buddy . . . or a friend’s couch! Whatever it is, be smart and be safe this holiday season before you have too many glasses of your favorite alcoholic beverage.

Besides putting yourself and others at risk, driving under the influence carries heavy costs in time and money.

TIME: You’ll lose time from work and you may have to serve time in jail or attend a substance abuse/counseling class. AND you will likely have to find a ride to and from work and other places if your license is suspended, which is likely to be six months to three years.

MONEY: If you’re arrested for DUI (in Ohio it’s called OVI or operating a vehicle under the influence), the cost can be astronomical. Even for a first-time offender with a clean driving record, you will be required to pay fines or penalties ($250 to $1,500), legal fees if you retain a DUI lawyer to represent you (minimum $2,000); license reinstatement fees ($250 and up); and rehabilitation classes ($100 to $500).

But the biggest hit to your wallet will be higher car insurance. After a DUI, you’ll be categorized by your insurance company as high risk and your rates could be raised at least $1,000 per year. Typically this continues for three years.

If you’d like to see exact laws for DUI offense by state, check out the website www.duidrivinglaws.org.

Don’t take chances – this holiday season or any time you’re having a few drinks. Plan ahead and stick with your plan. We want you, your family and friends to enjoy the festivities and get home safely!|

Hosting a party?
Be a thoughtful host with some of the following tips:
→ Offer your guests a selection of non-alcohol beverages, and put them in a prominent, easily-accessible place. ASK your guests what they would like to drink instead of pointing them to the bar or handing them a drink at the door.
→ Serve food that is rich in protein, such as cheese and meats, instead of all-salty food.
→ You may not be able to count drinks that your guests consume, but you can try to watch out for those who seem to be over-consuming.  Make sure they have a safe ride home, or offer to let them spend the night at your place.
→ Close the bar at an appropriate time and put out the coffee, tea or other non-alcohol drinks to go along with sweets and desserts.

TIPS FROM THE ANHEUSER-BUSCH CREDIT UNION:
WHEN REFINANCING YOUR CAR LOAN MIGHT MAKE SENSE

There are some situations when refinancing your car loan may be a good idea.

When interest rates have lowered.  Interest rates can change over time, and are largely influenced by the Federal Reserve. It pays to check in from time to time to see whether rates for auto loans may have lowered since you first purchased your vehicle.

You have a better credit score. If you’ve been making on-time payments and built-up your credit history, and/or used a credit card to improve your creditworthiness—that’s great! There are many ways to improve your credit score, and if you’ve worked hard since applying for your car loan, this may be a good time to talk to a financial institution you trust about your refinancing options. You may now qualify for a lower rate.

You’d like a different loan term. You may find yourself ready to pay off this car loan a little faster, and want a better interest rate so you’re paying more towards the principal of the loan, rather than interest.  Refinancing may give you the ability to shorten the overall loan term and get you on the fast track to paying off your car loan

On the other hand, you might be looking for a way to lower your payments by paying off your balance over a longer term. While this might give you the flexibility you need in your budget, keep in mind that extending your term often means paying more in the long run.

You’re ready to change car loan providers. If you originally took out a car loan through the dealership, chances are you may be paying a higher interest rate. Moving your car loan to your financial institution could result in a lower interest rate and an easier way to make payments. We don’t want to brag, but credit unions have doubled in car loans over the past year. It could be because of our competitive rates or our excellent member service—but we’ll let you be the judge of that.

The credit union has your back. Let the credit union help you make the switch. We’ll walk you through the process and be here to answer any questions.

Questions about refinancing your car loan or just want to learn more about our other services?  Contact Teresa Evans at tevans@abecu.org or reach our Columbus branch at 1-614-888-2299. Become a member today. ABECU is an equal opportunity lender.

NEWS & INFORMATION FROM YOUR IT TEAM

OneDrive and SharePoint will replace Box:
OneDrive and SharePoint will be replacing the Box Software in January 2020. Over the course of the next month, your IT Team will be copying user folders and files to their individual OneDrive account. Along with those folders, IT will be copying large shared Box folders to SharePoint.

What can I do to prepare for the move to OneDrive and SharePoint?
Users can continue to delete unused or obsolete folders and files from their personal Box account to aid in the move to OneDrive.

Do I have to move my files to OneDrive?
No, your IT Department will copy your folders, files, and folder structure to your OneDrive account. Until we go live, daily syncs will occur between Box and OneDrive updating any changes made to your Box account.

Will there be training on OneDrive and SharePoint:
Yes, keep an eye out on your email for training days, times, and location.

Upcoming IT Support Email Updates:
Office 365 – Continue to roll out Microsoft Office Applications
SharePoint Training – Training from your IT Team on the use of SharePoint
OneDrive Training – Training from your IT Team on the use of OneDrive
Sales iPad Training – Training from your IT Team on VIP Sales Application including running reports

Monthly Tip & Trick

Accidentally close a tab in Google Chrome?
To reopen the most recently close tab press Ctrl + Shift + T