28°
-2°
°F°C
Cloudy
Humidity: 93%

Social Media - What does your "Online Footprint" say about you?

"Did you see the picture I posted of my kids yesterday?" "Did you see Joe's status yesterday? He must have been having a really bad day." Everywhere you go these days, someone is talking about something they saw or heard on a social media site. Truth is, to some people sites like Facebook or Twitter are ways to stay connected to distant relatives and friends. To others, it's a hot spot to play games and get the latest gossip. The later of the two groups are the ones who give the social media frenzy a bad name.  So what are a couple things you can do as a user on these sites to avoid getting "blocked" or annoying the people you know. 

  • Be considerate. Don't post gossip or inappropriate photos just to see how much attention you can get. Don't send me game invites every day. If I didn't sign up for the game after the last 3 invites I'm probably not going to sign up today either.
  • Be respectful of opinions. It's important to remember that everyone has the right to their own opinion. Just because they feel different than you, doesn't mean they are wrong.
  • Avoid constant bragging. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that you love your job or started a new hobby, but seriously, I don't need to hear about it every single day.
  • It's not all about the #'s. No one cares whether you have 40 or 950 friends. Don't add people just because you pass them in the grocery store once a month. If you have no intentions of carrying on a face-to-face conversation with me, don't ask me to be your friend.


One thing that people forget when posting to social media sites is that everything you say, do or post is a direct reflection of you, your family and friends and/or the company you work for. By showing a genuine interest in your friends lives and taking the time to build relationships just like you would face-to-face will help you create a positive "online footprint". People will think much more of your relationship with them if you are helpful and supportive in your interactions.

Missy Haugen - Member Solutions Supervisor

Around the World in 80 days

Many of us daydream about being a world traveler and seeing the wonders of the world, while others look to take dreams to their ancestor's homeland. Much planning will go into this endeavor and one small item may escape your checklist, how am I going to pay for items when I land at my destination? This is where SouthPoint can ease your worries. We offer a foreign currency purchase service that allows you to purchase currency in advance of leaving that will also save you some additional cash from the resort -like prices to convert your U.S. dollars to the local currency. SouthPoint also offers Visa Travel Money Cards that are able to put funds onto, similar to a gift card, which provides you with additional security if you do not like carrying a lot of cash. Once you stop in and see how easy it is, you will be thinking about where to plan your next adventure.

Brian Goblirsch - Finance Specialist

Who can you Trust?

Who would've thought the world of investing would have been become a day-time soap opera, wondering what investment would fall next?  Was someone lurking around the corner, about to ruin someone's life savings in the matter of minutes or even seconds?  Today we are surrounded and exposed to information overload concerning investments: cable television coverage, on-line sites -giving up to the minute data of products and information, and daily newspapers. Who and what can you trust?

Trust is the most important variable in the investment process. When trust is present, anxiety levels drop and you might worry less about your investments or worry that somebody else is doing better than you are. This makes sense, right?  Many investors trusted the same people that have found themselves in the spotlight the past couple of years in the various "Ponzi" schemes?

Who do you trust? Make a list?  Would you allow this person or organization to watch over your children, loved ones or pets?  Does your investment professional make the list?

Jeff Anderson, Financial Advisor

Located at SouthPoint Federal CU
706 North German, New Ulm, MN 56073
507-233-5603

Registered representative of and securities and investment advisory services offered through Financial Network Investment Corporations, member SIPC. Financial Network Investment Corporation is not an affiliate of SouthPoint Federal Credit Union.

*NOT AN NCUA/NCUSIF INSURED, NOT A DEPOSIT, NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, NO CREDIT UNION GUARANTEE, MAY LOSE VALUE.

 

Service is a Product

Lately there has been a wave of promoting "service" in the news. On November 5 you might have heard of Bank Transfer Day or November 26 as Small Business Day. Although it might seem like there is an effort in the marketplace to promote credit unions and the small businesses within your communities, what they are truly trying to sell is great service!

According to www.customer1.com; customer service is a high priority to consumers with 60% often willing to pay higher for better service. It's important for any organization to invest time and resources with the employees so that they can provide you with exceptional service.

SouthPoint strives for excellence and wants to make sure you always leave with a WOW experience. You might have seen various survey's emailed or mailed to you regarding a recent transactions or the opening of a new account or loan. While we hope that you are rating these on your experience, we really want to know what specific things we are doing to make it a great experience or ways we can enhance your interaction with SouthPoint. Please feel free to provide us with any comments you might have to help us deliver better service.

With 13% of consumers telling at least 20 of their friends and families of their great experiences, we hope that you find the value of the greatest product we can offer you at SouthPoint - the product of "Service". This holiday season we appreciate your dedication and loyalty in making us strive to be the financial institution you are proud to call your own - member owned.

Angie Pidde, Training Coordinator

it Makes "Cents"...

Do you ever find yourself wondering, "How in the world it is possible to start saving money?"  There are many people who are pinching their pennies these days.  What if there was a quick and easy way to start saving?  Do you have hopes for a vacation, or are you wondering how you will pay for Christmas presents, or maybe even start a savings for your children's college?  We just might have a solution for you!

Change adds up!  Have you ever emptied out your pocket or purse and realized how light it was after?  What if you take that change and bank it?  Our member savings account is a great place to put that extra spare change.  Take your pay check for example and round it down.  Say your check every two weeks is $798.68.  Round your check down to $790.00 and throw that extra $8.68 into your savings.  It might seem like a small amount now, but that adds up to almost $20 a month, exactly $208.32 a year!  Keep adding that small change to whatever you have in your pocket or change jar and after a while you may just find yourself ahead of the game.  It makes "cents", right? 

Erin Krohn, Member Services Representative

More Articles...

Page 1 of 6

<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next > End >>