Do You Kasasa?

We've Moved!

2011-09-16T07:23:00.000-05:00

Our blog now resides at www.kasasa.com/blog. We hope to see you there!

8 Tips For Attending ACL 2011 On a Budget

2011-09-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

Aerial shot of ACL by Ashley Garmon

Since we live in the live music capital of the world, we luck out when it comes to ACL budgeting—we don’t have to spend extra on a flight or hotel. But that doesn’t mean we don’t know how to do Austin City Limits on the cheap. Below are our tips for making the most of the show without splurging.

Don’t buy new shoes. Your feet will be in pain by the end of each day no matter what shoes you wear, so you might as well go with the most comfortable from the start. If you’re traveling to Austin, we also suggest bringing more than one pair in case you get blisters.
Don’t bring aerosol sunscreen. Every year there is a big pile of confiscated spray sunscreen by the entrance so bring sunscreen lotion instead. Read the list of what is allowed or prohibited and know they do take it seriously!
Bring water. You’re allowed to bring two one-liter sealed water bottles as well as an empty plastic or aluminum bottle. There are water stations throughout the park where you can fill empty bottles. (The lines get long later in the day, so fill them when it’s not crowded.)
Bring a blanket or towel so you’re not stuck sitting on the ground, and sit near the edge for the larger concerts. You'll get out of the crowd faster and it will be easier to locate your group if you have to step away and use a bathroom.
Have a game plan for finding friends. With an average of 70,000 attendees each day, cell phone service stinks at the park. Review your band selections with your group and have a game plan prior to going. It’s also hard to find people in the crowd, so carry a tall flag that your friends will recognize and can find more easily than the top of your head.
Check out Austin’s food truck scene before getting to the park. Food trucks are great places to get a good deal on really good food. Each trailer typically specializes in just a few things, so they tend to get them right. Grab some food before heading to the park to avoid the long lines and increased prices on the fairgrounds. Some of our favorites:
- The Peached Tortilla sets up shop outside the BancVue offices during lunch every once in a while. They serve Asian-inspired tacos and sliders.
- The Jalopy serves gourmet rotisserie chicken sandwiches and veggie chips with a plethora of seasoning options. Best of all, they tweet and blog questions that you can answer in person for freebies.
- East Side King, known for its Asian fusion menu, has turned beet avoiders into beet lovers. Trust us and try their beet fries alongside a pork belly slider.
Download the ACL smartphone app. It’s a great way to check the map, make a schedule and send group texts.
Listen to the bands early. Review the lineup on the ACL site and listen to samples so you can plan your weekend. If you’re a Kasasa Tunes account holder, use your monthly downloads to get full versions of your favorites. (Not a Kasasa Tunes account holder? Check out our site to see if there is a Kasasa provider near you.)

Thanks to Joanna for her contributions to this post!

National Coupon Month Suggestions

2011-09-08T11:32:00.000-05:00

September is National Coupon Month. According to the official website, consumers have saved $2 billion in the first six months of 2011! Now that's a number we like. In honor of the month, here are a few of our favorite sites to save big:

Groupon - The it's-so-famous-we-don't-need-to-explain-it one. A word of advice though: be careful! Each enticing daily deal may cause you to spend money on something you wouldn't otherwise, which isn't actually saving you money.

LivingSocial - Another popular daily deals site.

RetailMeNot - This site is great to check before purchasing something online. The sites lists the success or fail rate of coupons submitted by the community.

Coupons.com - A huge selection of printable grocery coupons.

Woot - Possibly the oldest daily deal site, Woot offers one discounted item per day, typically electronic gadgets.

That's just a small handful of what is out there. If you have other favorite coupon sites, add them in the comments!

Kasasa 2012 Photoshoot – Behind the Scenes

2011-09-01T09:39:00.000-05:00

Curious for a taste of our 2012 print campaign? Here’s a sneak peek at the photoshoot we did this past Friday. We can’t share too much yet, but we will be sharing details as we get closer to the end of the year and the launch of the new campaign.

Adam Fish of Fish Fotography took over 1,400 photos at his Dallas studio, which the team combed through and narrowed down to 160, all in one day.

One shot of the huge studio

Emails don’t end when you leave Austin!

We’re big fans of furry creatures, which you probably already know since American Humane is one of our Kasasa Giving partners. We were happy to see some of our four-pawed friends on set.

The team found an awesome deal on Expedia (thrifty is our game!) for a fancier-than-they-expected hotel in Dallas. Turns out, returning after a long day can make its maze-like hallways and the slightly creepy mirror over the bed make you believe it’s haunted. (Squint your eyes sleepily for the full effect.)

A silly shot the group took at the end of the day. From left to right across the top: Brooke, Carrie and Ally from Kasasa. Holding down the bottom: producer, Jim, who has worked on our tv and radio ads as well.

Stay tuned for more to be revealed as we approach the January launch!

BankTexas Kickoff - The Kasasa Road Trip

2011-08-24T16:11:00.013-05:00

The road trippers, from left to right: Brooke Firchow, Rich Beard,
me (Peggy Keefe), Tara Miller, Adam Avramescu, Matt Greenlee, Joanna Luter

Typically there are only one or two Kasasa employees who attend a new bank or credit union's Kasasa kickoff party and staff training session. (These sessions, which usually happen a week or two before a Kasasa product launch, give us an opportunity to educate each front line staff on Kasasa.) Since a few of us on the team hadn't seen a live event or training yet and one was coming up in Texas, we planned a road trip. Driving across Texas with six others in a big van felt a lot like a high school field trip. This was a good thing. Keep reading if you want to be entertained.

The Road Trip
Seven of us took a trip to Mineola and Quitman, Texas, for a Kasasa kickoff event and training session with BankTexas, which is launching Kasasa Tunes and Kasasa Cash in September.

On the way to Mineola we made a few stops:

To look at a horse

As we were driving, we saw a horse outside of a fence by the road. Joanna, a fan of horses, asked Rich to turn around to check it out. Rich, our tour guide/driver, who had no problem with side trips, took the next U-turn.
To get a "legendary snow cone"
It's hard to pass up something that is marketed as legendary. This little shop in particular had both legendary snow cones and legendary tacos. Unfortunately no one was in it when we pulled up so we missed out.
To check out the famous fruitcake at the Collin Street Bakery
A German fruitcake recipe brought to Texas by one of its co-founders was the bakery’s first offering when it opened in 1896. Rich had Joanna look up the history on her laptop and read it aloud to the rest of the van. You can get a taste of our road trip experience by reading the bakery’s About Us page.

Eventually we ate lunch, made it to the hotel to change and headed to the Hideaway Lake Club for BankTexas' kickoff.

The BankTexas Events
We arrived at the club to see beautifully decorated tables with pineapples, leis, nets and grass skirts. There were extra Hawaiian shirts and leis for anyone who showed up underdressed.

Once everyone was seated and ready to eat, the executives were called to the front of the room to put on straw hats, leis and coconut bras and compete in a hula-hooping contest. To see the action, check out our video on YouTube.

After dinner, Matt split the room into two teams to cheer every time he mentioned either ATM refunds or any other Kasasa reward (high interest, free accounts, media downloads, etc.) during his presentation. Since both teams were equally loud and enthusiastic, the winner was determined by a balloon stomping contest between the team captains. There might have been some dirty play there… Check out the video.

On Tuesday, we sat in on Matt's first day of training at BankTexas' Quitman branch. It was a great experience to see how the bank's front line first learns the details and awesomeness of Kasasa.

Back On the Road
For lunch before heading back to Austin we stopped at the East Texas Burger Company for the acclaimed best burgers in Texas, which were indeed amazing (perhaps even “legendary”). Best of all, they allowed patrons to write on napkins and pin them to the wall. We found a prime spot for our napkin, right under the napkin dispenser!

On the way back to Austin we found our friend the horse again and Joanna stopped to feed him some of the longer grass he couldn't quite reach. We also stopped in Round Rock, a suburb of Austin, to see the rock it’s named after. Thanks for the tour, Rich!

You can find the rest of our road trip photos on Facebook.

Pioneer Bank Hosts Kasasa Night at the Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Game

2011-08-22T08:54:00.006-05:00

Kasasa Account Executive, Brooke Cobourn, took a trip to Mankato, MN to visit Pioneer Bank and watch some MoonDogs baseball last week. The bank passed out replica MoonDogs jersey t-shirts to the first 500 fans to arrive at the game and, as you can see from the photos, there was quite a line at the gate (which extended well past the photo)! The shirts were snapped up in about 15 minutes.

The game was kicked off with a double anthem: Kevin Christenson, a Pioneer Bank shareholder, sang the Canadian national anthem, and his stepdaughter, Erin Lindquist, sang the American national anthem in full uniform. She is in the National Guard and was called to active duty recently. She will be deployed to Kuwait within the next six weeks.

Mini Kasasa-er, Devyn Paris

The MoonDogs made a great comeback late in the game. They were behind the Thunder Bay Border Cats 2-7 until they rallied in the seventh inning, scoring 7 runs. They ended up winning the game 9-8.

Pioneer also had a Kasasa table and handed out orange "Do You Kasasa?" t-shirts to anyone who signed up for an account or to receive more information during game day.

Want to Kasasa in the Mankato area? Check out Pioneer Bank at https://www.kasasa.com/pioneerbank and check out the rest of our photos from the event on Facebook.

Financial Tip Tuesday

2011-08-16T14:54:00.005-05:00

Today we are starting a new monthly tip series via our social media channels. Every third Tuesday of the month we'll post a financial tip on Facebook and Twitter. On Twitter we'll use the hashtag, #FinancialTipTuesday, if you want to follow it or contribute.

If you have suggestions for what we should post about, or questions you want answered, let us know via a comment on the blog, Facebook or Twitter.

Making Finance Fun for Kids

2011-08-12T08:34:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Take Our Kids to Work Day at BancVue and Kasasa. 66 mini Spartans toured our office, made crafts, learned about our patch, packed up care boxes for the troops and played a new MoneyIsland game. They even sat in on a panel discussion where 8 employees talked about what they do for the company and what kids should do if they want to pursue that career.

In the spirit of preparing kids for the future, here are some tips on getting them excited and knowledgeable about personal finance:

Start your child off on the right foot by making saving fun. Purchase a plain piggy bank and let your child decorate it with paint, glitter, stickers, etc. to make it their own. If you are extra crafty, go through the entire process of making a savings bank with your child.
Create a grocery list and go shopping together. Talk about making smart choices and buying things you need versus want.
Pick a local charity you care about and talk to your kids about the importance of giving. Help them determine how much to donate from their allowance.
Set a budget for a day or weekend trip and let them plan the entire trip, from where to go and what to do, to what to buy, as long as they stick to the budget.

Those are just a few ideas to get you started. What other ways do you make learning about finance fun for your kids?

How We Beat the August Heat On the Cheap

2011-08-03T17:21:00.006-05:00

Yesterday it reached 106 in Austin with a heat index of 109. We’re used to 100-degree temperatures but not for as many days in a row as this triple-digit summer. So, when we leave the air-conditioned halls of Kasasa, we have to find activities that entertain us without requiring too much outdoor exertion. And, since we’re all about conserving resources, our ideas can be done on a budget—I mean, you have to save for that electricity bill, right?

Here is how our team beats the heat on the cheap, kicked off by yours truly:

I love reading and am a proud owner of an Austin Public Library card so I spend a lot of time on my couch reading. I also like DIY crafts so I plan to spend some time this weekend poring over our Fun, Budget-friendly Crafts and making one or two.
-Peggy

You can have an indoor game night or head out for some frozen yogurt (the storefronts are popping up everywhere!). When that’s not enough, break out the Slip ‘n Slide!
-Brooke F.

I spend hours on end, indoors with lots of air conditioning, thinking of ideas for Peggy's blog posts. I also stay cool by only eating outdoors at places that have those fans that shoot a little bit of mist out of them.
-Broc

Have a water balloon fight or go to an indoor ice skating rink.
-Kep

Go ice blocking or float the Guadalupe River with a full cooler of cold beverages. You could also move to San Diego… (10 points to whoever guesses where Katie is from!)
-Katie

Eat a yummy snow cone and head to Barton Springs Pool where the temps are between 68-72 degrees year-round. I also suggest wearing a cool wrap around your neck—great for pregnant mamas!
-Lorelei

Build a cool sand castle at the local playground, set up a neighborhood scavenger hunt or start a lemonade stand and raise funds for a good cause.
-Joanna

Brew a giant container of sun tea, fill a kiddie pool with ice-cold water, pitch an umbrella over the pool and enjoy for hours (Note: ice-cold beer in the kiddie pool works equally as well, age pending). You can also start a lemonade stand with the little ones. Serve popsicles and Frosty Paws dog treats to keep the entire neighborhood cool.
-Carrie

Go to the beach, go tubing on the river or go swimming in the pool.
-Nathan

Visit the local Farmers’ Market and make homemade popsicles with fresh fruit. (Healthy and a fun way to stay cool!)
-Brooke C.

If you want to be outside, play in the sprinklers, have a water gun fight or blow up a cheap raft and head to the neighborhood pool with a cooler of ice-cold beverages. If you want to be inside, make some popcorn and watch movies on the couch.
-Jody

Build a temple around your AC and worship the God of Freon. You could even declare it a religious holiday.
-Chris

Way to end the post, Chris! So, who else is sweltering under the heat dome? What are you doing to stay cool without busting your air conditioning budget?

Kasasafy Shark Week!

2011-08-01T13:12:00.004-05:00

Image from the Discovery Channel

It’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel! A number of us got pretty excited here in the Kasasa offices and started brainstorming ways to tie together Shark Week and Kasasa just for fun. Our genius copywriter, Chris, a California native who loves sharks, hit the nail on the hammerhead (heh) with, “You’re gonna need a bigger wallet.” (Got it?)

Thus we kick off a week of Kasasafied Shark Week fun. Are you also a shark loving genius? Give us your best shot (quotes, movie titles, shark "facts," etc.) on Twitter using the hashtag #KasasafySharkWeek

Fun, Budget-friendly Crafts

2011-07-28T15:55:00.011-05:00

Kids home for the summer? Overabundance of glue in your cabinets? Maybe you’re just an art teacher at heart with a desire to flex your creative skill and decorate your house on the cheap? We love to save here at Kasasa, so no matter your reason, here are some fun, easy and, more importantly, inexpensive crafts you can whip up. These projects will hopefully repurpose items already in your house, though you may need to purchase a couple supplies.

Make a piñata
Need: tissue or crepe paper, glue, and a thin-walled box, like a cereal carton. (If you want to get fancy with the shape, you can create something with paper mache.)
What to do: Cut your paper into strips a couple inches wide, then fringe them (like you see in the picture to the left). Glue the strips around your box, covering it completely. Our work-in-progress at the right is really just a piñata-esque box that we don't plan to smash to bits, but it will give you an idea of how to place the paper. Be sure to leave a flap unglued so you can easily fill the piñata with candy or toys before sealing it up!

Make a paper book wreath
Need: a book, scissors, hot glue, a foam or cardboard wreath
Have a book lying around that you read but didn’t like? Here’s a way to turn it into a piece of art. If you’re a fan of all the books you own, take a trip to the used bookstore and pick up a 50-cent used paperback. We won’t write out the steps here since they’re done so well, and with pictures, on the LivingwithLindsay blog, so check that out for instructions. (Image is also from LivingwithLindsay.)

Turn old jewelry into magnets
Need: jewelry that is easy to take apart, pliers, glue, magnets
We got this idea from MyHomeIdeas. Simply choose the part of the jewelry you want to save (if it was a brooch, remove the pin) and glue a magnet to the back. Ta da!

New suggestions from comments

Turn toilet paper rolls into wall art
*Suggestion from Joanna L.
It's hard to believe this is made from cardboard! Check out this fun project at ModernDayMoms, which is where the picture is from also.

What are some other fun yet cheap craft ideas you have? We’d love to hear them! Add your suggestion as a comment (along with a link to steps, if needed) and we'll update the post with it.

Help Animals Live Long, Happy Lives

2011-07-21T17:44:00.006-05:00

Members of the Kasasa team on Bring Your Pet to Work Day

Kasasa Giving partner, the American Humane Association, is currently doing a donation drive for its Animal Welfare and Research Institute, a collaboration with scientists, veterinarians, doctors, nutritionists and more, focused on finding out what makes animals healthy, happy and safe.

According to their website, the Institute:

Creates citizen scientists of pet owners, care providers and animal lovers.
Funds innovative science and training programs for animal welfare.
Trains veterinary scientists to meet the changing needs of our world.
Connects the dots between the well-being of animals and that of people.
Puts ANIMALS and CHILDREN first.

If you are interested in donating in this research effort, here is the link. As of this posting they are about halfway to their goal!

And feel free to share what your furry best friend means to you in the comments!

How to Get Over Harry Potter with Kasasa

2011-07-15T09:50:00.005-05:00

Image from Warner Bros.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" is officially released today. For all of us who have been obsessed with the series since the beginning, we face the last movie with a mixture of excitement and sadness. We’ve been waiting for this movie and can’t wait to see it, but once we do…it’s over. How can we handle that?

Well, the Harry Potter-sized hole in your life is going to take some time to get over, but to help aid in your recovery, we’ve compiled a list of ways that Kasasa is similar to Harry Potter and just might help you get over this rough patch.

Instead of jinxed horcruxes multiplying in a Gringotts vault, your checking and savings balances multiply through high interest each month you qualify. (And interest doesn’t give you a jinx-like burn!)
You obviously love rooting for the little guy instead of the big evil Dark Lord. Well, guess what? Kasasa only works with America's finest community banking institutions!
Kasasa believers don’t bear wriggling Dark Marks on their left forearms—we have patch tattoos!
And if you just can’t bear to let Harry out of your life, our Kasasa Tunes account rewards you with digital media downloads every month you qualify, which means those Harry Potter audiobooks on iTunes have your name written all over them!
And, as for the Accio spell... Well, honestly, there’s no replicating the awesomeness of the summoning spell. But we’ll work on it.

Enjoy the movie, muggles!

How Many Koozies Fit In a Van?

2011-07-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

Liberty Bank of Illinois recently hosted a tent at the city of Alton’s 14th annual All-wheels Drive-in Car Show where they filled a van with koozies so attendees could guess how many were there. The closest to the final number won a $500 gift card to Summit Racing. The event was a huge success, with about 300 entries in the game!

So how many koozies do you think are in the van? If we get guesses, we’ll post the final answer!

Congrats to TS Bank, a Celent Model Bank!

2011-07-11T09:00:00.004-05:00

One of the primary goals of Kasasa’s parent company, BancVue, is creating innovative products to allow community financial institutions to become the go-to place for banking products and services. We LOVE technology at Kasasa and BancVue. So we were super excited to see that one of our Kasasa providers TS Bank was named a 2011 Celent Model Bank for its effective technology usage in banking! President Josh Guttau was given the award at Celent’s Innovation and Insight Day held in Atlanta, GA, this June. (Guttau is pictured at the left above, accepting the award.)

A little about Celent and the award
Celent is a research and consulting firm focused on the application of information technology in the global financial services industry. In judging the award, the following criteria are taken into consideration: service-oriented architecture, core renewal, business process management, and virtualization and cloud computing.

Would you like to be considered for next year’s award? Here’s the self-nomination form!

Meet Kasasa Kate, Atlantic Coast Bank’s Squirrel Mascot

2011-06-28T09:16:00.003-05:00

Kasasa provider Atlantic Coast Bank got this great shot of their Normandy branch's mascot, Kasasa Kate, at a recent event. How adorable is Kate?!

Do you have any great shots with the Do You Kasasa bubble? Send them our way and they might make it on the blog! (Email to doyoukasasa [at] gmail [dot] com)

11 Summer Travel Saving Tips

2011-06-22T15:59:00.007-05:00

It’s hard for us Austinites to believe it (what with almost a month’s worth of 100+ degree days already) but summer has only recently arrived! With the summer solstice comes vacation planning. If you’re nixing the staycation idea and planning to head out of town this year, check out these tips for saving money on your trip so you don’t have to eat peanut butter crackers and ramen noodles for three months to pay for it.

1. Go during offseason
Just because it’s summer and we’re talking about travel doesn’t mean you have to vacation now! Plan your trips early so you aren’t restricted by specific dates (if possible). With so many vacation possibilities, it’s easy to book around the slow times of year to save you time and money and avoid crowds.

2. Check the exchange rate
If you want to head out of the country and can choose where to go, check the currency exchange rate first. Pick the place where your dollar will go the furthest. And no matter what the rate is, keep note of the value of your money so you don’t get confused on the trip and go over budget.

3. Leave on an off day for flights
Everyone flies on the weekends. If you can leave and return during a weekday, you can get a much better flight deal. Here’s an article about the best dates to fly and book flights.

4. Comparison shop airports
You may have a longer ride between one airport and your end destination than another, but savings on the flight could outweigh that trip.

5. Avoid the cab
Have a friend drop you off rather than taking a cab or paying for parking at the airport. As long as you don’t mind returning the favor, a good friend will likely oblige.

6. Stay in a house instead of a hotel
If you’re traveling with a few people, a rented house or condo is usually a much better deal than a hotel. Austin-based company HomeAway is a great place to look for open vacation rentals.

7. Pick up a guidebook
The cost of a good guidebook is well worth it. (But if you think it won’t be, pay a visit to your local library—just don’t loose the book!) Most guidebooks include tips on when to visit certain attractions, what excursions are free or cheap, and which great local restaurants to try out. Many also include suggested walking tours complete with plenty of fun history and tidbits. Pick up a good book before your trip and give your group a DIY tour.

8. Don’t over pack your luggage
Chances are you’ll be buying some souvenirs. Don’t get caught shipping stuff back home because you can’t fit it in your luggage! Leave some room from the beginning—even if you don’t go overboard on the souvenirs you won’t regret a lighter bag.

9. Be aware of any card fees
Check with your bank, credit union, or credit card company before leaving for your trip to see if there are any extra fees associated with using your debit or credit cards overseas. You may want to exchange currency at your bank before leaving too, to avoid the typically higher fees charged at airports.

10. Find low cost entertainment or excursions
Many cities have free or cheap museums, festivals, and landmarks to visit. Research your destination ahead of time and keep a list of the places you can go.

11. Limit restaurants
For many people, eating out is a big part of vacation, especially if you go somewhere known for its cuisine (cue memories of the Italian coast). But if you shop at the local market for breakfast and lunch, you’ll feel much less guilty splurging on dinner. Or you can not splurge and save more overall!

Do you have any other tips for saving money during vacation? We’re all ears!

Fabulously Frugal Father’s Day Tips

2011-06-15T12:52:00.006-05:00

Father’s Day is around the corner! For many of us, dad was our first financial advisor. He taught us about saving and spending wisely, so this Sunday do him proud with these fun, low cost present ideas.

Let Dad Relax
1. Throw him a home barbecue. If he normally mans the grill, hand him a drink, sit him in a lounge chair, and take over.
2. Does he have a favorite restaurant meal? Look up a copycat recipe and make it at home! (That will usually save him extra calories, which is a great present too.)
3. Offer up your time and sweat—let dad take the day off while you handle some of his chores, especially any he’s been putting off (like the leaking roof or overgrown lawn).
4. Can’t visit dad this weekend? Create and mail (or email) him some coupons for a homecooked meal or hard work during your next trip.

Get Him Something Special
1. Is your dad a granddad? Have your kids draw pictures for grandpa and frame them for a nice presentation.
2. Create your own card for dad, letting him know just how much you appreciate him.
3. Bake him his favorite cake or a batch of your famous cookies.
4. Hand make him a gift. He’ll appreciate the time and love that went into it.
5. Really want to buy him a gift? Look for coupons first!

Have more money saving tips for celebrating dad? Add them in the comments! And from the Kasasa family to yours, have a great Father’s Day!

BancVue Execs Win Entrepreneur of the Year!

2011-06-10T15:54:00.005-05:00

We are proud to announce that our parent company's Chairman, Don Shafer, and CEO, Gabriel Krajicek, have won the 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award! We already know they’re awesome but it’s great to have others recognize it too (including the Austin Business Journal).

The award, a huge honor, is judged on company culture, business growth, community involvement, company’s business strategy, company’s willingness to take on risk to advance the mission, company’s balance sheet, and the company’s commitment to customers.

"That BancVue Ltd., which develops products to make community financial institutions more competitive, has enjoyed success during the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and amid tightening banking regulations is a testament to the leadership, vision and determination of two top executives: co-founder and Chairman Don Shafer and CEO Gabriel Krajicek.

Today, BancVue serves nearly 1,300 community financial institutions with a business model that embodies independent thinking and risk taking."

—From Ernst & Young’s winner recap

How You Can Give Warmth to the People of Joplin, MO

2011-06-10T10:50:00.003-05:00

We love warm fuzzies at Kasasa. It’s a great feeling when you are able to help change another life for the better and we’re proud that many of our community banking institutions feel the same. This month, you can help give some much-needed comfort to the people of tornado-stricken Joplin, Missouri, by participating in Kasasa provider Treynor State Bank’s blanket drive.

Iowa’s TS Bank is collecting donations until the end of the month to fund their drive for the famously soft and comfy blankets that Chooty & Co., an Iowa-based manufacturer, is supplying to them at wholesale. Their goal is to raise $14,000 to purchase 400 blankets for Joplinites and your donations can help them reach that goal. So far they have raised $8,000, more than halfway there!

TS Bank’s President, Josh Guttau, (at the far right in the team photo above, wearing sunglasses and a hat) and about 25 others traveled to Joplin last week to help with the relief efforts and bring three trailers full of food and goods. There are photos and updates from their trip on the TS Bank Facebook page. The bank is so certain they’ll hit their goal in the blanket drive that they have already pre-purchased the 400 Chooty blankets so they could bring them to Joplin with them as well. And, of course, if they surpass the initial $14,000 goal they’ll be able to send even more blankets. Any donation you are able to make, no matter how small, can make a huge difference.   If you would like to make a monetary donation, cash or checks can be dropped off at any TS Bank location or mailed to:
Attn: Donna Rieken
TS Bank
P.O. Box A
Treynor, IA 51575

*Please make checks payable to TS Bank Community Foundation (which is a 501-C organization so all donations are tax deductable).

At Kasasa, we truly believe no amount is too small to make a difference and the simple act of giving helps make this a world we all want to live in! Thank you for your help and please help spread the word!

Throwing Away Money – Rising ATM Fees

2011-06-07T09:50:00.006-05:00

Chances are, at some point in the last year you’ve used an ATM to get cash because you couldn’t use your debit or credit card. You were craving a hotdog at the little league baseball stadium or you had to have that hand-stitched bag at the local craft fair. If you didn’t go to an ATM approved by your bank, you may have paid a fee for the service, sometimes two (a fee from the bank that owns the ATM and your bank!). But did you know how much money Americans lost in ATM fees last year? Let’s take a little poll:
A. $5 million
B. $7 billion
C. $3 billion
D. $70 million

Ready? The answer is, astoundingly, B. In 2010 Americans paid $7.1 billion in ATM fees, $3 billion of which was collected by banks from charging their own customers for using other banks’ ATMs.

If that’s not a scary enough stat, ATM fees for noncustomers are expected to rise in the next few months, some to $5 according to WSJ.com. (The average fee is $2.33.) Some of the banks that will be collecting more fees are J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., TD Bank Financial Group and PNC Financial Services Group. Chase is currently testing fees of $5 and $4 in Illinois and Texas.

So what can you do to avoid these fees?
1. The easiest tactic is to bank with a financial institution that refunds all ATM fees so you have the flexibility of using any ATM without the pain of a $2-5 fee. Every Kasasa® provider refunds ATM fees nationwide. You can see a full list here.
2. If you can’t do that, avoid using ATMs that aren’t run by your bank.
3. Plan ahead and carry enough cash with you.

Zoe Puts Her Best Foot Forward to Support Our Partner, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

2011-05-27T08:51:00.003-05:00

Zoe loves to run; especially when it’s for a good cause!

A recent college graduate and long-time running enthusiast, Zoe Romano is on a solo, coast-to-coast run, promoting Boys & Girls Clubs. Along the way, she stops at Clubs encouraging kids to achieve their dreams and incorporate physical fitness into their daily routines.

"You can do anything you want," says Zoe. "You just have to really want it!"

In January, Romano began the long trek in Huntington Beach, Calif., and aims to finish in Charleston, S.C., in early May. She initially planned to run some 25 miles a day, but is now averaging 30 miles a day, six days a week.

Romano is already on her seventh pair of running shoes. While she tackles the journey alone, with a jogging stroller holding her possessions, she keeps in touch with her parents on a daily basis and uses a GPS system for safety.

Throughout her running experience, she’s met nice, interesting people and encountered a few unfriendly dogs. Some of her biggest challenges though have been steep inclines and inclement weather.

Why Boys & Girls Clubs? Zoe grew up hearing her father fondly talk about his Club experiences. "I believe the Club's philosophy is right-on, and their programs excellent," says Zoe. Read more about her journey and cheer her efforts at www.zoegoesrunning.wordpress.com.

To learn more about Kasas Giving, the free checking account that empowers you to support charities like Boys & Girls Clubs, visit Kasasa.com.

American Humane Helps Animal Victims of Devastating Tornadoes & Floods

2011-05-19T12:15:00.004-05:00

Following an onslaught of tornadoes that leveled communities throughout the South and Midwest, American Humane Association (AHA) mobilized its Red Star Animal Emergency Services™ team to help four-legged victims of this historic disaster.

Red Star, with nearly a century-long legacy, provided on-the-ground rescue and support services to local organizations and agencies. Emergency responders deployed rescue operations, sheltering and hands-on care to animals in need.

Nationwide, AHA assisted: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

In addition, AHA has awarded emergency grants to:

· Boggs Mountain Humane Shelter of Tiger, GA

· Bertie County Humane Society of Powellsville, North Carolina

· Greater Birmingham Humane Society of Birmingham, Alabama

Hundreds if not thousands of cats and dogs were displaced, and many of the pets’ owners are still missing. One AHA grant went towards purchasing crates to assist in the long-term sheltering of these animals for The Boggs Mountain Humane Shelter. Another is helping purchase kennels for the Bertie County Humane Society to assist local pet owners. As flooding rises in both Tennessee and Missouri, AHA is also co-managing a Mega-Shelter built for up to 1,000 animals. Kasasa Giving is so proud to work with an organization that makes this kind of impact.

Not too long ago, we imagined a checking account that would benefit consumers while changing, even saving lives. Partnering with organizations like American Humane has helped make that vision a reality. Find out more about Kasasa Giving today.

Do you…Kasasa?

Kasasa Provider, First Hope Bank, Participates in 5K Run Festival & Business Expo

2011-05-13T12:55:00.005-05:00

On March 23, 2011, First Hope Bank of Sparta, New Jersey put feet to pavement at the Main Street 5K Run Festival and Business Expo. Not only did First Hope and the Kasasa brand act as a primary sponsor, but they were also a major presence within the Expo itself.

Family operated since 1911, First Hope used a great staging area to provided runners with a professional muscle therapist and massage therapists to warm them up prior to the race.

Massage therapist remained in the expo area through the race, to provide racers with a soothing massage once they completed either the 5k or 10k run. Along with a relaxing rub down, First Hope handed out chocolate bars to revive runner-depleted energy levels.

The crowd was excited and appreciative of First Hope’s participation at the event. With over 500 runners in attendance, it’s safe to say that at least 150 people come through for massages. It’s great to see that First Hope and Kasasa are running strong in the community. Way to go team!

10 Important Facts About Debt

2011-05-06T11:03:00.002-05:00

1. Americans are anchored by credit-card debt.

According to CardWeb.com, the average American household with at least one credit card has nearly $10,700 in credit-card debt. Even more alarming, the average interest rate on these cards runs in the mid to high teens.

2. Yes, there is such a thing as good debt.

Borrowing for a home or college is a useful necessity. Just make sure you don't borrow more than you can afford to pay back, and always shop around for the best rates.

3. But most debt is bad.

If you can't afford to pay off your monthly bill in a month or two, don't use credit cards to purchase things you consume quickly, such as meals and vacations. It’s the quickest way to fall into debt. Instead, put cash aside each month for these items and pay bills in full. If there's something expensive you really want, save for it over a period of weeks or months before charging it. That way you can pay the balance when it's due and avoid interest charges.

4. Control your spending.

Most people spend thousands of dollars without actually thinking about what they are buying. Log all of your monthly spending, cut back on things you don't need, and start saving the surplus or put it towards reducing your debt.

5. Pay off your highest-interest debts first.

First pay down loan balances and/or credit cards with the highest interest, while paying at least the minimum due on all your other debt. Once the high-interest debt is paid down, tackle the next highest, and so on.

6. Pay more than the minimum.

Don’t just pay the minimum due on credit-card bills. You'll barely cover the interest you owe, and good luck trying to cut into the principal. It could take you years to pay off your balance, and you'll likely end up spending thousands more than what you originally owed.

7. Watch where you borrow.

It may be convenient to borrow against your home or your 401(k) to pay off debt, but it can be risky. Worst-case scenario, you lose your home or fall short of your investment retirement goals.

8. Always be prepared.

Build a three to six-month cash cushion worth three of your living expenses in case of an emergency. Without an emergency fund, unforeseen expenses can cripple your finances.

9. Don't be so quick to pay down your mortgage.

Don't pour all your cash into paying off a mortgage if you have other debt. Mortgages tend to have lower interest rates than other debt, and you may deduct the interest you pay on the first $1 million of a mortgage loan. (If your mortgage has a high rate and you want to lower your monthly payments, consider refinancing.)

10. Get help right when you need it.

If you have more debt than you can manage, get help before it breaks you. There are reputable counseling agencies that can help consolidate your debt and assist you in managing your finances. But make sure you do your homework; there are also a lot of disreputable agencies out there too.

Kasasa Giving™ Partner, American Humane, Welcomes Celebrity Judge Whoopi Goldberg for its Hero Dog Awards™

2011-05-02T08:28:00.002-05:00

She’s an Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner who loves animals! Whoopi Goldberg has signed on as a celebrity judge for American Humane Association’s Hero Dog Awards™, presented by CESAR^® Canine Cuisine, in Hollywood. This nationwide search for America’s most coveted canines celebrates the powerful relationships between dogs and people.

“I believe in American Humane Association,” said Goldberg. “They are there for the animals, and it’s only about the real interest of the animals. When other groups scream for ‘animal rights’ just to get into the spotlight, this group doesn’t make a lot of noise–it just gets the job done. As long as I can remember, American Humane Association has been there (and that’s a long time!). I'm a fan.”

Hero Dogs are nominated in eight categories at http://www.herodogawards.org: Law Enforcement and Arson Dogs; Service Dogs; Therapy Dogs; Military Dogs; Guide Dogs; Search and Rescue Dogs; Hearing Dogs; and Emerging Hero Dogs, which includes pets.

“Whoopi Goldberg is no stranger to giving back, and she certainly knows a thing or two about awards,” said American Humane Association President and CEO Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D. “We are honored to have her as a celebrity judge for our inaugural Hero Dog Awards, which celebrate the special bond between people and animals–and the better world they create as a result of that relationship. Whoopi’s compassion, talent and joy for life reflect the essential nature of what American Humane Association’s Hero Dog Awards are all about.”

It does us proud to offer an account (Kasasa Giving) that helps support organizations like American Humane. And it just goes to show that folks from all walks of life can all play a role in improving the lives’ of these amazing animals. Man’s best friend, indeed!

Do you Kasasa?

Kasasa Giving™ Partner, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Honors Youth of the Year

2011-04-27T08:45:00.004-05:00

For most little boys, the phrase “man of the house” means a loving father or male role model. For Tevonte Grant, these words defined his own personal role at a very early age.

Tevonte’s biological father was incarcerated when was just five years old, and his stepfather later followed the same unfortunate path. Despite this household turmoil, Tevonte found the special male relationships he so badly needed in his Unit director and other staff at his

Boys & Girls Club. These mentors helped him become a strong, positive

male figure with which his two younger brothers now identify.

Tevonte’s service to his community goes far beyond his once troubled household, extending to his Club, where he is a member of the teens-only Keystone program, and teaches conflict management through his dance troupe “Unity”. He also helped improve Power Hour, providing support in areas like mathematics and reading.

If life has taught Tevonte anything, it’s that the road to his success starts in the classroom. A student at one of the most academically rigorous high schools in his community, Tevonte maintains a 4.5 GPA– despite taking Advanced Placement and college courses. He will attend James Madison University in the Fall and pursue a degree in Computer Science or Engineering.

Ultimately, Tevonte is set on acquiring a Masters in Business Administration and opening an engineering firm in a major metropolitan city. But his ambition doesn’t stop there; he also plans to open a dance studio and teach various facets of dance (jazz, hip hop, etc.) to underprivileged youth, perhaps providing a linkage to fine arts programming and of course the Boys & Girls Clubs.

This story sums up what Kasasa Giving is all about. Free checking that gives you money to keep and money to pay forward helps you change lives, even save lives. Perhaps Tevonte’s own words best explain how important this support really is: “The Boys and Girls Club saved my life in every way. So without it, my life would be over." Fortunately, his best years have seemingly just begun.

Do you Kasasa?

MoneyIsland™ Teaches Kids To Learn Money & Earn Rewards!

2011-04-22T09:09:00.002-05:00

April is financial literacy month, and we couldn’t be more excited to tell you about how we’re rolling out MoneyIsland, the new online financial world that turns tweens ages eight to 14 into “financial gurus.” Created by an award-winning educator, MoneyIsland covers three key financial categories: Saving & Spending, Earning & Investing, and Using Credit Wisely.

MoneyIsland is a virtual experience but kids also earn real-life rewards, such as a savings deposit, a gift card, or a classroom pizza party. Through quests to exotic destinations like the Eiffel Tower, Atlantis, and many others, boys and girls are put on the path to a healthy financial life. In addition, parents and teachers can access tools that track their kids’ progress and help them learn.

With financial literacy at an all time low, we are deeply passionate about the importance of MoneyIsland. The great news is we are not alone. In fact, 91 percent of parents are interested in providing a better financial education for their kids,¹while eight in 10 teachers think they can do a better job of teaching these important skills.²

“The trick is to teach kids something valuable with fun and engaging activities, so they look forward to coming back again and again,” says Felix Brandon Lloyd, a former Washington, D.C. Teacher of the Year, creator of MoneyIsland, and BancVue’s Chief Professor.

While many financial literacy projects exist, MoneyIsland is a real leap forward when it comes to interactivity, storyline, and gameplay. The lessons learned are also aligned with Common Core State Standards and the national standards published by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.

A number of Kasasa providers have already launched MoneyIsland, which puts smile on the face of everyone involved. Kasasa always strives to take your best interest to heart, and improving financial literacy is something that impacts everyone. Ask your Kasasa provider when it will be available to you.

“On its surface, its fun for kids. But the ultimate inspiration is that here—in the richest country in the world—we have the responsibility to educate our youth on how to handle money,” explains Lloyd. “We’ve already learned the alternative leads to instability and unsustainably excessive personal debt. MoneyIsland can help reverse this trend.”

Your opinion means everything to us, and we’d love to know you think of MoneyIsland. If you’re a parent, please share any of your own tips on leading a healthier financial life. The dream of better financial education for kids can only be realized if we all work together. MoneyIsland gives us a wonderful opportunity to do just that. Do you Kasasa?

1. Center for Media Research, American Express Survey, 2010.

2. Networks Financial Institute at Indiana State University, 2010.

3. Boys & Girls Clubs of America & Charles Schwab Foundation Shows Increased Knowledge Among Teens Leads to Positive Behavioral Change, 2009.

The Story Behind Kasasa®

2011-04-18T14:58:00.004-05:00

In the past we’ve shared a few stories with you, here and there, about Kasasa’s parent company, BancVue. But we think it’s important that you know a little more about why and how the brand was developed…with you in mind.

Kasasa was created by BancVue, a company that provides innovative accounts and marketing to some 1300+ community banks and credit unions across the country (like the ones you see listed on Kasasa.com). BancVue helps these institutions compete and win against the megabanks with products that compliment their stellar customer service and actually put consumers first.

You might wonder how or why a national banking brand is born. In this case, we started by talking to hundreds of consumers to find out what they really want out of a banking relationship. In a nutshell, what we discovered is that too many people sacrifice personal service because they believe megabanks have better products and technology. They also seem to accept hidden costs without a second thought. We knew it was time to create a national brand that would bring community banks and credit unions together under a recognized name. As a result, consumers will always equate Kasasa with products that put them first offered by institutions with their best interest in mind.

We’ve always strived to show Americans that community financial institutions not only have great personal service, but can have better products as well. What we found when we talked to the general public only made us even more dedicated to this mission. It also explains why we created Kasasa–to wake people up, once and for all, and prove to them that community banking is a better alternative.

Most hard-working people aren’t willing to look the other way when a rude waiter or waitress serves them an overpriced meal. Nor are they likely to accept hidden costs when buying a car, paying a mobile phone bill, dealing with their cable provider, etc. Yet, people have come to expect, and put up with, questionable treatment from megabanks. “We want consumers to stop looking at banking as a mere necessity,” says BancVue CEO, Gabriel Krajicek. “Even better, we believe Kasasa actually gives them a reason to get excited about it.”

Kasasa not only offers you products that even the megabanks don’t have, but they give you something of value for entrusting your money and come with the personal touch of community banking. That means you get the best available accounts, and you can even talk to a real live person when you call customer service. If you’re switching from a megabank, you’ll probably find it extremely refreshing to deal with folks that actually know you on a first-name basis.

Kasasa accounts are also designed to relate to people on a more individual level than anything that’s come before–accounts that really speak to your passion; whether that’s earning massive interest, automatic savings solutions that give you money instead of just moving yours around, money to donate to a cause you care about, or digital media downloads every month. These aren’t things you usually associate with banks and credit unions, and that really is the point.

“We know that some consumers are reticent to switch banks,” says Carl Insel, Executive Vice President of Retail and Commercial Banking at Atlantic Coast Bank. “But Kasasa is their wake up call.”

We are thrilled to see the positive impact Kasasa has made on communities across the country since its launch. People everywhere seem to understand that it’s time for change and that Kasasa gives back in totally new ways. Sounds like the beginning of a bright new day. Do you Kasasa?

Kasasa Rocks the Neighborhood in Richardson, Texas

2011-04-08T11:12:00.007-05:00

On March 5th Neighborhood Credit Union rocked the block, celebrating their Kasasa launch and the opening of their newest branch in Richardson, TX. Dallas Cowboy, DeMarcus Ware, and Miss Texas, Ashley Melnick, made special appearances and didn’t hesitate to show their Kasasa spirit.

There was also no shortage of entertainment highlights; the J.J Pearce High School Drum Line, Radio Disney, the Dallas Mavericks Street Team, a jump house, a face painter, a caricature artist, food and other activities rounded out the event. It was great to see the staff educate potential members on the benefits of Neighborhood Credit Union and Kasasa.

Neighborhood Credit Union, the oldest credit union in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, is a not-for-profit, member-owned institution that provides fiscally sound, economically creative banking solutions for Dallas-area families. We’re honored to have them join the Kasasa family.

Louisiana Credit Union Ushers in April Fool’s Day With a Big Kasasa Payoff

2011-04-04T16:45:00.003-05:00

To celebrate their launch of Kasasa Cash™ and Kasasa Saver™, Southwest Louisiana Credit Union put a little twist on the famous prankster holiday. On April 1, the first 150 people to arrive at o’ Charley’s restaurant received a $20 gift card from the restaurant itself.

With a flyer that read “What are you doing for April Fools’ Day? It’s no joke!” the stage was set for a good time, Louisiana style. Early birds enjoyed o’ Charley’s culinary treats with the added benefit of a $20 discount, and a good time was had by all.

“Kasasa is really about value, but it’s also about seizing the moment and finally deciding to switch to a financial services provider with your best needs in mind,” says Christy Moore, Marketing Director for the Louisiana credit union. “That’s why we thought this promotion was the perfect way to kickoff the launch of our Kasasa Cash and Kasasa Saver accounts.”

Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, this convenient and friendly credit union has served the local area since 1952. With a “people helping people” philosophy, Southwest Louisiana Credit Union seems the perfect candidate to offer Kasasa to its account holders.

Here’s to a successful launch!

Twitter Travel Deals Offer Surprising Rewards

2011-03-29T13:23:00.002-05:00

Like most people these days, you probably assume the best travel deals are on the most popular travel sites. But what you find on Twitter just may surprise you!

Increasingly, travelers are scouring social networking sites to find hot deals. If you have a favorite site, it's probably also on Twitter, so it's a good idea to start by following it. Next, you can branch out and follow airlines, hotels and even destinations.

This is pretty much a win-win scenario. Social media sites like Twitter offer a much more immediate way of snagging sales for the travel industry. And it benefits you because Twitter is free, and you'll likely find offers that aren't available elsewhere once you get the lingo down.

Locate deals near you by following your closest hub. Just add the "@" symbol to your hub airport's three-letter abbreviation. For example, if you live in Los Angeles and fly out of LAX airport, search for "@LAX" on Twitter. Once you find it, simply click "Follow." Remember, as you add more to your follow list, it's good to organize your Twitter feed into separate groups. Otherwise, you could have a hard time sifting through a sea tweets and links.

While many people just use Twitter to follow, there's no reason you can't go out and search for travel deals. Locate coupons or special discount codes by (entering terms) into Twitter's search box. It’s also a good idea to refine your search by adding a hashtag (#) before their query. For example, if you're looking for deals in Atlanta, you might search "#Atlantadiscounts." Or, if you're looking for hotels in Berlin, you could enter "#Berlinhoteldiscounts.

Kasasa Hits the Garden State Running!

2011-03-25T15:53:00.002-05:00

“Hey New Jersey, do you Kasasa?”

Account holders at First Hope Bank will hear this question a lot, as it becomes the first financial institution in New Jersey to offer Kasasa^® accounts.

First Hope is offering Kasasa Cash™ and Kasasa Saver™, two accounts ideal for those who want free checking with high interest and a great way to save more of what they earn. These accounts, combined with First Hope’s personal service, are offering residents a new and better way to bank.

“Consumers deserve to wake up to happier days of banking and leave behind the nightmare of bank fees and mistreatment. We are pleased to be the first bank in New Jersey to offer these unique products,” said Norman Beatty, President and CEO at First Hope Bank. “Kasasa delivers what research shows people really want but believe they can’t have—great financial products with the personal service of a community bank.”

Like all Kasasa products, Kasasa Cash and Kasasa Saver are free, with no minimum balance, free online banking and nationwide ATM fee refunds. The two accounts work together–you need Kasasa Cash to have Kasasa Saver because they are linked–to provide high interest and automatic savings.

Kasasa Cash - A free checking account that rewards the consumer with high interest in cash and ATM fee refunds every month.
Kasasa Saver - A high interest saver account linked to a Kasasa Cash checking account. The high interest and ATM fee refunds earned in the Kasasa Cash account are automatically deposited into the Kasasa Saver account each month. The balance in the Kasasa Saver account also earns a high rate of interest.

To receive these benefits, account holders just need to meet easy monthly qualifications, including receiving an e-statement, using a debit card, and making an electronic transaction (such as direct deposit). If an account holder does not meet the qualifications in a given month, First Hope Bank will alert the individual, who is eligible the following month for the benefits.

“Extensive research has shown us that consumers would prefer to do business with community financial institutions, but feel they would lose access to products,” continued Beatty. “Kasasa is opening people’s eyes to a new banking model where no sacrifices are necessary. It’s a win-win because account holders get innovative products and personalized service.”

Get Ready for April. It’s Financial Literacy Month!

2011-03-21T14:13:00.001-05:00

How do most kids learn to excel at the important things in life? Education and practice are the main ingredients. Yet most kids don’t learn what it takes to manage their money at an early enough age.

Luckily, awareness is on the rise. In 2000, The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy began promoting April as Financial Literacy for Youth Month. They even have the government’s full support: in April 2005, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill supporting the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month. We are really excited to see decision makers in Washington back this important cause.

But what does it take to motivate the nation? Luckily, the general public seems to be waking up. In fact, research shows that 91 percent of parents are interested in providing a better financial education for their kids.* They just need some help to make it happen.

That’s where Jump$tart can do its part. It partners with about 150 national organizations, many of these household names. Generally, these partner organizations conduct and/or support financial education or offer financial education tools and materials for kids.

Community financial institutions also contribute in a major way. A big part of their responsibility is giving back on a local level, and participating in financial literacy actually helps them meet requirements of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). CRA was designed to encourage financial institutions to help meet the needs of their communities.

Considering where we are as a nation, educating future generations on how to manage money has never been more important. We can all do our part to make the ideas behind Financial Literacy Month happen everyday. We just need to reach out on a local level.

*Center for Media Research, American Express survey, 2010

Older Gen Yers are now prime for the world of credit

2011-03-18T09:54:00.001-05:00

A big change is happening: some Gen Yers, now in their early 30s, are starting families, buying homes, upgrading cars, and more. The popular myth that these up-and-comers don’t take money seriously just isn’t holding water.

In fact, research suggests that Gen Yers think money is just as important as their parents do–25 percent say it’s even more important!* The fact is, money is always important to someone starting/supporting a family. As Gen Yers age and their financial behavior changes, their need for loans and credit cards rise.

But until recently, Gen Yers haven’t had a strong enough credit history to get in the game. They were also hit hardest by the recession, and understandably don’t have a lot of trust in the financial world. All of these reasons help explain why this generation has shied away from credit.

But that’s changing. As older members of Gen Y enter the workforce and start families, they need more credit to thrive. In a related study, a group of Gen Yers was recently asked why they don’t have a credit card. The most popular answer: “Never had the need, but I anticipate applying for one in the future.”

That doesn’t mean credit card debt will match previous generations. Hopefully, Gen Y will learn from others’ previous mistakes. But here’s the reality for banks and credit unions: This generation demands new marketing and new technology.

So it’s not just the needs of Gen Y that are shifting. Financial institutions have to figure out ways to keep these consumers happy, beyond just approving them for credit cards and loans. At over 70 million strong, Gen Yers may just have the upper hand when it comes to their banking relationships. Many would agree that it’s been the other way around for far too long.

*Aite Group, 2010

Stop Paying For Your Own Money

2011-03-15T16:21:00.002-05:00

Did you know Americans pay almost $4.4 billion in ATM fees each year? Each time you use an out-of-network ATM you pay an average of $3.43. Do that once a week and you'll rack up almost $180 in ATM fees every year. But why should you actually pay for your own money?

Megabanks have benefited far too long from these nagging, overpriced fees, and Kasasa^® is your perfect solution. All Kasasa accounts include nationwide ATM fee refunds. So each time you see that nauseating fee on an ATM screen, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

With Kasasa, ATM fees are reimbursed back in to your account, when you meet some very simple qualifications–things you probably already do like use your debit card and access online banking.

When you meet the simple qualifications, you actually save the community bank or credit union money. They use some of that money to reward you with things like: high interest, automatic savings, digital media downloads, and the power to impact a cause you care about. That way you can put your money where your passion is and everybody wins.

Go with Kasasa, and stop paying for your own money!

Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve!

2011-03-10T12:46:00.001-06:00

Kasasa does more than inspire and everyone’s caught up in the buzz. At a recent event, Treynor State Bank’s Business Development Officer, Jason Williams, pinned $70 in cash to his shirt. Why? To show people how much he actually earns each month with his Kasasa Cash™ account.

“People loved it and it was a great conversation starter,” says Williams. “It not only peaked the interest of attendees, but it also gave our staff an even better understanding how valuable Kasasa accounts really are.” By bringing attention to just one of the brand’s many benefits, the enthusiasm spread right before his eyes.

Williams’ unique approach sends a very powerful message: Kasasa Cash actually gives you money each month just for meeting some simple qualifications. It also shows that he feels strongly enough about Kasasa to make the switch himself.

Kasasa is all about belief. The belief that you should benefit the most from your money, that community banking is a better alternative. But it’s also about the financial institution’s belief that Kasasa really does help account holders.

Jason is so happy with his own Kasasa account, he was motivated to spread the word in his own personal way. Just goes to show there is a big difference between merely selling something and actually standing behind it. Kasasa does more than inspire. It turns people in to true believers.

Put Money-Saving Fun in your Fun-nancial Planning

2011-03-02T12:03:00.002-06:00

We all deserve a little fun every once and a while but fun doesn't have to be a $25 trip for two to the movies or $40 dinner at a mediocre restaurant.

Due to the current state of the economy, now, more than ever, it's consequential to be saving your money for important, future purchases.

So for this week, spend less on high-costing, overpriced activities that don't deliver the results you want or deserve and find fun, free activities to enjoy instead. It'll be worth it in the end to yourself, your community AND your pocketbook.

A few ideas for your money-saving endeavors:

Check your local newspaper or your local newspaper's website and see if there are free concerts, plays, or other productions going on with no cost.
Volunteer at a local charity with a friend or family member. You'll feel good about yourself and have someone to enjoy volunteering with.
Spend the day at the park. If the weather is permitting, forget the green that goes in your wallet and appreciate the green of nature.

Save your money for bigger, more important purchases, and enjoy activities that you'll get more out of.

With that saved money, you don't want to be putting it just anywhere. Not in the cold, greedy hands of a megabank. Manage your money the smart way by putting it in a Kasasa Saver account. Pairing it with your Kasasa Cash account (you need both), Kasasa Saver makes saving easy and very beneficial.

What you'll get with Kasasa Saver:

Massive Interest from your Kasasa Cash automatically deposited into your Saver account
Plus High Interest on your Saver Balance
No Minimum Balance

If you want to automatically save more and save often, Kasasa Saver is for you. Visit Kasasa to open an account today!

Do you Kasasa Saver? How will you financially plan for this week? Other ideas for saving money?

It's All About the Little Things... Or Is It?

2011-02-28T10:38:00.002-06:00

You know the saying, “It’s all about the little things.” While this is true for enjoying a Sunday stroll on a pleasant afternoon or teaching your puppy a new trick, it’s not so accurate for those little, unnecessary purchases we are all guilty of making.

We want you to try something this week, call it your Monday Financial Plan of the Week: Skip out on that pack of gum at the gas station, nix the $3 morning latte at Starbucks, avoid that $2 snack in the hallway vending machine.

In other words, stop spending so much on the little things and you’ll be surprised how much you can save.

With Kasasa Saver, we put saving money on autopilot. Kasasa Saver is linked to a free Kasasa Cash account, and every month you qualify, the high-interest and ATM fee refunds from your Cash account are automatically deposited into your Kasasa Saver account. Plus your Saver account earns high interest too! In addition to more money in your pocket, we partner only with America’s finest community banks and credit unions. They employ the best people so you get the stellar customer service you deserve. We think this is a win-win for you.

Our overall, long-term goal is to keep your money out of the hands of the megabanks and put it in the hands of a place and community you can trust.

Now, make this week all about NOT spending on those little, unnecessary things and go out and save with Kasasa!

Financial Fact Friday: Americans Don't Trust the Big Banks

2011-02-25T11:25:00.003-06:00

In a recent blog by senior financial writer Allison Linn at MSNBC, she reports that Americans are feeling a bit wary about the U.S. financial system.

Linn states, "a new report finds that just 26 percent of Americans trust the country’s financial system," proving the system has a lot of work to do to regain trust from its citizens.

One cause of this distrust among Americans? The massive, cold bank conglomerates. In other words, the megabanks. In 2010, The Financial Brand reported from a Forrester Research study that for six of the most well-known megabanks in existence, well over half of their members found their bank untrustworthy.

Can you honestly blame them? Megabanks treat you like a number, not a person, and at megabanks, "customer service" and "caring for the customer" seem to be a foreign concept. Kasasa and Kasasa providers want to instill that trust in the financial system back in its citizens by showing them there is a better way to bank.

Here's your positive note: Invest your money and trust a local, community bank or credit union. Put your trust toward a financial system that actually works and wants to work for you. Not a megabank, not a big bank, but a community bank that will treat you the way you deserve and work hard to create financial wellbeing for you.

Do you trust the U.S. financial system? Do you feel you can trust a megabank?

Catching Up With Magnolia Federal Credit Union

2011-02-23T11:04:00.003-06:00

First launched in early 2010 with Kasasa Cash and Saver, let’s catch up with Magnolia Federal Credit Union.

Located in the bustling city of Jackson, Mississippi, this hometown community bank can fulfill all of your financial needs and all with a touch of Southern hospitality.

MFCU is a full-service financial institution and a Kasasa provider. They offer a full array of financial products and services and do it all carefully and thoughtfully, unlike the megabanks.

Another cool thing about MFCU? They are a not-for-profit financial cooperative meaning you get reduced fees, lower interest rates on loans and higher returns on savings. And to show even more of Magnolia's awesomeness, every single account at MFCU is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). This means you don't need to lose sleep over your banking woes anymore – you can trust Magnolia Federal Credit Union.

All in all, Magnolia Federal Credit Union is nothing like a megabank. They're not going to treat you like you don't matter. They are here to take care of you with as much familiarity, comfort and rapport as possible.

As a Kasasa provider, MFCU features four different Kasasa accounts:

Kasasa Cash ™
Kasasa Giving™
Kasasa Tunes™
Kasasa Saver™

MFCU customers can choose between any one of these accounts that cater to individual lifestyle needs. Kasasa Cash is a free checking account that pays massive interest in cash each month. Kasasa Giving is a free checking account that not only pays you massive interest but pays money forward to a cause you care about. For the music lover, Kasasa Tunes is a free checking account that gives you free iTunes downloads every month.

Nonetheless, Kasasa isn't all about checking. With Kasasa Saver, you get a free, high-interest saver account linked to your free Kasasa Cash checking account that automatically deposits the interest earned on your Kasasa Cash and ATM fees into your Saver. Plus the saver account earns interest too.

If you're a Mississippian trying to get away from those inattentive megabanks and you're looking for a bank that will treat you like family, look no further than Magnolia Federal Credit Union in Jackson, MS.

Do you Kasasa at Magnolia Federal Credit Union?

Pioneer Bank Now Offers Kasasa Tunes™

2011-02-16T13:33:00.003-06:00

On January 31, Pioneer Bank in Minnesota launched Kasasa Tunes. We sat down with Carly Olson and David Krause, CFO and CEO, respectively, to talk to them about what they’re hoping Tunes will do for their community bank and the future of banking.

Why did Pioneer Bank want to offer Kasasa Tunes?

The Tunes product interested us most because we’re in a college community. We’re always trying to find new and interesting ways to reach out to the younger generations and get them interested in banking. In our market there’s over 25 different banks and credit unions, and every bank looks like the next one and has the same sort of products to offer. We wanted to have something that really set us apart, that was unique and different. We want to create excitement with the college community in this town; they can so easily get bored with typical banking products. Most banks are marketing products to this crowd in a way that draws the attention of their grandparents and parents, but not them. We went with Kasasa and Kasasa Tunes because we feel they need incentive (music!) to bank at a different place than their parents did before them.

How would you describe the person for whom Tunes accounts are perfect?

Young adults who want a greater experience at their bank; people who are looking for more than a traditional checking account, a reason to have fun doing their banking. Kasasa Tunes is something we never would have imagined to do on our own, and that’s why we partnered with Kasasa.

For an account holder who takes the time to figure it out, they’ll notice that the value of the downloads they earn every month exceeds the amount of interest they would get on a normal account. It’s refreshing to see the industry, specifically Kasasa, move in a direction to meet the wants and needs of a new generation. To give them something that they value and use every day (iTunes music, videos, apps, etc.); hopefully we’ll get them excited about their banking.

Pioneer Bank is currently thinking of ideas and ways to get more involved with the four big schools in their community. What ideas do you have for them? What would you like to know about banking, and how can Pioneer Bank help?

Leave your ideas in a comment below.

Do you Kasasa at Pioneer Bank?

Best Buds With Your Banker

2011-02-14T14:40:00.001-06:00

We want to share something with you that came through on Twitter last week. It’s from @Bryan6666.

Listen to what he had to say about Kasasa:

It’s like being best buds with your banker. #kasasa #bankinghardcore #freemp3s #sadness #futurepoor #theeconomyistiltedagainstyou

Thank you Bryan!

Based on this, we’d say Bryan gets it. He gets that we partner only with quality community banks and credit unions because they offer superior and, might we say, friendlier service. He gets that the economy will be turned around by businesses and brands that support local economic growth. He gets that the financial crisis was caused by megabanks that don’t really “bank,” they just run a business and watch the numbers. “Banking hardcore” is about really getting something for entrusting your money with a financial institution.

What do you think about #bankinghardcore?

Banks & Social Media

2011-02-11T10:51:00.000-06:00

We just read the post “Study Shows Social Media Sentiment Toward Banks Turns Positive” over at The Financial Brand, and we thought we’d share with you our thoughts.

First of all, social media is about connecting with people one on one. It looks as though, in lieu of giving back financially to the economy they ruined, big banks are reaching out 1:1 to people in the social sphere. And it’s working?! We are a bit shocked the people can put their financial woes aside and start spreading positive WOM about the megbanks (all mentioned in the article) that are mostly responsible for the U.S. financial collapse. Perhaps they are connecting with you 1:1 on Twitter, but when you call in to their service line – do they know your name? Do they know your account? Do they know what matters to you most?

Secondly, social media isn’t about how big YOU are, it’s about how well you ignite passion into your ambassadors. While Bank of America, JP Morgan, Citi and Wells Fargo all have billions in assets, anyone would be hard pressed to find a consumer quote somewhere that says “I love Wells Fargo!!!” AMEX on the other hand is doing quite well with the people because not only do they have a long-running campaign that people can relate to offline, they’ve created the space and tools online for people to share their passion for others.

So, we want to know what YOU think. We, of course, are on the other side of the fence from the megabanks, seeking to reach out to people personally and passionately online and offline. Do you think the megabanks could ever do a good job to feel like a community financial institution? Why or why not? Let us know in a comment below.

Hurricane Katrina, The NCUF, and GCCFCU

2011-02-10T12:54:00.003-06:00

While New Orleans, LA was the major recipient of one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the U.S., coastal towns in Mississippi and Texas were affected as well, but without major press. For this post, we would like to highlight the kind, humanitarian nature of one our financial institutions: Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union and their ongoing efforts to give back to the community they love so much.

Recently, GCCFCU was given press for their ongoing support of the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF). This ongoing donation is because of a voluntary payroll deduction the employees requested themselves. Why? Listen to this story.

“When Hurricane Katrina hit,” says Debbie Pidek, Executive VP of Communication, “we had at least 8 or 9 employees who had lost their homes. Some of these folks were single parents with one or two children at home. One of our staff came to work in her bathing suit, it was heartbreaking; she had lost almost everything. And then one day, very soon after the damage had been surveyed, the NCUF’s disaster relief fund sent money directly to these employees in need. They were relieved when it came, and honestly, it was a surprise how quickly it came – much sooner than the government assistance did. It really was amazing.

Then, after everyone had time to pick up the pieces and get their lives back together, several of the staff came to us and said, ‘we would like to give back.’ And that’s how we started our give/take relationship with the NCUF. To date, we have raised $16,000 for them via voluntary payroll deductions from about 75-80% of our staff.”

The credit union community has always been a tight knit one – that’s part of the reason we only partner with them and community banks – their dedication to community.

“We really do try to be a good community partner,” says Pidek.

Examples of other GCCFCU efforts to give back can be seen in pictures on their Facebook page, or check out the review of their support of Gobblepalooza in our blog post. So if you live in or around the Gulf Coast or Gulfport, MS, we encourage you to step in to GCCFCU and let them know that their efforts at building community are appreciated.

Do you Kasasa at Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union?

Welcome Mid-Wisconsin Bank

2011-02-08T13:54:00.002-06:00

We’re always touting the benefits of Main Street vs. Wall Street; local community banks and credit unions vs. megabanks; the benefits of personal communication vs. feeling like a number; etc. And so we are extremely proud to announce that another Main Street community bank has joined our family: Mid-Wisconsin Bank.

Born in 1890, in a small “main street” storefront, with a vision to help the people of Medford reach their goals and aspirations, Mid-Wisconsin Bank played an important role in the growth and development of the local, surrounding communities. With 14 different branches in and around Medford, WI, Mid-Wisconsin (community) Bank lives and breathes a mid-Wisconsin way of life.

But don’t just take our word for it, check out this review from Kelly on insiderpages.com:

For a small town bank, Mid Wisconsin is a great bank. They offer a variety of convenient services, including online banking, automatic bill paying (from your accounts), coin counting, and more. Though small, they have a drive-thru window for anyone not wanting to get out of their vehicle. Their staff is very friendly and always willing to help in any way that they can. For basic every day banking needs they have everything that one would need.

PROS: Many convenient & modern services, like online banking  
CONS: On street parking only can be hard to come by during prime times

Always one to get involved with the community, be sure to stop by Mid-Wisconsin Bank for a signature snowmobile or Harley ride. :)

Do you Kasasa?

Southwest Louisiana Credit Union

2011-01-28T12:09:00.005-06:00

Launching this week with Kasasa Cash and Saver is Southwest Louisiana Credit Union located in Lake Charles, LA. With just three locations in and around Lake Charles, this credit union is symbolic of our mission to bank in a new way. Championed by a philosophy of their own: “people helping people,” SWLACU is extremely involved with the local Lake Charles community. Events in the past have included the “2010 Making Strides for Breast Cancer” walk for awareness, the 2010 March of Dimes, a food drive, a toy drive, and a school supply drive for local schools. To see pictures and more from these events, check out their photo gallery at swlacu.com.

For a more detailed look at their customer outreach, check out their January newsletter to meet Linda Sterling, their compliance officer; get some tips to protect yourself against identity theft; find out who won a Wii; and learn how you could get a super loan for a new TV (up to $3,000!) to watch the Super Bowl on.

As you can see, SWLACU is not just another ho-hum financial institution. They are actively involved with their community, and now with Kasasa, they will be highly competitive with the big banks that run most of America’s finance. If you’re in SW Louisiana, have you heard of SWLACU? Would you consider moving your money to them in 2011?

Do you Kasasa at SWLACU?

Think About It

2011-01-26T13:47:00.001-06:00

When was the last time you thought about your finances? Maybe a loan payment, refinancing a house, paying rent, or depositing a check, or how you’re going to pay for that trip to Mexico this year – these are likely to have popped up in the last week or two. OK.

When was the last time you thought about your bank? We mean, really thought about it. How does your current financial institution treat you? What do you get for doing business with it?

We ask not to criticize but to help awaken. One of the most prevalent themes coming out of the financial crisis of the past several years is THE FACT is that most people haven’t thought much about their choice of financial institution. So we’re asking you to sit down this evening for just a couple minutes and think about it. Write down the first couple things that come to mind. Then see if you can divide them into pros and cons. Which list is longer?

Share what you find with us here. Why are you with your current bank or credit union? And if you could, what would you most like to change?

Tax Season is Upon Us

2011-01-25T09:52:00.001-06:00

Yes, while the filing date of April 15 is still a ways off, officially, tax season begins with the first of the year. With taxes in mind, we thought we’d give you a roundup of some tools to use.

H&R Block offers a list of important dates, tips & calculators on their website here.

Read the ConsumerReports review of the most popular software: H&R Block’s TaxCut vs. Intuit’s TurboTax here.

Intuit offers “ten tax savings tips for 2011” here.

If you have questions, feel free to post them here OR ask one of your local Kasasa financial experts.

What other tools do you like to use to help you with filing? And how many of you plan on filing early?

Savings Tips

2011-01-21T15:25:00.002-06:00

We had an advisory call with the popular trend-hunting and consumer insights company Iconoculture the other day. They gave us some great information relative to how consumers are still adjusting to the “new normal” in 2011. The financial crisis of the past couple years has forced consumers to be more savvy and in control of everything; from spending to saving to the ways brands market to them, consumers today are much more plugged in and smarter about their behaviors in general than they were a decade ago.

So if you’re looking to be in control of and savvy with finance in 2011, we wanted to provide some tips to consider when trying to save money this year.

1. Start a new habit. When that paycheck comes around, pay yourself first – in savings. Talk with your employer about setting up an automatic deposit into your savings account.
2. Set goals. Start with WHY you want savings in the first place. Is it to pay down debt? Or to save for a house? Or a car? Or to have a rainy day fund? Whatever your savings goal is, put a timeline around it. WHEN do you want to have $X amount accumulated?
3. Establish rules. Challenge yourself to think of 2-4 questions that you have to ask yourself before you dip into your savings account. (Example: Is this an emergency situation? When will I be able to put the money I’m taking out back in?)
4. Look for rewards. Most community banks and credit unions (especially Kasasa ones) not only offer higher APYs on savings accounts, but they can also provide you with cash back, tunes, and charitable contributions. Megabanks like to reward you for using their credit card, while local community financial institutions like to reward you for just using your account.
5. Watch yourself. We’re all guilty of spending money, but do we know how much? And on what? Thinking about a budget can be like thinking about a diet – depriving yourself of some things could make you crave and binge later. So, instead of thinking about a budget like deprivation, just be mindful of what you spend, where and on what. What have you bought today? Being aware of spending is the first step to being smarter about what you spend on.
6. Retire now. Ok, don’t take this literally, but just think about it: if you were to retire today, what amount of money would enable you to do that? When you retire, you stop earning money. So when you’re in your earning years, make sure you’re contributing to a retirement fund. This is best kept separate from your savings account (#1). Do you have a 401k through your employer? If so, what are your monthly contributions? Could you increase them by 1-2% this year? While this doesn’t sound like savings at first, it IS saving you money because 401k contributions are made pre-tax and continues to grow tax-free.
7. Spend time searching. The online digital world has given us a myriad of tools to help facilitate the search process when we want to find something. And if your goal is to save money, use these tools to find the lowest prices available. Oftentimes, buying something online compared to buying it in-store will save you money. While searching for the lowest price may not be the most convenient or quick way to go about things, if you want to save, it’s sure to help you achieve this goal.
8. . Having a smartphone in hand when you’re shopping is a sure-fire way to save you money in 2011. ABCnews covered 5 of the top mobile apps in December. Which ones did you use or could you have used?

These are only a few savings tips we thought of. What are you doing in the new year to save? We’d love to hear your tips too.

Meet Our New Poets

2011-01-20T11:46:00.000-06:00

In addition to the returning talents of Theo and Matt, please help us welcome slam poets Gabriela and Beth.

Gabriela is an international spoken word artist, an award-winning poet, and a 3-

time spoken word poet of the year for the college market. She graduated from UCLA in film and has traveled the world on the poet circuit. She has written two books and even founded her own successful clothing line called Labor de Amor. When she’s not writing and performing poems, she’s volunteering for charity and helping to teach youth the liberating power of the spoken word. You can hear Gabriela’s spoken word poem describing our Kasasa Saver™ product in our upcoming spots. And check out our Facebook Page in the upcoming weeks: Gabriela’s promised to post some fan photos! :)

Beth is an established author and slam poetry performer. You can check out her latest book “Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, 10 Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone” on Amazon. She contributes a very humble and charming presence to our spots, but don’t take this to mean that she’s timid or quiet. During filming, her impressive style motivated even the film crew to find and open a Kasasa account! Now, that’s SLAM poetry! You can connect with Beth on Facebook or hop on over to our page where she also said she would contribute some photos.

We had the pleasure of experiencing the energy of these two on a photo shoot a couple weeks ago, and Gabi had this to say about working with us:

“While it was very professional in the work itself, the quality of the production, the treatment of the artists, etc. it also felt like I was working on a project with friends in how approachable and willing Kasasa folks were to give us ideas, to create something that was true to us as Artists and Poets and true to Kasasa!  The commercial shoot was definitely memorable... I want to be adopted by Kasasa!”

Thank you Gabi and Beth!

Setting Things Straight

2011-01-18T12:30:00.001-06:00

With 2011 upon us, we begin to reflect on change. The new year represents a clean slate, with a cornucopia of possible resolutions at our begging. Diets, exercising, getting organized and quitting smoking will be at the top of many people’s lists. However, given the cautious economic climate, the decision to take steps toward financial freedom could prove to be a wise investment in time and money.

Make It a Lifestyle  
The road to financial freedom is paved with many things, but promises and quick fixes are not among them. Just as a crash diet may only provide short-term results, pledging many short-term solutions end up leaving you in a similar, or even worse, outcome.  

You have to be prepared and mentally ready. Your actions should serve the accountability of your financial well-being, so it becomes important to look at everything you spend money on and determine what you can live without.  

Consider Your Future
  Many times our financial goals become a desire for something we would like to have down the road. Home ownership, a new car, retirement planning, college tuition for your children and “rainy day” funds are all good reasons to stay focused on your savings plan.  

To help keep you on track, you must remind yourself daily of long-term future goals. If you want to buy a home, a good idea would be to place a picture of your potential home somewhere you will see it every morning. You can also put a note in your wallet, reminding you to limit spending. Focus on tomorrow and you’ll do a better job of controlling your spending today.  

Learn from Lao Tzu  
Chinese philosopher and author of Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu once stated, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." To win the race of financial freedom, you have to take baby steps. You can’t start doing every single thing imaginable and expect to be successful simultaneously at every one of them. This can only lead to your frustration.

  If you go out to eat three times a week, first try just going out once. If you go out to dinner and a movie each weekend, try eating at home and a movie out (or dinner out and a DVD). Saving 10% of your take-home pay may sound impossible, so start with 2%. The important thing is to start with measured, manageable steps, so your ultimate goal of financial freedom becomes more attainable.

Guest blog post from Joseph W. Scharl, Marketing Manager at Northern Star Credit Union in Portsmouth, VA  .

Get An Apple TV For Christmas?

2011-01-14T12:53:00.002-06:00

Remember the old MTV slogan: “I want my MTV”? Well we’re guessing that one of the new sayings of 2011 will be “I want my Apple TV.” Why? Because it conveniently gives you media any time, any day. The new Apple TV gives you movies, TV, Netflix, Flickr, access to your iTunes® library and more!

Users who have Netflix accounts can easily flip from Suggestions for you to Recently watched or search for something they haven’t seen before – all for FREE! Flip over the menu to “Computers” and hook up your own computer, load iTunes and take advantage of all of the media you have in there FREE, courtesy of Kasasa! Just think: $5 in free downloads each month is like 7.50% APY on a bank account with an $800 average balance! Whether it’s podcasts you love, music or movies, Kasasa Tunes™ can help you get your monthly fix of media just for using your checking account.

Want some free media on your TV today? Head over to Kasasa.com, find an institution with Kasasa Tunes by entering your zipcode after clicking "Open an account" and sign up for an account right there online. Our institutions offer anywhere from $5-$10 in downloads every month! That’s right, every month you could be adding to your arsenal of iTunes media available for your Apple TV just by using your bank account. Learn more at Kasasa.com.

Happy New Media Year. Enjoy!

2010 Wrap-Up: Local Activities & Events

2011-01-13T13:38:00.002-06:00

We were so happy to be a part of so many local community events in 2010. Below is just a sample of activities we welcomed you to last year. And if they’re “clickable” – click through to the content that exhibits just how much fun we had.

Florida
Alive After Five and Best of Jacksonville with Atlantic Coast Bank in Jacksonville, FL

Illinois
Murphy-Wall Car Wash with Murphy-Wall State Bank in Murphysboro, IL
Women’s Health Expo sponsorship with Security Bank in Springfield, IL
63rd Annual Sweet Corn Festival with First State Bank in Mendota, IL

Indiana
CU Water Cooler Symposium in Fishers, IN

Iowa
Treynor State Bank Community Halloween Party in Treynor, IA 

Kansas
ESU/ESB Financial Block Party in Emporia, KS
Friends of the Zoo with ESB Financial in Emporia, KS

Louisiana
Kasasa Fest with Synergy Bank in Houma, LA
Kasasa Rocks with Better Than Ezra concert with Coastal Commerce Bank in Houma, LA

Minnesota
Blue Heron Days at SMW Federal Credit Union in Lino Lakes, MN
Kasasa Fest with Pioneer Bank in North Mankato, MN

Mississippi
First Ever Gobblepalooza Fest with Gulf Coast Community CU in Gulfport, MS

Missouri
Liberty Arts Squared Festival Art Content with Pony Express Bank in Liberty, MO

Ohio
Toys for Tots with Farmers Citizens Bank in Columbus, OH

Oklahoma
Free Gas! with Liberty National Bank in Lawton, OK

Tennessee
Jefferson County Fair with CNBLA in Jefferson City, TN
“New Moon” Movie Night with CNBLA in Morristown, TN

Texas
Free Gas! with MCT Credit Union in Port Arthur, TX
Backyard BBQ with Members Choice CU in Katy, TX

Virginia
“Date Night” Movie with Northern Star CU in Suffolk, VA

Not to mention all of the press we’ve received!

Be sure to stay in touch on Facebook to look for future events and launches. It’s been quite a year! A BIG THANK YOU GOES TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING IT A GREAT ONE!

Here’s to Kasasafying 2011 too.

2010 Wrap-Up: Kasasa Launches Across the Nation

2011-01-12T13:52:00.002-06:00

2010 was quite a year for Kasasa – our second in existence! And with an emerging brand, you can expect a lot of growth and activity. We wanted to take this opportunity to review some of our accomplishments of the year – mostly we’re continuing to grow across the nation to make Kasasa as LOCAL as we can – near you to serve you.

Bank & Credit Union Launches

Florida
Atlantic Coast Bank in and around Jacksonville, FL
First Bank in and around Clewiston, FL

Illinois
American National Bank of Dekalb County in and around Sycamore, IL
First State Bank in and around Peoria, IL
Legence Bank in and around Eldorado, IL
Murphy-Wall State Bank & Trust Company in and around Pinckneyville, IL
Princeville State Bank in and around Peoria, IL
Security Bank in and around Springfield, IL

Indiana
Double 11 Credit Union in and around Indianapolis, IN
Natco Credit Union in and around Indianapolis, IN

Iowa
Treynor State Bank in and around Treynor, IA

Kansas
ESB Financial in and around Emporia, KS

Louisiana
Jeff Davis Bank in and around Jennings, LA
St. Martin Bank & Trust in and around St. Martinville, LA
Synergy Bank in and around Houma, LA
Coastal Commerce Bank in and around Houma, LA

Maine
Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union in and around Portland, ME

Maryland
NBRA Financial in and around Baltimore, MD

Minnesota
Pioneer Bank in and around Mankato, MN
SMW Federal Credit Union in Minneapolis, MN

Mississippi
Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union in and around Gulfport, MS
Magnolia Federal Credit Union in and around Jackson, MS

Montana
Heritage Bank of the Ozarks in Lebanon, MO
Bank of Weston in and around Kansas City, MO
Pony Express Bank in and around Liberty, MO

New Jersey
Aspire FCU in and around Clark, NJ

Ohio
The Farmers & Merchants State Bank in and around Archibold, OH
The Union Bank Company in and around Columbus Grove, OH
Woodstone Credit Union in Federal Way, WA

Oklahoma
Liberty National Bank in and around Lawton, OK

Tennessee
Community National Bank of Lakeway Area (CNBLA) in and around Jefferson City, TN

Texas
MCT Credit Union in and around Beaumont, TX
InCommons Bank in and around Mexia, TX
Members Choice in and around Katy, TX
Trans Pecos Banks in and around Pecos, TX

Virginia
Northern Star Credit Union in and around Portsmouth, VA

To see these financial institutions and more, check out our full list of Kasasa providers. And look out for more in 2011. :)

One Year Later

2011-01-07T11:26:00.001-06:00

As those of us who support the community/local movement know, Move Your Money was sort of the rallying cry for consumers to wake up to the way megabanks had been treating them. Could you do better? – the movement asked. And in January of 2010, people started to wonder…

With hundreds of press events, including Arianna Huffington’s appearance on the Bill Maher show, Bill Maher making a video himself, and hundreds of people contributing to the #moveyourmoneystream on Twitter, it has certainly grown. But just how much?

Their most recent post is titled “The Video That Started It All” – watch it again and share with us here what you’ve done in the last year to move your money. And perhaps what you’re likely to do in 2011 to keep it moving.

If you haven’t seen it before, maybe a step in the right direction is signing our petition. We love to see the number of signatures increase when people feel passionate about saying goodbye to the megabanks that have treated them poorly.

Thanks in advance for stopping by!

Neighborhood Credit Union

2011-01-03T14:07:00.002-06:00

Help us welcome a new credit union to the Kasasa family: Neighborhood Credit Union. This not-for-profit, member-owned, volunteer-directed financial cooperative was originally known as the Dallas Postal Credit Union and served postal workers from the surrounding communities in the area. But in 2001, the CU officially changed their name to Neighborhood Credit Union to more accurately reflect their growing and diverse member base.

Now, in 2011, they are as active in their communities as they are in social media. Check them out on Twitter or Facebook, or read their blog for the latest and greatest community news.

As the oldest credit union in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex, Neighborhood CU certainly knows a thing or two about fostering community – just one of the reasons we were so interested in partnering with them.

Now, we have to ask: won’t you be my neighbor?

R U Socially Connected to Your Financial Institution?

2010-12-30T08:30:00.000-06:00

If you read this blog, we hope you’re saying “yes” right now. But for those of you who have never considered whether you are or aren’t socially connected to your bank or credit union, we hope this post makes you think.

A recent Fiserv study states: “11% of online consumers are currently connected with their bank or credit union through a social site.” The study mentions that some of the benefits of connecting with your bank include:

• To stay in touch as an existing consumer

• Receive information

• Engage in relational activities

So if you didn’t say yes before, perhaps you know of somebody who is connected and receiving these benefits as we speak. In any case, this number seems rather high – given that social media is relatively new and that banks actually getting it right in social media is even newer.

And our friends over at The Financial Brand have challenged these findings. In a recent post, they try to disprove this 11% by Bank of America and Wells Fargo in social media as examples. What they find is that BofA and WF are not meeting their 11% by a long shot.

So, we have to ask: are you connected to your FI in social media?

If you’re with Kasasa, you should already know that a number of our FIs are in social media. Check out our Facebook page and scroll to the area where it says “Favorite Pages” to find your bank or credit union IF they have a page. And if they don’t, what would you like to see from them if they joined social media? Let us know here or on our Facebook Wall.

Cheers.

Behind The Scenes With Kasasa

2010-12-28T08:56:00.004-06:00

Last week we shot and wrapped up the second generation of Kasasa commercials (you may have seen John's tweets (@bvinteractive)).

Continuing with our Slam Poetry theme, we brought back Theo and Matt who have continuously displayed exuberant passion for the Kasasa brand and products. They both said they felt honored and thrilled to be asked back. They’re even thinking of how they can perform for our financial partners during the next Kasasa gathering we have. Wow! Of course!

We are also excited about two new poets who are equally as passionate about the Kasasa brand and products. Beth is an established author and her books have landed her on the national bestsellers list. Gabriela is just as well known in her field. She has traveled the world on the poet circuit, has written a book and founded her own successful clothing line. More about our poets (and pics) to come.....

Just to give you some of the back story, when we started to think about marketing Kasasa and making a commercial, we knew we had to do something different. Kasasa is not like any other banking product out there: it’s new and unique, and we definitely didn’t want to look, sound, or feel like a megabank commercial. Ugh. And so when we found the style of slam poetry, we knew it was a perfect fit to represent the brand and what Kasasa stands for. It’s such a human form of communication when compared to regular commercials or typical broadcast radio spots. Rather, slam poetry is full of energy and passion and genuinely captures the grass roots essence of our brand.

And we’ll use Theo’s words to help illustrate our point: “I friggin believe in this!”

So do we Theo. So do we.

Do you Kasasa?

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-23T10:01:00.004-06:00

Well it’s that time of year isn’t it. A time when we look back at the entire year, all of our experiences, all of our memories, all of our accomplishments and say… WOW, has it been another year already?!

The answer is yes, and we just wanted to say THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR YEAR – the posts, the comments, the tweets, the fans, the love. Every single engagement this year has made us smile with happiness as we take on the big banks and try to help America bank in a new way.

From us here at Kasasa, we wish you all – each and every one of you – a very Happy Holiday and a Happy (and safe) New Year!

Share How You Care - The Results

2010-12-22T17:03:00.001-06:00

First off, a big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who contributed an idea of how to give during the holiday season. We sincerely appreciate your input.

Secondly, while we did not quite meet our goal of 25 ideas, we still donated $5,000 to each of our Kasasa Giving partners because of the genuine engagement you gave us.

Below, are 9 great ideas to share how you care during this holiday season:

Donate canned food to food banks
Clean out your attic for a fresh start to 2011 and donate items to a local charity-based thrift store
If you’re a business, partner with Toys for Tots and provide a box where people can drop-off their toys
Donate a portion of every check to the United way
Donate your time to help support the homeless people in your community
Round up extra clothes you own and donate to the Goodwill
Collect and donate books and boys to a local toy drive
Adopt an “angel” from the Salvation Army giving tree
Adopt and provide food toys and other items to a family from the local Boys & Girls Clubs in your area

Feel free to post more ideas and make this list even longer!

Sincere thanks for your input.

Happy holidays from us here at Kasasa.

Kasasa Is Lookin' Good!

2010-12-21T08:48:00.001-06:00

Ladies and gentleman, drum roll, please… We have a new look to integrate with our slam poetry driven TV commercials! To explain the change a little, we wanted to do something different. “Duh,” you say. But we wanted to do it with a personal touch (hence the illustrated style) to represent the value we place on the personal service you can expect from a community bank or credit union. And we didn’t want to borrow stock photography and generically show people that aren’t you. Instead, with hand-drawn illustrations and photography, we wanted to capture the grassroots essence of Kasasa® – the organic, human characteristics that the majority of financial brands in the world today have forgotten truly run their business. You will also notice that the hand in each execution will be holding something – not only is this our “gift” to you but it’s totally up to you what your gift is! So we feel that this symbolizes putting the control back in your hands, where it should be.

“Our approachable messaging combined with illustrative design aims to break through the clutter and remind people there is a different way to bank that puts YOU first. You can own your financial future,” said Brooke Firchow, brand manager of Kasasa.

Our new campaign is currently rolling out and on into 2011. So be sure to keep an eye out for ads that feature America’s finest community banking institutions in your area.

Local vs. Online: Can You Have It All?

2010-12-17T09:57:00.001-06:00

If you like what we’ve been saying about banking local, getting free checking and high interest, but you don’t have a Kasasa® financial institution in a community near you…

We have a solution: banking online! By banking online with Kasasa, you can easily support local community growth, national economy health and reap the personal rewards today by signing up with ANY of our institutions online.

How many times do you go into a bank branch anyway? And if you were guaranteed a warm, considerate voice to talk to when you did have an issue (and not some automated megabank system), doesn’t banking online with one of our community banks or credit unions sound like the BEST OPTION?

Let us know!

What do YOU think of Kasasa?

2010-12-15T10:48:00.002-06:00

Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot of questions about Kasasa come from the crowd in social media, and we wanted to share them with you so that maybe you could help provide some answers. As we seek to spread the word about Kasasa, it’s important that you become a part of our story. We, as the brand, shouldn’t be talking all the time but rather listening to the questions that arise and helping to get them answered by the community at large – and that’s where you come in. If you’ve experienced Kasasa in any way, please help us spread the Kasasa way of banking differently, by clicking on the links below to add your input.

Yahoo Answers
“Does anybody know if Kasasa really is a good interest banking service?”

One response so far from Debbie:

I have had a Kasasa account for 9 months and I love it. I have been getting 3% interest every month and all I have to do is use my account. I was traveling one month and didn't use my debit card enough times and so I got much lower interest that month, but I got no fees. The next month I got my 3% again. I also really appreciate the ATM refunds. I don't get why anyone would have any other type of account. Kasasa is the best!!

Twitter Call Outs
@clussman: Does anybody know or use @kasasa? I’m interested in hearing some independent reviews.

@kawiracer14: @MattGunn – any thoughts on @kasasa?

@ruthburr: Reading up on Kasasa (thx @RedheadWriting for the link). Any of you guys use it? What do you think?

Blog Coverage
If you want to read an independent review head on over to personal finance site – CheckAdvantage. One of their most recent reviews asks: “Could Kasasa Change the Way You Bank Online?”

Let us know! Thanks in advance for your input.

Share How You Care

2010-12-13T15:48:00.003-06:00

’Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la. What’s on the top of your list this year? Is it a big item? Maybe it’s a smaller item but still expensive. Or maybe it’s a request that your family members donate their time to a volunteer activity. Whatever it is, we all know that part of the Holidays is about being generous to others, whether it’s volunteering your time or giving a hug or writing a check.

With spreading the good cheer in mind, we’d like to organize a tangible thank you to our Kasasa Giving charity partners for working with us to make a difference in the world of banking. And we’d like to present you with a BIG opportunity to make a difference this holiday season, all it takes is a little input from you. We want your ideas!!!

What are ways in which people can support their favorite charities during the Giving season?

Share one idea or three with us in social media: in a comment below, or on our Facebook Page, via a Tweet @Kasasa, or on our MySpace wall. For every idea we get, we’ll equally split a $10 donation to our three Kasasa Giving charity partners: Boys & Girls Clubs of America, American Humane Association’s Animal Protection Division, and Stand Up To Cancer.

If we get 25 ideas from at least 25 people across all of our social media channels, just 25 ideas, we’ll donate $5,000 to each of our charities!!!!! You can read the official Terms & Conditions here.

So come on, warm up the apple cider, gather your friends and family, and put your thinking caps on. We want to know: what are ways in which you can “give” to charity during the Holiday Giving season?

Green Community Banking

2010-12-10T10:32:00.003-06:00

This week, we’d like to talk to you about “green banking,” and more specifically, what’s going on at our very own First National Bank, located in Ruston, Louisiana. FNB proudly bills itself as The Uncommon Bank due to its commitment to Main Street, not Wall Street, and its endless allegiance to the generations of families and businesses in Northern Louisiana. FNB is a perfect example of the type of community financial institutions that we partner with across America.

FNB also has a Facebook Page and likes to keep fans engaged by posting local news such as Warhawks and Bulldogs games, in addition to news regarding new offerings. One of their general post themes is to remind people of the green benefits of banking online. (see image above)

And while any bank may be able to make the connection between banking online and “green banking,” not every bank can say they are a Green Certified Business by the Institute for Green Business Certification.

It’s community banks like FNB that make us so proud to be doing what we do. Bank online with The Uncommon Bank on their website and be sure to ask them about Kasasa Cash™, an account that rewards you for going paperless and green.

Bank local AND green for a better financial future.

First Ever Gobblepalooza Fest

2010-12-09T11:24:00.004-06:00

Submitted by Debbie Pidek, Executive Vice President, Communications/CCO Gulf Coast Community FCU

As a perfect example of Kasasa’s mission to “be involved in the communities we’re a part of”, Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union was proud to help sponsor Gulfport, Mississippi’s first annual Gobblepalooza last month. Held on the streets of downtown Gulfport from 3 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., the event raised much-needed funds and awareness for Feed My Sheep, a soup kitchen in Gulfport.

Feed My Sheep is an incredible 501(c)(3) organization that has provided meals for the homebound and the homeless with no questions asked for over 25 years now. In 2009 they served 90,514 meals and they are on track to serve over 120,000 meals in 2010! Their monthly expenses have doubled since Hurricane Katrina, and Gobblepalooza was developed to help them continue to serve meals to the needy in our community. The event featured live music including Cowboy Mouth, food from local restaurants and college games played on huge screens erected in the downtown area, where streets were blocked off for the festival. Great music, delicious food and an incredibly worthy cause all combined to create a perfect event on a cold, Thanksgiving weekend night to remember!   

Check out pictures from the festival on Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union’s Facebook Page.

The Union Bank Company

2010-12-06T12:04:00.002-06:00

Our newest Kasasa® communities reside in the Midwestern state of Ohio and are proudly served by The Union Bank Co. With 11 branches in four counties, this community bank is well poised to engage with the community on issues that matter to them, namely agriculture and the blue collar culture that accommodate the small towns they are so richly a part of.

Headquartered in Columbus Grove, a small community of 2,200 residents, most employees at The Union Bank Co. are extremely familiar with the history of the town and the changes that have faced their community over the years. In the years to come, the bank is looking to leverage Kasasa to connect with the future of finance in Bowling Green, Ohio, where Bowling Green State University is located. Currently, a two-year contract with the university encourages name recognition and the exchange of information on managing finances. But if The Union Bank Co. had their way, their exchanges would be a lot more frequent. Financial literacy is definitely a growth area with the majority of Americans, and The Union Bank Co. hopes to be at the forefront of financial literacy in the communities it serves.

If you live in and around Columbus Grove, Do you Kasasa?

The Future of Online Banking

2010-12-03T10:46:00.002-06:00

The future rests with the behaviors and mindsets of two oh-so-important generations: Y & Z. These two generations are known for their “digi-native” behavior of wanting online access anytime, anywhere. And you can expect that, as the years progress, their current habits of researching , accessing, and utilizing financial products online as well as on their mobile devices will only gain more momentum.

BizReport.com says that in 2009, “the American Bankers Association found online banking to be the preferred method for 25% of bank customers under the age of 55. The same survey this year found that number has risen to over a third (36%).”

This should not be shocking to a lot of you, especially if you’re reading blogs such as this one for financial information. We all hear it every day: the future is online. And for banking, it makes a lot of sense. The top three reasons for opening a checking account online as reported by Javelin Strategy and Research in 2009 were:

High-interest checking accounts
Speed
Convenience

The latter two are pretty obvious, but would you have guessed the first? As you know, with Kasasa checking accounts, we’re able to offer you the high interest on our products when you engage in certain online banking behaviors. ☺

What do you think? Will you be banking online in the next year or two? What are your reasons?

Toys For Tots at Farmers Citizens Bank!

2010-12-01T12:07:00.003-06:00

During this holiday season, the crew here at Farmers Citizens Bank (FCB) in Columbus, OH has teamed up with local news sources ABC 6 and Fox 28 as a sponsor of their annual Toys for Tot Drive.

The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

Want to help bring joy to a child’s life by donating a new unwrapped toy? Please drop them off to one of our two Columbus locations by this Saturday, December 4th.

Worthington Office

5858 North High Street

Worthington, OH 43085

Phone (614) 438-5858

Upper Arlington Office

2821 Fishinger Road

Upper Arlington, OH 43221

Phone (614) 326-2265

Can’t make it to one of our Columbus branches? Bring your donations to any of our other locations and we’ll make sure it gets to the deserving children!

Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community and spread holiday cheer!

Guest post from Maura A. Clougherty, Marketing Manager & Banking Officer, at Farmers Citizens Bank

Playlist from Jeff Davis on MySpace

2010-11-29T17:00:00.001-06:00

As part of our ongoing efforts to raise awareness for Kasasa Tunes, we have been dedicating a MySpace playlist a month to one of our community banks or credit unions and the tunes they like to play.

This month, our playlist comes from Jeff Davis Bank:

1. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night – Bon Jovi
2. Dancing Nancies – Dave Matthews Band
3. Two Steps Behind (acoustic) – Def Leppard
4. Guaranteed – Eddie Vedder
5. Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
6. Let Her Cry – Hootie and the Blowfish
7. Better Together – Jack Johnson
8. Young Forever – Jay-Z
9. P.Y.T. – Michael Jackson
10. Drown in My Own Tears – Ray Charles
11. You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
12. The Fly – U2
13. Panama – Van Halen

Marketing Director Tyler Williams had this to say about their compilation:

“This is a sample of music from the many different genres of music that I listen to. I listed some standards as well as some lesser-known songs. There are some upbeat, get-you-fired-up songs, as well as some that can only be listened to when your world has fallen apart.

I have found music to be a great way to find common ground as well as express yourself as unique. Music can change your mood, or reinforce your current state of mind. I try to give all artists a chance to win me over with their music. I don't judge a current album off of past success, and I don't necessarily follow artists as they cross over genres. I'll listen to anything...once.”

Great thoughts and playlist, Tyler! Thanks!

Check it out on our MySpace page.

Happy Thanksgiving Week

2010-11-24T08:02:00.001-06:00

All around the U.S. this week, families, friends and communities will be gathering ‘round the table to celebrate giving thanks. And we would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our community banks and credit unions, our Twitter followers, our blog readers, our Facebook and MySpace friends, our YouTube subscribers, and the people with which we work in a non-virtual way. We are eternally grateful to have you all on board as we spread the word about a new way to bank.

What are you most thankful for this year? Please share with us by leaving a comment below – giving recognition to those you care about.

From us here at Kasasa, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Kasasa Tunes For You

2010-11-22T12:56:00.004-06:00

Recently, we engaged people in the blogosphere to get their feedback and thoughts on our Kasasa Tunes™ product. And we wanted to give you a round-up of the articles and posts we received:

A Q&A session with our parent company BancVue’s Lori Peterson on The Financial Brand: "BancVue's Kasasa Tunes Checking Product."

Coverage with @4collegeparents. Since the product is geared toward next-gen financiers and Gen Y predominantly, we reached out to Sarah Schupp on Twitter. Schupp is the founder of UniversityParent.com, which provides information for college parents. She also runs a successfully engaging Facebook page. Thanks, Sarah, for the tweets!

CrankySaver on bankaholic.com also provided us with a great post: “Load your iPod for free with Kasasa Tunes.” – We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Thanks for the post, guys!

If you would like to learn more about Kasasa Tunes, we definitely recommend reading these articles or checking out the product page on Kasasa.com. And if you’d like to sign up for Tunes after reading them, you can enter your zipcode and do that here.

Do you Kasasa?

Kasasa Poetry Challenge

2010-11-18T11:27:00.007-06:00

Hello friends and fellow Kasasians. We are excited to announce our first-ever Kasasa® Poetry Contest!

In the process of shooting new TV spots for Kasasa Giving, we were thinking: since our brand and products are all about putting you first (by giving YOU something back for entrusting a community bank or credit union with your money, and the fact that we want to reward YOU with something that’s meaningful), we ultimately want to include YOU in the process of creating one of our new ads! How? By writing a poem that will then be performed by one of our slam poets. If you’ve seen our TV spots, passed over us in various online channels, or heard us on the radio, you know that our slam poets are passionate advocates for making a difference with Kasasa community banking. Using the spoken word, they continuously infuse the dull, grey financial industry with real people, real community, and real emotions. And these are definitely qualities to keep in mind when you’re writing if you want to participate. Here are the details on the product we’d like you to speak to:

Kasasa Giving is a free, high interest checking account that benefits consumers financially and helps them make charitable giving a part of everyday. We know that times are hard right now but that doesn’t mean that you have to stop giving! By using your free checking account, you get money to keep and pay forward to a charity you care about. It really is easy to qualify each month and earn high interest …plus ATM fee refunds, just do things like use your debit card, make electronic transactions, sign up for eStatements, and access online banking.

Important point to highlight: The money donated is NOT coming out of your pocket. Each month, as you earn massive interest (to keep), every time you swipe your debit card on purchases over a certain amount, your donation grows! So the amount you donate each month is completely up to you! Remember, there’s no money coming out of your pocket, just the Kasasa institution’s you’ve partnered with – it’s the Kasasa way of saying “Thank you” for choosing to entrust your money with that institution. How cool is that? Kasasa Giving makes paying it forward an easy part of every day that doesn’t cost you anything.

So there you have it, a brief description of the product we’d like you to write a passionate, authentic poem for.

Prize to be won: Enter for a chance to win $500 and we’ll donate $500 on your behalf to the Kasasa Charity Partner of your choice. Please feel free to watch our Kasasa Giving videos on YouTube for inspiration.

What you have to do: In 75 to 250 words, please write a poetic interpretation (to be used in a TV or radio advertising spot as well as online) of our Kasasa Giving account, and what it means to be able to get money to keep and to pay forward just for using your account. Below are the basic details of the product. Use all or none of them, whatever you feel will be most compelling to people looking for a new kind of banking account. All entries must, however, reference each of the national causes – either animals, children at risk and cancer research in general, or to the charities explicitly and include our tagline: Do you Kasasa?

Benefits of Kasasa Giving include, but are not limited to:

High interest to keep
Money to automatically donate to 1 of the Kasasa charity partners just by using your debit card
Free checking (no monthly fees)
Nationwide ATM fee refunds
No minimum balance

Kasasa Giving Charity Partners:

Boys and Girls Clubs of America: Making a difference in the lives of kids and teens all across America. Mission: Enabling youth to BE GREAT
American Humane Association: Working to protect animals from abuse and neglect since 1877. Mission: Creating a nation where no animal is ever a victim of willful abuse or neglect
Stand Up To Cancer: An initiative to accelerate groundbreaking, collaborative cancer research. Mission: Putting an end to cancer’s reign as the leading cause of death
Local Nonprofits: Your local Kasasa community bank or credit union may also choose a local cause to partner with and support

Kasasa Tagline: “Do you Kasasa?”

That’s it. Have at it and have fun! Please email your entries to entries@kasasa.com. Entries will be accepted between today, November 18 and December 6, 2010. There are no limits on the number of entries any one person can submit, so submit away!

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C., age 18 and older. Contest begins 12:00:01 a.m. PT 11/18/10, ends 11:59:59 p.m. PT 12/6/10. Enter by submitting, by email, a poem between 75 and 250 words, along with your name, address, phone number, designated eligible charity and email to entries@kasasa.com. Email must also include the following grant of ownership, exactly as set forth “By submitting my entry, I grant BancVue and its agents the right to use my Poem, in whole or in part, in any marketing, advertising or promotional materials, in any media, without any limitation and without any further consideration.” Poem must promote BancVue’s Kasasa® Giving checking account product, description available at www.kasasa.com, and must comply with Contest entry requirements outlined in Official Rules. Entries will be judged based on the following criteria: (a) 50% Artistic Merit and Quality, (b) 25% Adherence to the topic and depth of topic description, and (c) 25% Creativity. Enter as often as you like, each entry must be unique. Prize (1): Five hundred dollar ($500.00) cash prize. Sponsor will also donate five hundred dollars ($500.00) to eligible charity designated by winner at time of prize acceptance. ARV: $1000.00. Subject to Official Rules found at http://doyoukasasa.blogspot.com. Sponsor: BancVue, 4516 Seton Center Parkway #300, Austin, TX 78759.

Please find FULL contest rules here.

A Movement of Many

2010-11-16T17:04:00.001-06:00

A slew of people have popped into the social sphere to spread the word that banking (and shopping) locally is not just a good idea but it’s also a sound investment in a stronger financial future. So we wanted to dedicate a post to raise awareness for our “friends” with a similar mission.

The Slow Movement explains that “community banks or credit unions” are a step towards a community’s economic self reliance and a step away from the community’s dependence on governments and corporations.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

The New Rules Project continuously lobbies for “a new set of rules that builds community by supporting humanly scaled politics and economics.”

A New Way Forward is “a public, grassroots campaign and structural reform thinking group for real structural reforms of the economy” who also are on a mission to “break up the big banks that distort politics and the economy.” Here here.

Follow @SlowMoney on Twitter for tweets that support “a new economic vision. An emerging network of investors, donors, and farmers committed to building local food economies.”

And not to mention Move Your Money – sort of “the poster child” for the movement to take our money out of big banks and put it into smaller, community ones.

What other things have you seen or heard of to help spread the word about community banks and credit unions?

And as always, Do you Kasasa?

There Must Be A Better Way

2010-11-12T10:12:00.001-06:00

As Brett King points out in his latest Huffington Post article, “Predominantly we’ve let bank process, policy, compliance and regulations define how we behave as a bank, and customers have to yield to this environment.” As our comment on his post indicates, people should expect more from their financial institutions. Isn’t it them who are trusting the bank with their money? Isn’t it about time that they got something in return? A sign of gratitude from the bank at least for their trust?

King points out that we can blame “gaming and silos” for hindering the financial industry’s ability to see account holders as people and not just numbers. That these “embedded silos and this type of internal gaming frustrates customer innovation and improvements in the customer experience.”

The financial sector needs help. It needs a new leader. But most of all, if you’re familiar with Kasasa and the way we view banking, (you know we say it all the time): people need a new way to bank.

Do you Kasasa?

Giving to Charity

2010-11-10T09:30:00.004-06:00

With the holidays right around the corner it's time for giving. But we all know it hasn’t exactly been the year for strong consumer confidence. So, if you’re a person that wants to donate to a cause you care about but struggle with the idea of using some of your own money to do so, But we Butlet’s talk about two easy ways for you to give to a charity this year.

The obvious free way to give is by volunteering your time. This is a great way to interact directly with the people you're helping. You can rally friends and family to spend a Saturday doing something productive for your community.  For those of you who don't have the time or don't want to get your hands dirty (don't be ashamed!), Kasasa Giving® maybe just be the account for you. Without taking an extra cent out of your pocket, it allows you to give year-round to one of three major national charities that Kasasa institutions partner with: Stand Up to Cancer, Boys & Girls Clubs, or American Humane Association. "But I don't have enough money," you say. Well, you're in luck! With Kasasa Giving, every time you make a qualified debit transaction, your institution will donate to the charity of your choice on your behalf (a fast-growing donation depending on the number of times you use your debit card) – whether it’s one of the three national charities OR a local cause that your community bank or credit union supports. This is a great way to give while you're swiping most frequently during the holiday shopping season. Just think about it: 5 trips to the grocery store to stock up for holiday meals + 3 gas fills + 4 meals out with friends + 2 trips to the mall (8 gift purchases) at $0.05 per swipe, you’ve donated a dollar already! You see, you’re doing these things already, why not have a dollar going to charity in your name along the way?

Interested in a free checking account that gives back to a cause you care about? Check out Kasasa Giving today.

Kasasa Across The Nation

2010-11-08T10:16:00.004-06:00

The Kasasa® network now includes 68 community banks and credit unions in 26 states across America, which is over 370 branches nationwide! You can always count on Kasasa being exclusive to only the finest community banks and credit unions – the smaller institutions that will be ultimately responsible for reversing the financial crisis the megabanks got us into.

So even though there may not be a Kasasa community bank or credit union in your market yet, you can still choose to go local and support these institutions as they “win the war” against the megabanks. Do this by opening a Kasasa account at Kasasa.com. Plus, you can do almost anything online these days including managing your account without ever visiting a branch. There are millions of ATMs nationwide, at which you can choose to bank with your Kasasa account and get reimbursed for the fees charged to you by another institution. It’s these “little things” – like nationwide ATM fee refunds and easily managing your account online – that Kasasa knows mean a lot to you when choosing where to bank.

Kasasa, coming soon to a community near you. Do you Kasasa?

Guest Blog Post: Murphy-Wall Car Wash

2010-11-05T13:08:00.005-05:00

Murphy-Wall State Bank in Murphysboro, IL held a Kasasa Car Wash on Friday, Oct. 15th at the Murphy Pride Car Wash in Murphysboro. Employees from the Murphysboro & Pinckneyville locations distributed 100 car wash tokens from 10 AM to 4 PM. Cars began lining up at 9:45 AM with an average of nine cars waiting at all times.

The beautiful Southern Illinois day was perfect for having a clean car! Local radio station WCIL's Lia Mira did a live broadcast from the car wash. Murphy-Wall employees also handed out Kasasa information, pens and if you already had a Murphy-Wall item you received a scratch off ticket for a chance to win a computer, cash, gift certificates and more.

It's getting involved with people and the community at a local level that we really love and enjoy about Kasasa. And the feedback we received from attendees was 100% positive; they really enjoyed how different the Kasasa attitude toward banking is.

Do you Kasasa?

  A guest blog post submitted by Claudia Choate, VP/Marketing Director at Murphy-Wall State Bank in Pinckneyville, Illinois.

The End of Free Checking

2010-11-03T14:22:00.001-05:00

Are you banking with the big guys? With the recently increased federal regulation on overdraft fees, large banks like Bank of America are upping their income by adding fees to your checking account. You could be paying up to nine dollars a month! This is incredibly ironic given that the financial overhaul package was meant to protect you, the consumer.

"I've seen more regulation in the last 30 months than in the last 30 years," said Robert Hammer, CEO of RK Hammer, a bank advisory firm, in a USA Today article recently. "The bottom line for banks is shifting enormously, swiftly and deeply, and they're not going to sit by twiddling their thumbs. They're going to change."

 So, what exactly are these new fees going to be paying for? Customer service and personal interaction. Did we hear that right? Not only are they charging you for having money of your own, but now they’re going to be charging you for services that should come free-of-charge from any customer-oriented institution. So what should you do? Examine your current account closely. Call your megabank - even though they're charging you to - and find out what kind of fees they've added to your account. Then compare shop. Go to your local community bank or credit union.

In a recent Time article, Brad Tuttle restates what we’ve known for a while:

“Community banks, credit unions, and many online-only banks typically pay better interest rates and have fewer balance requirements and fees, and when they do have fees, they're more reasonable than the big banks.”

 We encourage you to seek out your local Kasasa provider. We have a great network of community banks that value their account holders, and our product line-up touts lifestyle-oriented benefits for YOU (not the bank) If you don't have a Kasasa institution in your area, many of them offer superb online banking services and won't charge you for paper statements. Do yourself a favor and abandon your megabank; they prove time and time again that they care more about your money than you.

Please Swipe With Care

2010-10-29T11:24:00.003-05:00

In this day and age of expediency, nobody wants to be that person holding up the grocery line with a pesky check. But according to this Yahoo! article, there are times – 15 to be exact – when you shouldn’t swipe your credit card.

There’s no need to rattle off the entire list, but there’s a clear theme throughout: It’s difficult to make well-planned financial decisions on the fly. There are a lot of upshots to credit card use that you, the credit card holder, need to anticipate before you buy. They have your best interest at heart, and they can be necessary when you make big purchases (with big rewards): spend 2 minutes at the register and you’ll learn a lot more.And the two minutes you’re at the register just isn’t enough time to be a savvy financial planner. For example:

“We always recommend paying a purchase off in no more than three months. Without a game plan, you’re playing credit card roulette. That’s when people get into trouble,” says Kathy Virgallito, a regional director for Apprisen Financial advocates.

Not only are credit cards convenient, but they’re also a great way to account for your finances ... if you swipe with care. For an overwhelming amount of people, a credit card is just a vehicle for procrastination. They have an “I’ll-worry-about-it-later” attitude with little regard for the hole they’re digging for themselves. With a little TLC, a credit card can become your best friend, especially during those big buys.

The whole list at Yahoo! is enlightening (even if some are no-brainers), but there’s one number that shines a little brighter than the rest on the list:

#4. If you get a notice that your rate will go “way” up: “That’s basically a notice that you should stop using your card,” says Lauren Bowne, a staff attorney with Consumers Union. Although the Credit CARD Act of 2009 says that credit card companies have to give you 45 days’ notice before your rate goes up, there’s a quirk in the law. The new rate actually applies to purchases starting on the 14th day after you get the notice. This is the time to negotiate with your credit card company, switch to a different company with a lower interest rate or put yourself on a credit fast.

Don’t let your finances wander away from your comfort zone. Do your research; plan, plan, plan. It takes a little longer than a swipe, but it will save you a fortune and a lot of stress. And that’s what we all want.

Remember that you can talk, in person, with your local community bank or credit union provider about your credit card options. We’re here to help.

Magnolia Federal Credit Union Launches Kasasa Giving™

2010-10-28T16:26:00.003-05:00

At the beginning of this month, Magnolia Federal Credit Union in Jackson, Mississippi launched Kasasa Giving. In addition to the three national Kasasa Giving charities: Stand Up to Cancer, Boys & Girls Club and Humane Society, Magnolia FCU chose to sponsor a local charity as well: “Credit Unions for Kids.":

“It’s just one more way Magnolia practices the credit union philosophy of ‘People Helping People,’” says Steve Pollman, Jr., president and CEO of Magnolia Federal Credit Union.

Magnolia Federal Credit Union has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network since 1996, when the Credit Unions for Kids program was introduced nationwide. Together with credit unions nationwide, Magnolia Federal Credit Union has helped the Credit Unions for Kids program generate more than $75 million for 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Funds raised help support new facilities, equipment, research programs, patient services, special patient needs and health education programs benefiting 17 million children annually. All the funds raised by Magnolia FCU directly benefit the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson, MS.

With Kasasa Giving, every time you make a qualified debit transaction, Magnolia FCU will give you $0.03 to donate to the charity of your choice (a fast-growing donation depending on the number of times you use your debit card) – whether it’s one of the national big three OR a local charity such as “Credit Unions for Kids”. Interested in a free checking account that gives back to a cause you care about? Check out Kasasa Giving today.

Farmer's Citizens Bank Celebrates Fall

2010-10-26T21:50:00.002-05:00

As I look out my window, the leaves are changing and the temperature is beginning to drop here in Columbus, Ohio. This means my favorite season has arrived: fall! Fall means the return of pumpkin spice lattes, cider, sweater weather, boots, and football (Go Irish!) to name a few!

Fall has also arrived in the lobbies of Farmers Citizens Bank! We recently had a bank-wide branch decorating contest between our seven branches. Each branch was told to decorate for fall but with a Kasasa theme.

As always, our employees had a lot of fun with this project and were very creative. Each branch looks festive and our customers enjoy the new decorations as well!
Check out Kasasa’s Facebook Page for a complete album of our decorations!
• Fredericktown Branch – Kasasa What a Treat – Tunes or Treat!
• Worthington Branch – Boo! You Kasasa!
• Cardington Branch – Fall into Kasasa
• Shiloh Branch – Fall into Cash
• South Branch – Don’t Let Banking Scare You Off…Come Kasasa!
• Upper Arlington Branch & Main Office – The Kasasa Pumpkin Patch!

What’s your favorite theme? Do you have other fall-themed Kasasa ideas?

Guest post from Maura Clougherty, Marketing Manager & Banking Officer at Farmers Citizens Bank in Worthington, Ohio.

Happy Credit Union Day!

2010-10-21T09:37:00.001-05:00

This year’s theme, “Local. Trusted. Serving. You.” rings true not only for credit unions nationwide, but for Kasasa community financial institutions everywhere.

Today, we’re encouraging you to stop by your local credit union. They’ll most likely be serving up treats or hosting an open house to celebrate their commitment to you. As a credit union member, you’re part of their business. Let’s celebrate together today!

Also, we’re hoping that in the near future, there will be a Happy Community Bank Day, as their commitment to local economies deserves some recognition too.

Hugs from Kasasa.

Guest Blog Post: Treynor State Bank

2010-10-20T14:42:00.005-05:00

OMG, it's TSB! That’s right, Treynor State Bank (TS Bank) is one of the newest financial institutions to join the Kasasa P-A-R-T-Y. To get employees pumped up about the new product lines Kasasa offers, bank employees were invited to a Kasasa Kickoff Celebration Dinner and Dance Off (nope, not a misprint) on Monday, September 13. The “Come Salsa with KASASA” themed party included a Southwest Style Buffet, music, dancing, and of course the now “World Famous” Employee Dance Video! Check out the fun on our Facebook page.

  TS Bank launched its Kasasa Cash and Saver products on Friday, October 1, 2010. Accompanying the launch was Iconic Superhero K-Man. For those of you unfamiliar with the work of K-Man, he is a lean, mean, green Mega Bank fighting machine. Check out the TS Bank Facebook page early and often to get updates on K-Man and his fight against the Mega Banks.

Guest blog post submitted by Kelsey Stupfell, Vice President Business Development at Treynor State Bank in Treynor, Iowa.

MLB Supports BGCA

2010-10-19T11:01:00.002-05:00

In time for the World Series, we wanted to let you know that our Kasasa Giving™ partner – Boys & Girls Clubs of America – is also the official charity of Major League Baseball.

Since their relationship began in 1997, MLB and BGCA have established more than 100 new Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) leagues and more than 200 Rookie Leagues. The benefits of this partnership are far-reaching, but one of its main focuses is to provide children nationwide with the opportunity to realize their dreams both on and off the field.

Watch one of their latest videos featuring Red Sox player David Ortiz on YouTube.

Interested in giving year-round to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America? Already use your debit card for most purchases? Want a new kind of purchasing power and get money to grow your donation with every swipe? Then Kasasa Giving may be for you. Learn more at Kasasa.com.

Do you Kasasa?

International Credit Union Day

2010-10-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

As if you needed a “special day” to let your community credit union know how special it makes you feel to be a member and not a number… we’re sure you do that every time you walk into your branch. Right? ☺

Well, in case you needed an excuse to tell the people behind the counters at your local credit union that you LOVE THEM and APPRECIATE THEM, here it is: International Credit Union Day is on October 21. With more than 186 million people worldwide choosing credit unions as their financial institutions of choice, CUNA (Credit Union National Association) has channeled their passion for credit unions into a festival of sorts with plenty of celebratory materials to choose from.

If you’re an employee of a CU, take this day to thank your members for choosing to bank locally with you. And if you’re not a member, nor an employee of a CU, we hope this post and international day of recognition piques your interest in banking at a credit union (or community bank. At Kasasa, we like those too.) ☺

Do you Kasasa?

Free + Perks = No Consolation Necessary

2010-10-07T09:26:00.002-05:00

In Ron Lieber’s latest article, he discusses some of the emerging technologies that banks such as USAA and Chase are adopting to “console” consumers. He says, “many of us would be willing to pay a few dollars a month for something new and useful.”

But isn’t it the megabanks who OWE YOU something (without you having to pay extra)? You give them your money, they lend it out and give you measly interest as compensation. That and bad, impersonal service. Isn’t it about time the roles reversed and the big (bad) banks actually made you feel like you were worth something to them?

That’s what we believe here at Kasasa. We think you should get something back for allowing the bank to use your money. And not just in services that are more useful, but in something tangible that you can see, touch, or use for your benefit. Whether it’s Cash that you can buy something with immediately, or it’s high interest that’s highly competitive but served with personal service, or it’s getting money from your community bank or credit union to donate to a cause you care about, or it’s Entertainment downloads that you can listen to and experience again and again. We Kasasa for a future of banking differently.

Do you Kasasa?

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

2010-10-05T10:39:00.002-05:00

Oliver Stone’s latest film – a sequel to his 1987 “Wall Street” – seeks to enlighten us all on the twisted story of finance that sent the market into collapse in early fall of 2008, “when the much prophesied Crisis of Capitalism appeared to be at hand.”

Watch a video here as Stone talks about an “era of excess” that has eventually born fruit. And we know exactly what he is talking about – the financial greed that has stripped money from Main Street and placed it in the hands of a few, already wealthy megabanks.

But we’d like to hope that in the near future, Gordon Gekko will have a new contender – community financial institutions. Can a voice from the people rise above the Wall Street noise and calamity and cause irrevocable change for a more balanced and verdant future? We hope so.

We’d love to hear what you think of the movie. And let us know if it inspires you to bank differently.

Do you Kasasa?

Stand Up To Cancer Event Raised More Than $80 Million

2010-09-30T16:56:00.006-05:00

A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who participated in Stand Up To Cancer’s pledge telethon earlier this month. The numbers are in, and more than $80 million will go to cancer treatment and research. Yea!

Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (parent organization of Stand Up To Cancer), said that in comparison to their telethon in 2008, she is “thrilled that America came through with extraordinary donations” even though we’re in a down economy.

You all have amazingly big hearts and we couldn’t be happier that our Kasasa Giving friends @SU2C are getting the support and raising awareness that they need.

If you feel like giving and donating year-round to help help researchers find a cure for cancer check out our Kasasa Giving product – it’s an easy way to give AND make money at the same time.

Where Does Your Passion Come From?

2010-09-28T16:19:00.003-05:00

This is a short post to ask you something: When it comes to banking at a community institution, where does your passion come from? Why do you choose a community institution over a megabank? What benefits do you see?

We’d love to hear from you. #banklocal

Financially Savvy In Your Golden Years

2010-09-27T13:35:00.002-05:00

Do you remember what your investment strategy was in your teens? Chances are you didn’t have one. What about it your twenties? Hopefully you saved a little for a rainy day and started mapping out a retirement plan – but if you are like most Americans, your debt was high and your credit card statements were higher.

This mentality may have eased up in your 30s and 40s, and finally came the age of financial savviness. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to finance management in your 50s. According to “The Age of Reason: Financial Decisions Over the Life-Cycle With Implications for Regulation,” the average person’s peak financial decision-making age is around 53 years old.

America, it’s time to prove this study wrong and tune up financially before we reach the Golden Years! Kasasa Cash™ and Saver™ give you money, automatically deposited into your accounts, so you can start saving and make massive amounts of cash while doing it. Massive amounts of cash that you can be financially savvy with, whether it’s paying off a loan or investing to save. Let’s get smarter with our money, because the earlier we start to save and invest, the more we can enjoy our lives later on!

Aspire Federal Credit Union Now Has Kasasa Tunes™

2010-09-24T10:41:00.003-05:00

Hey readers, we’re pleased to announce that our Kasasa Provider Aspire Federal Credit Union in Clark, New Jersey is now offering one of the most innovative banking products on the market: Kasasa Tunes!

Aspire members have already been enjoying the benefits of Kasasa Cash™ and Kasasa Saver™. And Laura-llene Harding, VP Marketing and Business Development, had this to say about the recent launch:

“Our members are thoroughly enjoying Kasasa offerings because they speak to their lifestyle, and Kasasa Tunes continues to support that movement. The Kasasa launch has been successful for our credit union and has been met with widespread support from the community.”

Yay for community banking! And if you’re interested in Aspire FCU because they’re just so – ya know, great! – but you don’t live in or near Clark, NJ, guess what? You can open the account online within minutes and they offer online banking! So you can get the benefits of Kasasa Tunes and the benefits of supporting a local credit union all in one.

Do you Kasasa for a future of banking differently?

Moving University Money

2010-09-22T09:19:00.002-05:00

Inspired by ,and in partnership with, the Move Your Money movement, the Responsible Endowments Coalition is taking their message to the nation’s universities and institutions of higher education.

In a press release issued by the REC, they say:

“College endowments and operating funds in the United States total well over $300 billion, even after the losses of the financial crisis. Taking that money and moving it out of the big banks that have failed us, and particularly into community development financial institutions where possible, can help us create a necessary shift in our financial culture.”

It’s this shift that we’re counting on the next generation of finance to believe in. If you’re a college student now OR if you’re the parent of one, what will the future hold for you regarding big banks vs. smaller, community ones? Which is a better long-term solution for the nation’s needs?

We’d love to hear from you.

Day for Kids - September 25th

2010-09-20T14:58:00.004-05:00

Not that you need a reason to spend quality time with our little ones, but in case you need a reason to celebrate, here it is! This Saturday, the 25th, in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Kasasa Giving™, we’re pleased to announce that it’s National Day for Kids!

So go out and get dirty with your little ones, play on the playgrounds, stick chopsticks up your nose (just kidding), and really try to have some fun.

“Research shows that when adults spend meaningful time with kids, it helps kids develop a positive self-image and a sense of belonging, usefulness and purpose,” says an Ask the Children study done by the Families and Work Institute.

Learn more about the Day for Kids and don’t forget to sign their pledge!

And if you feel like supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs of America year-round, be sure to check out our Kasasa Giving product – in addition to earning high interest every month, you get money from every debit card swipe that’s automatically donated on your behalf!

Our Fearless Leader

2010-09-16T09:29:00.003-05:00

Would you be brave enough to take on the federal government? Most would say no, but not Gabriel Krajicek; he faced them head on because he felt it was the right thing to do for future communities and future banking consumers. Krajicek is the CEO of Austin-based BancVue®, a research-driven product development company that designs innovative, exciting and market-ready products for community financial institutions to compete against the megabanks.

With BancVue products, a community financial institution can offer higher interest rates for those accounts with more activity. But in 2006, the Federal Reserve ruled that this type of account structure was illegal and the company had just three months to change the minds of the federal regulators or the company would be forced to close.

It was at this point that Krajicek – after a fleeting moment of feeling crushed – amped up his game and decided to go to war with Washington. He was determined to fight, and even more determined to win! To show his support for community banks and credit unions and their consumers, Krajicek shaved his head in preparation for this “battle on Washington” and showed everyone at BancVue that their CEO had the commitment to conquer in him.

Krajicek made a recommendation to the Fed; he proposed revision to the BancVue program included capitalizing on a loophole in the regulation. After all was said and done, the Fed approved, and BancVue had finally won the war! No consumers were harmed. Yay!

To learn more about the variety of innovative Kasasa accounts offered by community banks and credit unions nationwide, check out Kasasa.com.

Kasasa on Facebook

2010-09-10T10:44:00.004-05:00

Are you one of the 500 million people on the ever-popular social networking platform AND interested in connecting with Kasasa? Check out a Kasasa community bank or credit union in your area, here are some links for you to “like”. Thanks in advance for liking Kasasa!

Kasasa’s Facebook Page

Magnolia Federal Credit Union in Missouri

Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union in Maine

Northern Star Credit Union in Virginia

Pony Express Bank in Missouri

Jeff Davis Bank in Louisiana

Double Eleven Credit Union in Indiana

Natco Credit Union in Indiana

Countybank in South Carolina

Atlantic Coast Bank in Florida

This is just a limited selection of the 50+ community banks and credit unions we currently partner with. We may be a big community, but you can always connect with any of our partners directly on Kasasa’s Facebook page.

Do you Kasasa on Facebook?

BancVue is the 8th-Fastest-Growing Financial Firm

2010-09-08T10:41:00.001-05:00

We are so proud of our parent company BancVue for their inclusion on Inc.’s 500 Top Financial Services Companies released late last month. They were the only financial services company exclusively focused on community banks & credit unions to be listed. What an honor!

“It’s nice to be recognized, of course,” says Don Shafer, Chairman of BancVue, “but what’s really important is that the products and services BancVue is providing community banks and credit unions are working. Our innovative solutions are empowering community financial institutions across the country to compete and win the war against the megabanks.”

It’s this empowerment and growth that we are happy to be a part of as we send a message to the megabanks that the way they’ve managed the nation’s finances for so long isn’t working any longer.

Do you Kasasa for a future of banking differently?

And if you want to learn more about BancVue, check them out here.

Financially Prepare Your Children

2010-09-07T11:21:00.002-05:00

In Jeff D. Opdyke’s new book (March 2010), “Piggybanking: Preparing Your Financial Life for Kids and Your Kids for a Financial Life," he writes about the many challenges of life that parents try to prepare their children for. Along with getting good grades, acing your SATs, choosing a major and finding love… a major challenge youth will face as they come of age is managing their finances.

Opdyke, a personal finance writer for the Wall Street Journal takes readers through the many stages of raising children and points out practical financial instructions such as:

How to make money
How to save money
How to participate in charitable giving
How to develop powerful financial habits that can last a lifetime
And more…

This is an extremely relevant read given the current financial crisis we are working our way out of. With tools like this book, future generations will be prepared with the financial skills necessary to navigate such fast-moving and changing waters.

May the financial power be with you.

By the way, do you Kasasa?

Don't Bank On The Big Banks

2010-09-02T11:22:00.003-05:00

After the financial meltdown, American consumers are starting to learn not trust the big banks. Even after a financial reform sanctioned by the government that was designed to protect consumers and shareholders, some banks are still operating in questionable ways. After all of this financial mess, do you think the big banks should be trusted? Do they really have your back in the cast of bank fraud?

Best-selling author Naomi Wolf ran into this issue with her checking account and sued the bank for negligence. Bank fraud is a profitable business for many banks in several ways: corrupt accounts can lead to overdraft fees and bad check fees can amount to hundreds or even thousands of dollars with each corrupted account at an individual bank. So it is in the best interest of the (big) bank to keep your corrupt account open as long as possible. And the longer you keep your corrupt account open the less accountable you are and the less likely you are to see any of stolen money come back to you. Just listen to this:

“In one internal e-mail, a WaMu representative noted that the bank had denied a forgery claim filed by Wolf, a ‘noted author and journalist,’ and were concerned that if they closed her accounts ‘we will wind up on the front page of the newspaper.’”

Wow, did we read that right? Yikes! One of the many reasons Kasasa chooses to partner with local community banks and credit unions is their ability to provide real customer service and provide the personal touch big banks can’t provide. When you call your banker you want to talk to a real person who knows you and about your money, not an automated machine asking you to press 1, 2 or 3. Community banks offer you the chance to meet and get to know your banker and develop a trusting relationship with them.

If this sounds like the kind of banking you’re looking for, check out Kasasa.com and what Kasasa accounts are available to you by the personable community institutions we work with. Even if there’s not a Kasasa provider in your local community, you can bank with one online and/or over the phone and still receive their personal service.