Invest in Yourself - Yolo Federal Credit Union Skip to main content
×
cover-art

Yolo FCU Mobile

Finance

Free - On the App Store

View
×
cover-art

Yolo FCU Mobile

Finance

Free - On the App Store

View

Invest in Yourself

Available through CUSO Financial Services, L.P.

 

For many young adults, the idea of investing may be intimidating, but in reality, we invest in something one way or another every day. Entrepreneurs invest time into their businesses. Spending time with friends or family is an investment in a relationship. Volunteering is an investment in an organization that matters to you. But do you remember to invest in yourself?

Taking the time to invest in your financial wellbeing, career, and other interests can help set you up for success in the future. Here is our list of five Invest in Yourself tips.

1. Set Goals. Asking yourself what you’d like to achieve and making a list is a great place to start. (Hint: your goals don’t have to be financial.) Next, rank your goals to determine which you’d like to focus on first. Then use the SMART goal method to help keep yourself accountable and focused.

2. Make a budget (that works for you). Budgeting isn’t just about money. It gives you peace of mind to fulfill your financial responsibilities and helps fund your “fun” goals. There are several budget options, and we recommend finding one that works best for you. Some of our favorites are:

Like our Online and Mobile Banking feature, MoneyTrack, budgeting tools can help you set, track, and achieve your financial goals. With Money Track, you can easily connect all of your accounts and loans for an overview of spending, cash flow, and net worth.

Once you’ve selected a budget type, build your goal(s) into your budget. For example, include your monthly payments and interest if you are trying to pay off debt. The same goes for saving for a new car, a home, or your next vacation.

3. Pay yourself first. In our Pay Yourself First budgeting blog, we talk about making savings goals a priority, but there are more ways you can pay yourself:

  • Plan for fun—Creating a “Fun Fund” will help you be financially prepared so you can say “yes” to a spontaneous adventure. Build how much you want to save into your budget, set up recurring transfers to a designated savings account, and sign up for Shortcut to Savings.
  • Plan for emergencies—more than half of Americans couldn’t afford a $400 unexpected expense. Having an emergency fund of at least $1,000 will help you be prepared.

4. Fuel your career. Investing in your professional development can bring meaning to your life, and making mindful choices could help you achieve your career goals. You can:

  • Find jobs that will help you gain experience
  • Take advantage of certificates, training, and educational opportunities
  • Upskill your skillset in high-demand areas

5. Feed your brain. When thinking about your career, one thing that may not come to mind is work-life balance. Maintaining a balance can help reduce stress and prevent burnout. Choosing to spend your time wisely is essential. Here are a few steps you can take:

  • Set boundaries to protect your personal time and schedule time off
  • Disconnect from work (including reviewing emails from your phone)
  • Eat your meals away from your desk

It’s also important to keep your brain active to maintain healthy cognitive functions. Engaging in new, complex, challenging, and enjoyable activities can help. If you don’t already have one, find a hobby or learn something new.

Investing in yourself can arguably be one of the most critical steps towards improving your future. The energy you spend in these five areas will bring your closer to your financial, personal, and career goals. Our CFS* Financial Advisor, Monaye Nelson-Morgan, can help create a custom retirement plan for assistance with financial investment. To get started, complete this form or contact Monaye at mmorgan@cusonet.com.

 

*Non-deposit investment products and services are offered through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (“CFS”), a registered broker-dealer (Member FINRA/SIPC) and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Products offered through CFS: are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured, are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union, and may involve investment risk, including possible loss of principal. Investment Representatives are registered through CFS. The Credit Union has contracted with CFS to make non-deposit investment products and services available to credit union members.

Please enter a form shortcode or message for this pop-up.

Leaving Our Site

You are leaving the Yolo Federal Credit Union website. Yolo Federal Credit Union provides links to external sites for the convenience of its members. By clicking “Continue” you will be directed to an external website owned and operated by a third party. These external websites are not controlled by Yolo Federal Credit Union and Yolo Federal Credit Union makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the user concerning the information, content, presentation, accuracy or opinion of these sites or the quality, safety, or suitability of any software found on these sites. The privacy policies of Yolo Federal Credit Union do not apply to external sites and users should consult the privacy policies on these sites for further information. Thank you for visiting the Yolo Federal Credit Union website.

To qualify for membership, you must live, work, worship, attend school in Yolo, Sacramento, Placer, or El Dorado counties.

To apply for a Home Loan, you must qualify for membership, and the property must be located in Yolo, Sacramento, Placer, or El Dorado counties or within 50 miles of our corporate office. 

Leaving Our Site

You are contacting a Yolo Federal Credit Union Representative. By clicking “Continue,” you understand that any transmission to or from this site is not confidential. You agree that Yolo Federal Credit Union will not be responsible to anyone for any damages arising out of or in connection with any e-mail or other electronic transmission sent to Yolo Federal Credit Union. All information you submit to Yolo Federal Credit Union via the site will be considered to be the property of Yolo Federal Credit Union, and Yolo Federal Credit Union is free to utilize any information you submit for any purpose, subject to Yolo Federal Credit Union’s Privacy Policy.

Fraud—Protect Yourself

We proactively work to protect members against fraud. All of our Debit and Credit Cards come with ID Navigator through NortonLifeLock™ to help protect you against identity theft. If you suspect fraud or have questions, please call, schedule an appointment, or click on Let's chat! to speak with a Yolo FCU representative.

Learn More