Finding Life-Changing Apps

Applications for your smartphone can help you lose weight, exercise more, manage your health, and pursue other life-changing goals.

Smartphone applications can be highly effective at changing behavior because they take advantage of the powerful, pocket-sized computer that smartphone owners carry with them wherever they go.

The best apps for life-changing goals combine reliable information with positive reinforcement, such as “badges” for achievement or links to other users with similar goals.

Getting fit
Walkers, runners, and bikers can use programs such as iMapMyFitness to create exercise objectives, track progress, follow a training regimen, and encourage each other.

Some apps home in on a particular fitness approach, such as the free apps iMapMyRun for runners or StravaCycling for bicyclists. Pocket Yoga offers routines to music in the setting of your choice.

The Nike Training Club offers 60 workouts from professional trainers, while apps like Daily Ab Workout FREE home in on specific muscle groups.

Improving health
Lose It! helps you set weight-loss goals and record food intake. A bar chart indicates how far you’ve advanced in the day’s allotment of calories, remaining green while calories are left but turning red when it’s time to stop eating.

Low-cost app MyQuit Coach helps you quit smoking with a personalized plan, tracking, and motivational tips. The free Quitter app tallies your savings on tobacco products.

Medical advice from a reputable source is free with the WebMD app, which lets you enter symptoms and then offers information about possible causes, conditions, and treatments.

You can get a quick review of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) from Pocket First Aid, a low-cost app available from the American Heart Association.

Banking

Did you know that Hopewell Federal offers its very own app and it is absolutely FREE!?  Visit your app store and search “Hopewell Federal” to download this easy to use tool.

Picking good apps
App stores offer reviews that highlight good features or flaws. Websites like AppSmitten.com also offer reviews and ideas.

Checking out the apps preloaded on your smartphone is another way to get started. They may help you plan your schedule, listen to music, check the weather, or monitor the news.

Seven Tips to Avoid Auto Breakdowns

Nothing can spoil a vacation—or even a quick errand—like having your car break down. Here are seven of the most common reasons for being stranded by the side of the road and preventive measures you can take.

* Battery trouble. Have your battery checked during any safety inspection or other visit to a dealer or mechanic’s shop, especially if your battery is three years old or older.

* Lockouts. Get additional sets of keys for your home and office. If you’re going on a road trip, give a set of keys to another member of your party.

* Engine trouble. Inspect belts and hoses by looking for cracks and peeling on the belts and softening on the hoses. Check the levels of transmission and other fluids with a dipstick.

* Transmission problems. If you feel slipping or a jerk when you put the automatic transmission into gear, get the transmission checked. Be sure your dealer or mechanic checks all fluids, including transmission fluid.

* Brake trouble. Get your brake pads and rotors checked at least twice a year. The brake fluid needs to be changed every two to three years.

* Flat tires. Insert a quarter into several grooves across each tire. If part of Washington’s head is always covered, you still have 4/32-inch of tread left and probably can drive safely. If you have less tread, think about replacing the tires.

* Running out of gas. Don’t take chances on reaching that next gas station beyond this one. If the warning light comes on, stop for gas as soon as you can.

If you need help funding car repairs, come to Hopewell Federal Credit Union. We have affordable loan options to get your vehicle fixed up again.

Shopping for a Car? Skip the Legwork.

Save time and shoe leather when you use the Web to compare the vehicles you’re considering.

* Check your choices–edmunds.com and kbb.com get you started with side-by-side comparisons of cars on your list.

* Inspect safety records–nhtsa.gov (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) gives crash test results; find more detail at carsafety.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).

* Find the real price–edmunds.com and kbb.com let you know the price and any manufacturer price incentive for the cars on your list.

* Find the best financing–Use your credit union’s Web site to check auto loan rates and apply for a loan; when you shop with the equivalent of cash you’ll be in a better bargaining position.

Thinking of Refinancing? 

Car Loans Rate Do-Overs, Too

While mortgages are getting most of the refinancing attention, don’t overlook your car loan. In many cases, it can be smart to refinance a car loan, too.

There are two potential rewards: You can trim monthly payments, and you could reduce the overall cost of the vehicle.

Say you had to finance a car at a point when your credit score was not as good as you’d have liked. If your score has improved by even 50 points, you should explore refinancing the car loan.

Or, if rates are lower now than when you borrowed for your car, refinancing can make sense as long as you’re not too far into the loan term.

Say you’ve been paying on a $35,000 car loan for two years, originally set up as a six-year loan at 8.5% with a $622 monthly payment. If you can refinance the last four years of that loan at even 5.5%, your new monthly payment will be $587, and you’ll pay $1,680 less for the loan overall.

If reducing monthly payment isn’t your objective, accelerate your loan payoff by maintaining the same monthly payment. In this example, you’d cut three months off your loan term and be car-loan free in 45 months.

Factors that will affect your refinance: age and condition of the car, your credit score, other debt obligations, employment stability. Talk to a Hopewell Federal Credit Union lender today to assess your refinancing opportunities. You might reduce your debt and increase your cash flow at the same time.

Hopewell Federal Credit Union Promotes Car Show to support Licking County Humane Society

Second Annual Car Show Proceeds to Be Donated to Worthy Cause

Hopewell Federal Credit Union announced it will, once again, host its Car Show in Newark, Ohio.  The second annual Hopewell Federal Credit Union Car Show will be held on July 21^st, 2012 from 10am-3pm at 1690 North 21^st.  All proceeds for this event will benefit the Licking County Humane Society.   The Licking County Humane Society is a non-profit volunteer organization devoted to the humane treatment of animals. It operates a non-profit, no-kill shelter located at 548 Dog Leg Road in Heath, next to the Licking County Animal Shelter.  Presently, they are in the middle of a capital campaign with the purpose of constructing a new building on 825 Thornwood Drive in Heath.

The event invites participants to register a car for only $10 from 10:00AM to 1:00PM on the day of the event.  The awards will take place at 2:45PM and registrants must be present to win.  A collection of awards will be presented including dash plaques, CEO award, DJ award and Top 30 awards.  All years are welcome.

Attendees of the event will enjoy free admission, DJ music, 50/50 raffle and door prize drawings.  Food will be available to purchase from Big Daddy’s Dogs during the event.  Hopewell Federal Credit Union encourages the public to attend this event to support this worthy cause.

Click here to view our event flyer.