Buying a Home in Today's Economy

The only thing certain about today’s economy is that it is uncertain. While things look relatively stable now, no one can guarantee what the next few years will bring. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up on the home of your dreams because of a fluctuating economy. Here are steps you can take to make sure your money –and your house – are safe regardless of the state of the economy.

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5 Tax Scams to Avoid

Tax season can be a hectic, so it is important to stay alert. During this stretch of the year, scammers are highly active and are taking every opportunity to steal from the unsuspecting.

Here are a few scams to watch out for this year.

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Avoid These 4 Fear-Related Risks to Retirement Investing

Franklin Delano Roosevelt relayed his deep understanding of how fear itself is a risk and can lead to irrational action when, in a time of extreme uncertainty and war, he advised the nation that we “have nothing to fear but fear itself.” That same wisdom applies to retirement investing. Here are 4 fear-related risks to avoid when pursuing your financial retirement goals:

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3 Ways To Build Your Credit History

If you keep up with financial news at all, you know your credit score is one of the most important and widely circulated bits of information about you. It determines the outcome of many of your adult life decisions.

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What Do I Do With My Refund?

We don’t normally like to tell you how to spend your money. Our members tend to be very good at that, often finding creative ways to turn the hours they’ve spent at the office into new ways to enjoy their lives.

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Retirement Savings For Self-Employed People

There are three big options when it comes to saving for retirement as a small business owner, independent contractor or self-employed worker. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each. Remember not to let perfect be the enemy of good with these plans. Any savings is better than no saving at all!

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Beware Of Banking Scams

Scammers never take a break. They’re always dreaming up ways to con you out of your money. Recently, there’s been a significant uptick in scams involving checking accounts at many financial institutions.

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Meltdown and Spectre Vulnerability

As you may have heard on the news, computer researchers recently discovered that the main chip in most modern computers—the CPU—has a hardware bug, “Meltdown and Spectre.” At GLCU, your security is our top priority and we wanted to alert you in case you had concerns.

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Great Lakes Credit Union Pays it Forward to Communities in 2017

Great Lakes Credit Union concluded 2017 as it began the year – helping those who live within the communities it serves. “Our credit union is proud to give back and pay it forward in meaningful ways throughout the communities we are involved in. By supporting and volunteering at organizations and community events, we can help fulfill wishes where caring is needed the most,” says Yvonne Bailey, Vice President of Marketing at GLCU.

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Early Retirement Costs You Might Have Missed And How To Save For Them

Retiring early is the dream. You get to spend more time with your family and enjoy your hobbies while you’re healthy enough to do so. You can say goodbye to the workaday world and begin your permanent vacation.

Maybe it’s less of a dream and more of a necessity. Maybe health problems, like chronic pain or arthritis, are forcing you to consider giving up your career before age 65. Perhaps your children need you to help with caring for your grandchildren.

Whatever your reason for retiring early, a study released in June 2014 by Fidelity Investments warns it will cost you in ways you might not expect. According to the study, early retirees can expect to pay an extra $17,000 per year in medical expenses.

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Get Smart With Gift Card Exchanges!

Everyone is looking for ways to save during the expensive holiday season. A great way to do this is to cash in on gift card exchange sites, like giftcardgranny.com and cardcash.com.

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GLCU Donates $3,000 to Veterans of Foreign Wars

In support of Great Lakes Credit Union’s (GLCU) initiative to give back to its communities, on December 8, GLCU Board Member, Kevin Leman, and Antioch Branch Manager, Teresa Qualls contributed $3,000 to Veterans of Foreign Wars in Antioch, Il.

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GLCU Donates $3,000 to Wally Burns VFW

In support of Great Lakes Credit Union’s (GLCU) initiative to give back to its communities, on December 8, GLCU Board Chair, Jim Fabrie, and Country Club Hills Branch Manager, Terri Spriggs contributed $3,000 to Wally Burns Veterans of Foreign Wars in Flossmoor, Il.

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NEW Ratings & Reviews

Member ratings and reviews are now displayed at the top of designated product pages including our Mortgage, Checking, Loans & Credit Cards, and Visa page! 

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GLCU Donates $3,000 to Preserve a Gurnee Landmark

In support of Great Lakes Credit Union’s (GLCU) initiative to give back to its communities, on November 20, GLCU Board Member, Stephen Park, and Gurnee Branch Manager, Erica Carrillo contributed $3,000 to Gurnee to rebuild the Richard A. Welton Plaza in Gurnee.

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GLCU Donates $3,000 to United Way of Will County

In support of Great Lakes Credit Union’s (GLCU) efforts to give back to its communities, GLCU Board Member, Pat Price, and Bolingbrook Branch Manager, Melissa Stroud donated $3,000 to the United Way of Will County.

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GLCU Employees Donate to Help Veterans

Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU) acknowledges and is humbled by the sacrifices made by military personnel. It is hard to see our veterans struggle in day-to-day life after they have already given so much. To help those experiencing hardships, GLCU held an employee donation drive for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV).

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GLCU Donates $3,000 to 360 Youth Services

For the second year in a row, Great Lakes Credit Union’s (GLCU) Board of Directors adopted an extraordinary plan to give back to its communities; Branch Managers of each GLCU location work closely with Board Members to find local charities to support on behalf of GLCU.

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GLCU Helps Bring Relief to Hurricane and Wildfire Survivors

CUAID - Credit Unions helping credit unions during disaster

It is tragic to see the destruction caused by recent hurricanes and wildfires. People lost their homes, life savings, and families were split apart. To provide relief to those affected by these natural disasters, Great Lakes Credit Union’s (GLCU) Board of Directors approved a $2,500 donation to CUAid, which was then followed by a Facebook fundraiser.

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Pattern Protection Isn't That Safe

Is your phone safe?

When it comes to smartphones, privacy is extremely important. Yet, millions of smartphones remain open to an attack. One recent study has shown just how easy it is to break into a pattern code as opposed to a six-digit PIN.

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GLCU Donates $50,000 to the National Museum of the American Sailor

Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU) is honored to support the National Museum of the American Sailor, the only museum dedicated to the Enlisted Sailor. The museum campus, to be located in North Chicago near the Great Lakes Naval Station, will be designed with the purpose to preserve, educate and celebrate the history of the United States Navy’s enlisted sailor. 

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GLCU Donates to Help the Homeless

In support of Great Lakes Credit Union’s initiative to give back to its communities, on September 21, 2017, GLCU’s Board Member, Bertine Nixon, and Waukegan’s Branch Manager, Nora Rivera contributed $3,000 to PADS Lake County.

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How to Write a Check 101

How to write a check

Although there are alternatives, it is still important to know how to use a paper check. Sometimes using a check is the best way of making a payment. Here are six simple steps to write a check

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Faster Electronic Payments

We have great news! Your ACH withdrawals (electronic payments) will be processed a lot quicker starting Friday, September 15.

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Equifax Security Breach

Equifax announced on September 7, 2017 that a cybersecurity incident recently occurred and could impact close to half of U.S. consumers.

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Password Security

Password Security

Make sure you take advantage of these great ways to add some extra security to your information with your passwords.

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The Field Museum Makes a New Friend

Around 102 million years ago, when the earth was thick with towering forests and giant reptiles, there was one that stood above them all as the largest, the Patagotitan mayorum.

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Credit Unions?

What is it a credit union? Where did they come from? A credit union is a term that when first heard is easily misunderstood. So let’s have a little history lesson on credit unions to uncover the mystery of them.

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What you need to know about the Solar Eclipse

On Monday August 21, 2017 the United States will experience a total solar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse. The last time a total eclipse was visible from coast to coast, like is one is, was in 1918. Here is some information to help you to prepare for this rare event!

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Locked in Amber

Do you remember the scene in Jurassic Park where miners are excavating amber from a mine? A miner calls over the head of the search party and tells him there is a find. He goes into the mine where he is handed a piece of amber. He holds the hardened tree sap up to the light and finds a mosquito frozen in time from the age of the dinosaurs.

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Phishing Advice

Phishing Advice

Phishing is the activity of defrauding a consumer by posing as a legitimate company.

As technology continues to advance, so does the capabilities and techniques of hackers. Phishing scams and credit card fraud are malicious acts against consumers and it occurs daily.

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The Rule to Buying a Vehicle

Purchasing a vehicle can be an expensive decision. When looking to purchase your car, you might consider using an auto loan to help break up the cost. Though it might be a helpful tool to spread out the cost of the vehicle, it is important to remember that the longer the term length of the auto loan, the more expensive it will end up being. To get the most value out of the purchase of your next car you should consider trying the 20/4/10 rule.

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The Oldest Smiley Face

This simple smiley face was found on a 3,700 year old piece of pottery in the ancient city of Carchemish, on the border of Turkey and Syria.

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Do You Need a Private Student Loan?

With the ever increasing cost of tuition and overall cost of attending college, private student loans can be a practical way to help pay for school. After exhausting every other possibility, grants, scholarships and federal loan options private student loans are a great way to help bring the cost down.

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GLCU Donates to Three Organizations

In support of Great Lakes Credit Union’s initiative to support its communities, on June 23, 2017, GLCU’s Board Member, Lee Piekarz, contributed $1,000 to Mano-A-Mano and Community Youth Network. In addition to these two organizations, GLCU will likewise donate $1,000 to Nicasa.

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GLCU Awards $6,000 to Members Pursuing Higher Education

“For the past 16 years, GLCU has raised money annually, in large part through employee fundraising, to award scholarships to members continuing their education,” says Yvonne Bailey, SVP-CBMO. “It is always a difficult selection process because of all the quality applications we receive.”

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GLCU's Swipe Away, Fly Away Winner!

Kyle W. of Waukegan, Illinois, was presented with a $5,000 vacation package courtesy of Great Lakes Credit Union on May 15, 2017. Kyle was a randomly selected member of the credit union who qualified to win the credit union’s Swipe Away, Fly Away contest.

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Myrtle the Turtle Graduates

It is that time of year; students are grabbing their caps and gowns and taking the next big step in their life. GLCU has a friend who is doing the same! She might not be graduating from school, but she is having a unique type of graduation of her own.

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Safety Tips for Summer Travel

Be alert. ou can now schedule travel alerts through Mobile Banking and WebConnect! This will ensure your credit and debit cards continue to work while you're away from home. You can also set up travel alerts by calling 1-800-982-7850.

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The Value of a Dollar

April is a month dedicated to youth financial literacy and it serves as a great way to teach financial education to children. Here are some easy and creative ways to help introduce the idea of money to children!

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Kids Give a Hoot About Saving!

Kids Give a Hoot About Savings! Every April, Credit Unions across the United States come together to celebrate youth by encouraging children around in our communities to start up a savings account and learn the positives of managing money.

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Simple Spring Break Safety

The weather is finally starting to warm up and Spring Break is here! For anyone taking a trip this break there are some safety steps that should be taken.

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An Unexpected 3,000-Year Old Discovery

Archaeologists had an unexpected discovery in the middle of Cairo, Egypt, a 3,000-year-old statue. The majority of the surrounding area of the statue had been previously investigated and it was believed that there was nothing else there to be found. As you can imagine this find was shocking to the archaeologists who discovered it!

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Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

History Lesson. Take some time and learn something about the origins of St. Patrick’s Day. Like how St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in Ireland for over a thousand years as a religious holiday. It wasn’t until recent, the 1970’s, that this day was treated as a way to celebrate Irish culture and heritage.

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A Dream Becomes Reality

"Nothing is impossible, unless you believe it to be." – Chris Bertish

Chris Bertish held this mantra as he crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a paddleboard, unassisted. This feat started months ago on December 6, 2016 and was finished on March 9, 2017.

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Saving Smarts

Finding areas in your life to save money can be difficult. To make it a little easier we’ve compiled a short list of a few ways to make saving money a breeze!

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