Thank you for participating in the Grow Your Green Savings Challenge

Hi!

It’s Cash Cat here, and I want to thank you for participating in the Grow Your Green Savings Challenge of 2009. Your hard work in the savings challenge and your activity in the online community throughout the year have really made a difference and has served as an inspiration for other savers. I’m honored that Tech CU was able to be a part in helping you work toward your savings goal.

As you may already know, the Grow Your Green Savings Challenge ended at the end of December with the selection of our Super Saver of 2009. Ron Vogel was the lucky winner of our $1,000 grand prize. Not only did Ron save consistently all year to reach his financial goals, but he also shared his many wonderful money-saving tips with other Grow Your Green members. (You can read them here.)

But Ron wasn’t the only one who was rewarded for saving. From March to November, eight monthly winners received $100 to be added toward their Grow Your Green savings goal. We’re also proud that the campaign was effective in helping our members save more in 2009. Here’s what we were able to accomplish: 34 Grow Your Green Savings Challenge accounts for a total of $17,966 saved!

While this campaign was designed to last for one year, at Tech CU we know that saving money and smart money management should be lifetime efforts. That’s why we’re committed to helping you stay financially fit all year long. If you enjoyed all the useful tips and entertaining articles we had here at the Grow Your Green site, I’m confident you’ll love Tech CU’s main blog, Money Savvy.  With articles such as Haitian Relief: Be Generous but Be Careful and Banks Lure Customers with Cash: Deal or No Deal?, you’ll continue to find relevant, insightful and helpful articles at our blog to help you succeed in your financial goals.

Thanks again for participating in Grow Your Green. And remember, we still want to stay connected to you so join the Facebook Tech CU Fan Page or follow us at Twitter/TechCU. That way you’ll continue being the first to learn about Tech CU’s rate changes, promotions and specials.

Until we meet again!
-CashCat

Featured Saver – GreenSaver

Hi from your community leader

Hi everyone,

I’m your new “Grow Your Green” (GYG) community manager, CashCat.

If you’re reading our “Grow Your Green” posts, chances are you’re trying to save money — whether it’s to buy a new iPod or go on a dream vacation or for your retirement. We’re all here for some personal financial goals, and contributing your comments and ideas to GrowYourGreencampaign.com is a great way  to help and encourage one another along the way.

I know I need the help. Saving is hard for me. Especially when there are so many cute outfits and cool gadgets to buy, and so many fun things to do and great restaurants to try in the Bay Area. Still, whenever the cashier is ringing up my new sweater or charging me for another appetizer, there is always a nagging voice in the back of my head that says, “Cat, you should be saving this money for when you really need it.”

Logically, I know this. After all, saving money for a rainy day is one of those lessons you hear time and time again. The question is: do you listen to the adage?

Saving is also becoming a lot more difficult for many of us because of this slumping economy.  Now that so many of us are seeing those “rainy days,” it’s more important than ever for us to figure out how to be smart with our money, while not compromising our quality of life.

I don’t have many answers but I am doing my homework on how to be financially smart. I’ll share what I learn with you. In the meantime, if you have any tips or ideas you’d like to share with the GYG community, feel free to chime in.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
~CashCat

Featured Saver – Jillian, 10