Is there anything better than planning a summer vacation? There is so much potential. So many possibilities. Places to explore, adventures to be had, and the right crew of people to share it with. Whether you want to live it up in an exotic city or head up north to enjoy a little slice of heaven on the lake, whether your plans are extravagant or simple, one thing is for sure: You don’t have to break the bank to have an awesome summer vacation. Did you know that, according to Forbes Advisor, credit cards are the most popular form of payment for travel? Since they also report that the average co ..read more

According to Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), “Cooling accounts for roughly 17% of your home’s annual energy bill.” However, if this short, mild, and balmy winter is any indication, the upcoming summer could be a real scorcher—and cooling costs could easily be higher than they would be in an average year. It’s important to consider energy-saving tips and how to save electricity at home. Luckily, the steps you take now can save you money down the road. Here are five steps you can take to keep cooling costs low this summer.   1. Have your HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system ..read more

Verve, a Credit Union, has announced the addition of Renee Petersen as Vice President of Operations to its executive team. As VP of Operations at Verve, Petersen will be responsible for providing exceptional service and support to teams and members while driving increased efficiency in daily operations. “Renee is a strong leader whose talents shine in creative and member-centric ways,” said President and CEO Kevin J. Ralofsky. “She brings a wealth of experience and a proven record of improving back office and member experiences. We are thrilled to welcome her to our team.” Petersen comes to Ve ..read more

Pop Quiz: What do the following activities have in common? Shop for groceries, clothes, holidays, etc. Hunt for your dream house Reserve library materials Plan vacations Find recipes Learn hobbies and skills Pay bills Store your music and media Answer: You can do it all online! Online access is a game changer. It saves us time, money, and headaches. It’s so incredibly convenient. Why not enjoy that same convenience with your financial documents? Here are three reasons you should switch to eDocuments with Verve. It’s more secure. Snail mail has become a common and easy target for scammers. T ..read more

Modern life is amazing. There are so many things that we can customize to suit our needs and lifestyle. Specific ring tones for different contacts. Doorbell cameras that tell us who is at the door before they even ring the bell. Lights and heat and air conditioning that we can program to turn up, down, on, or off at whatever times we choose. The customized experience is equal parts efficiency, convenience, and self-expression. Why should your banking experience be any different? Here at Verve, we offer many options to customize your banking experience that suit your lifestyle, whether you are ..read more

What is phishing? Phishing occurs when cybercriminals use deceptive messaging to trick you into divulging personal identifying information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or financial information. They then use this information to open new accounts or steal from your existing account. Phishing can take the form of phone calls, emails, texts, social media platforms, or websites. How common is it? Very. It is the most common form of cybercrime. According to the ..read more

Today marks National Employee Appreciation Day!   Join us as we take the opportunity to express gratitude to all our team members who make this place uniquely Verve. From our front-line teams who support our members, to the back-office teams that support our front-line, our teams take enormous pride in producing exceptional results. And yet, Verve is far more than the products we sell and the services we offer. At the heart of everything we do, at the foundation of what it means to be a credit union, is the noble art of people helping people. We dive into helping others with gusto, with m ..read more

Care to wager a guess what the average dinner date night in America now costs? $96. How about dinner and a movie? $123. If you’re young and single, those amounts might stretch you thin, but it’s still a worthwhile expense, especially if you split the bill. If you’re more financially secure, $123 might not seem like a stretch at all. It might even be a steal. But to parents of young families, $123 is quickly approaching “that’s-too-much-let’s-just-not-go” territory. Especially when you factor in the cost of a babysitter, which brings about a whole other set of hurdles: Can we find a sitter? Ho ..read more

We sure do love our rituals. One of the most basic is the daily ritual of saving change. Sound familiar? You go about your day, make a few cash transactions, and then get home and dump your pocketful of coins into a change jar. But day after day, week after week, coin by coin, your savings grows. Then one day—three months later, six months, a year—you’re thrilled to discover that your change jar is totally full. What next? You crack it open, count it up, and then the real fun begins: You get to decide what to do with that money. Anything you want. How thrilling is that? Depending on the size o ..read more

Windchill temperatures in the Midwest can drop into the -30° range during the winter months! Here are ten tips to effectively manage your energy bills this winter. 1. Get a furnace tune-up. Costs typically fall somewhere between $70 and $200, but you can contact local furnace maintenance businesses for estimates specific to your home. Keep in mind that gas/propane-powered furnaces usually cost more to service than electric furnaces. 2. Check your furnace filter. You should usually change your furnace filter at least once every 90 days, but you might benefit from changing it sooner. It depends ..read more