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You can make a big difference with small changes. The team at GMCU have landed on their top 10 tips to make your money work harder, with simpler ways to save money: 1. Try Online Grocery Shopping Supermarkets are designed to encourage spending. Buying only what you need is easier when you’re not walking down the aisles. 2. Limit Online Impulse Buys Consider setting a maximum online spend per pay week to ensure you don’t blow your budget. 3. Look for Coupons or Vouchers Next time you buy something online, take a minute to check the retailer’s website to see if they offer discounts for your first purchase or sign up for a newsletter. 4. Choose Efficient Heating Consider looking for a heater that has a five or six-star energy rating. 5. Try the Timer Setting the timer to turn on when you wake up in the morning and off during the warmest time of the day will help you use less power. 6. Keep Your Home Between 17 and 20° The higher your air conditioner’s thermostat is set, the more energy it will consume and the more it will cost. During winter, setting your thermostat between 17°C and 20°C is usually the most efficient and could save you money. 7. Close and Open Your Curtains at the Correct Times Closing your curtains when the sun goes down and opening them to let the light in is a great way to keep the warmth in without wasting money. 8. Shop Around for Better Utility Providers Many providers may offer new customers different sign-up incentives or lower rates, so comparing your internet and energy bills could save you hundreds of dollars. 9. Pay Yourself First Consider automating your savings by setting an automatic transfer every payday into a savings account. 10. Put Your Money to Work for You That extra interest incentive can be a great reason to avoid dipping into your savings so you can continue to watch it grow through the winter and beyond! Our local team are here to help. With Savings Accounts and Term Deposit options that will allow you to put your money to work. Talk to us today.

Despite the importance of savings, many Australians find it difficult to set money aside on a regular basis. Whether your financial goals are big or small, these Top 5 tips will see your savings balance increase so you can achieve your financial goals faster. 1. Set Yourself a Budget Consider the weekly activities you need money for, whether playing a sport or going to the gym, fuel, groceries, and other expenses. Make sure you set a budget that will allow for money output for these activities. 2. Track Your Expenses Checking your spending regularly ensures you’re on the right track towards your savings goals. 3. Consolidate Your Debt Debt consolidation can give you greater control over your financial situation, helping you confidently reach your savings goals. 4. Choose a Competitive Savings Account A good Savings account can help you earn a high level of interest on your savings, helping you meet your financial needs in a shorter time. 5. Automate Your Finances Automatic bank transfers help minimize the risk of forgotten payments and ensure all important expenses are covered before any extra personal spending. Our local team are here to help. With Savings Accounts and Term Deposit options that will allow you to put your money to work. Talk to us today.

As more cyber attacks and data breaches make the news, you may wonder how this could affect you. Personal information falling into the hands of scammers can make you a target of increasingly sophisticated and convincing scams. If scammers are armed with personal information, it makes it easier for them to find and target you with personalised scam attempts. You may be experiencing an increased number of scam calls or messages, some of which may include your personal information to sound more legitimate. Examples of Scams: A text from scammers claiming to be a streaming service or subscription asking you to click a link to update your card details. A message claiming you have unpaid tolls or fines, urging you to click a link to make payment. "Hi, Mum" messages from scammers impersonating family members. These start as a casual conversation, telling you they have broken or lost their phone and asking you to remove their old number from your phone. They will generally converse casually before asking for money to help pay a bill or other urgent expense. It can be tempting to follow your first instinct, click a link to check an overdue fine, or send money to help a family member in need, but it's important to take a moment to think about the situation. Instead of clicking a potentially harmful link to update your card details, you could log into your streaming service through the official website and review your details there. You could also simply call your family member on their usual phone number to verify whether they have lost their phone. Protect yourself and stay informed. If you have any concerns that you may have received a suspicious call or text, clicked on a suspicious link, or provided your personal information to a scammer, please contact your local branch as soon as possible. As another layer of protection, GMCU has an internal fraud department and an external card and NPP monitoring team that will assist with monitoring any suspicious transactions. Our local team are here to help. If you have any questions relating to scams or fraud, or perhaps you have concerns, please call us or visit your local branch.

Australia has one of the strongest banking systems in the world. You can have confidence that all Australian banking institutions, credit unions, banks, and building societies must meet the strictest regulatory standards and protections designed to protect you. Credit unions, building societies, and mutual banks meet the same standards as banks under the Banking Act with rigorous oversight by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). APRA’s rules on safety and capital apply to all banks, building societies, and credit unions to the same high standards. APRA also administers the Financial Claims Scheme, an additional protection for deposits. The Financial Claims Scheme ensures that depositors with credit unions, banks, and building societies will be guaranteed repayment of their funds if any banking institution fails. Our team are here to help. If there’s anything we can assist with, from everyday banking to understanding financial protections, please reach out to us.