Making Your Holidays Easier And Brighter At VCNB

The holiday season has arrived and we know it’s a stressful, expensive time for many Americans. That’s why we have some tips to make your season both easier and brighter.

Know What You’re Spending

Do you know how much money this holiday will cost you? Do you know how much money you have to spend? Are you willing to go into debt for Christmas presents? Before you spend a dime, you need to channel your inner Santa – make a list and check it twice!

Here are the things you need to account for that will cost money:

Gifts - This list should include your family as well as others who you buy for like neighbors, delivery drivers, coworkers and anyone else you give gifts to at Christmas.
Stocking Stuffers – These small things add up quickly!
Gifting Supplies (wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, name tags, tape and gift boxes
Cards and Postage – Christmas cards are a fun way to tell friends they matter to you but the cost of cards and postage can add up quickly if you are mailing many.
Batteries – You don’t want to wake up on Christmas to new toys and no batteries!
Special Events - This category might include special event tickets and meals out.
Holiday Meals – Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just your own family, holiday meals can get expensive.
Charitable Donations – For many, this season is about helping those less fortunate through toy drives and donations to their church, local food pantry and other groups.
Travel – Will you be traveling this season? Whether you need plane tickets and a hotel or you’re just going over the river and through the woods to see family, this category can be costly.
Décor – Buying a real Christmas tree? Need lights for the old? Maybe you want to freshen up your guest room for the family.
Miscellaneous – Other things can and will pop up during the holidays. Be prepared by adding a little wiggle room to your holiday budget.

What else do you spend money on during the holidays? Add that to your list! Now start assigning reasonable dollar amounts to each category and face the music. Can you afford all that? How will you pay for it? Can you cut corners? Maybe you’re in good shape. These are questions only you can answer.

Get Rewarded For Your Spending

As you are spending during the holidays, we want to remind you that uChoose Rewards® exist to help you and to reward you for your everyday spending. If you have a Rewards Checking account or a Visa® Platinum Credit Card at VCNB, you are eligible to earn points for the dollars you spend. Those points can be used for all kinds of things including gift cards, cash back and Pay at the Register.

First, you have to create an account with uChoose and then register your card(s) so that you can begin earning points for your purchases. While you’re logged in, check the list of vendors that automatically offer deals on points and the ones that you need to activate. Once you have registered your cards, every purchase you make will accumulate points that you can use later for things you want or need. If you are already earning Rewards points, consider checking your balance to see if you might want to redeem your points for Christmas expenses.

Bank When It’s Best For You

We understand that coming to the bank isn’t always possible or it may simply be something you don’t want to do. That’s why we make it easy for you to bank in other ways:

ATM – The ATM isn’t just for getting cash these days. The new image machines at most of our branches accept deposits of cash and checks. You can also check your account balances, transfer funds and, of course, get cash.
Mobile Banking – Log in to VCNB Mobile to use the camera on your mobile device to deposit a check. You can also transfer funds, pay bills, open an account, study your spending habits and more!
Zelle®- There are times that you need to give money to a trusted friend or family. It could be that you’re splitting the cost of dinner with your friends or going in with siblings on a gift for grandparents. Maybe someone owes you money and you need to request payment from them. All of these things can be done through Zelle and all you need is the other person’s cell phone number or email address!

Bank Holiday Hours

Speaking of bank hours, VCNB will observe the following holiday hours:

Christmas Eve - Tuesday, December 24, Closed at Noon

Christmas Day - Wednesday, December 25, Closed

New Year’s Day - Wednesday, January 1, Closed