Hello Roots! Our first e-newsletter of 2020 finds us all in a situation we’ve never been in before with our normal activities being disrupted. While you may be spending more time at home, we thought we’d give you some (hopefully new) activities to try. You can print off this newsletter to fill in the puzzles and along with some interesting articles, there are also links to a couple of videos to keep you entertained. Please let us know if you have suggestions of things you’d like to see in this newsletter by emailing ejones@mwafcu.org.

Introducing It’s A Money ThingWe’d like to introduce you to Jen from It’s A Money Thing. She is the main

character in a series of comical videos that explain financial terms in easy to understand ways. Jen has a number of adventures as she learns what money is and how to use it. For example, have you ever wondered what the difference is between a credit union and bank? Watch this video where Jen’s discovery of the differences is similar to an episode of the old TV show The Dating Game.

Ever heard of compound interest and what it can do to help you build your savings? If so, this video is for you!

You may also be interested in one of these topics:

• How a loan works and what is a credit score

• How to prevent Identity theft

• How to prepare for a new pet

The video series will cover all these topics and more! We will be releasing these videos in your newsletters and on our Facebook page here. Visit our Wistia page here to see all the videos we have up.

Videos and resources to help you make sense of your money

Explaining money is our thing!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Benefits of Being a Root at MidWest AmericaThe Roots section of Growing Up MidWest is a new. Some of you have been grandfathered into this section of the program while others are newly enrolled or moved up into it since we transitioned to the Growing Up MidWest program. Since it’s new, we want to remind you of the benefits and focus of the program.

Roots is here to help you begin to understand how spending works and establish your roots in the financial world. In order to be a member of Growing Up MidWest, you have a Youth Savings account with MidWest America. This is where you’ve been saving your hard earned money. In your Youth Savings you are earning premium dividends on the first $500 you have on deposit and any balance above $500 earns the standard dividends for Youth Savings. This means we pay you for storing your money with us which is much better than using your piggy bank to store your money at home.

Possibly, you have a higher balance and would be in interested in opening a Branch Into Savings Share Certificate? A 12-month Youth Certificate with a minimum deposit of $500 and a maximum deposit of $1,000 earns a higher rate than a standard 12-month certificate. It would automatically renew each year at the current Youth Certificate rate until you turn 18. Certificates that renew after a member’s 18th birthday will renew at the standard 12-month rate. One Youth Certificate is available per account.

As a Roots member we are also encouraging you to open your first checking account (with an adult joint account holder). If you haven’t done it already, consider opening a checking account and start learning how it works. You can keep track of it with free tools like our Mobile App or Internet Banking where you can set up e-alerts and more. As a member of Growing Up MidWest,

you will also receive 2 “courtesy fee” reversals per year until your 18th birthday if you overdraw your checking (credited within the next 2

business days). You can also choose the “Opt-Out” option for Visa® debit card purchases so transactions are denied if you do not have

the balance available. There are also card control features on our Mobile App which can turn a card “on” or “off” at any time. This can be very helpful if your card is ever lost or stolen.

Looking for Something To Do?We’ve compiled a list of some things to try while you’re spending more time at home. We hope these help relieve your boredom and possibly help you find a new hobby. Be sure to get your parents permission before attempting these.

1. Build A Website - Do you have a favorite TV show or movie you want to make a fan site dedicated to? Do you want to bring light to a cause that is important to you or just write a blog? Learning how to code can make all those happen and more. Codeacademy.com gives lessons for free to get started.

2. Write a comic book or novel - Writing is a great way to express yourself when you don’t have a lot of people around to talk to. So grab your computer or a notebook and get started. You could be the next Stan Lee or JK Rowling.

3. Learn a life skill - This is a great time to learn how to fix simple things at your house like changing a light bulb or a noisy toilet. If you don’t have someone at home that can teach these to you or you are an independent learner there is a YouTube channel called Dad, how do I? that is dedicated to just that.

4. Cook Dinner - Whether you decide to help make the weekly meal plan, learn how to make brownies or are inspired to create your favorite dinner out, cooking can be a great way to pass the time and may just end up being somehting you enjoy. Want to get inspired? Try FoodNetwork.com, https://tasty.co/ or just searching your favorite cuisine.

5. Start a podcast - Want to reach the world only using your voice? Podcasting is great way to make yourself heard. NPR has a great guide to get started https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/662070097/starting-your-podcast-a-guide-for-students

6. Learn a new language - Want to try Scottish Gaelic, Japanese, Hungarian, Navajo or just work on your Spanish? No matter what language you are interested in learning https://www.duolingo.com/ has you covered and it’s free!

7. Have a virtual film night with friends - If you or one of your friends has a Netflix account you can set up a Netflix party https://www.netflixparty.com/ where you can all watch the same video and chat about it in a group chat.

8. Write letters - Sending mail via the post office may be old fashioned, but it’s a great way to surprise your friends and family. Put a note, a funny picture, a card or a even a funny meme in an envelope with a stamp and wait to hear from your recipient. It’s sure to get their attention.

9. Start a home based business - Do you have a skill that you can safely do from home that could make you money? Some good ideas include tutoring via Zoom, lawn mowing and yard cleanup.

10. Make an after the quarantine list - Write down the places you want to go and things you want to do once things get back to usual. It will help to remember that, after all is said and done, life will go back to normal and give you something to look forward to.

Answers: