Education Articles

Understanding Card Skimming and How to Prevent It

Recently, consumers were warned by the Oregon Attorney General’s office to be on the lookout for a statewide card-skimming scam . Simply put, card skimming is when an illegal device is used to steal debit or credit card information from point-of-sale terminals, ATMs, or gas pumps. The current scam in Oregon targets mostly people who rely on...

What Does ‘No Mortgage Insurance / No PMI’ Really Mean?

While "no PMI" or "no mortgage insurance" may sound enticing, there will always be higher costs for your mortgage if you're unable to make a down payment of 20%.

The Benefits of Banking Digitally with SELCO

Banking digitally is like having a secure and convenient virtual bank in the palm of your hand. Starting with the introduction of smartphones and mobile apps, there has been a paradigm shift in the way consumers go about their everyday banking. By combining mobile and online banking services, digital banking has become the preferred way to bank....

Make Your Life Easier with Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Payments

Sending money to friends and family is becoming a common necessity, whether you’re splitting the cost of a meal, paying someone back for a shared birthday present, or even paying the babysitter. One of the fastest and easiest ways to do that is to send money digitally using P2P payments. P2P payments enable you to send money to another person...

When to Use (And Not Use) a Credit Card

To use or not to use a credit card. That is the question. Some experts recommend making nearly all of your purchases on a credit card. Others say to use a credit card only for needs and not wants . Every scenario has a common thread, though: “However you choose to use a credit card, it’s important to understand the true cost of your purchase and...

Payment Apps Are Convenient, But Storing Money There Poses Risks

According to a recent Motley Fool survey , about 75% of Americans trust digital payment apps more than, or as much as, traditional payment methods like cash or cards. The apps’ convenience and wide availability as payment options have made it increasingly easy to perform peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions like splitting a check, requesting funds, o...

Your Financial Checklist for Traveling Abroad

Your trip of a lifetime is almost here. Your passport is up to date and ready for some new stamps. You know what you need to pack—and how to make use of every square inch of luggage. You’ve learned about the culture and all the exotic food at your destination. You’re ready to travel across the international dateline. But are you financially read...

Digital Banking Upgrades: Making Your Day-To-Day Even Easier

We’re always looking for ways to improve your digital banking experience, and thanks to member feedback, we have a number of updates that will make it easier to do your banking digitally. Read on for an overview of the latest enhancements. Please note: If you don’t have automatic updates enabled on your mobile device, be sure to update the SELCO...

7 Visa Card Features That Might Surprise You

‘More than just a piece of plastic’ Credit cards offer a convenient way to make purchases. That much is known. What’s less understood are the benefits credit cards can offer. For those willing to put on their research hats, there are many perks attached to credit cards—many of which you may already have at your disposal without knowing it. To ge...

One-Stop Financial Shopping

If you’re like most shoppers, you’d rather make as few trips as possible when checking off the shopping list. Retailers have met this demand by providing a more diverse selection of products than ever before—we’ve long become accustomed to setting dog food, running shoes, and organic produce in the same shopping cart (both the physical and onlin...