Blog

Sierra Vista, AZ – August 26, 2024 – American Southwest Credit Union (ASCU) is proud to announce that it has been recognized as one of the “Best Credit Unions to Work For” in 2024.…

I apologize for the long gap between President's Posts. It's been over a year since my last one, but time flies! I'm thrilled to welcome Arizona Copper Federal Credit Union (ACFCU), its members, and…

Want a better financial life?  Make habits around your money. Many of us want to lead a better financial life with less stress.  Does that mean working 80 hours a week, never taking a…

Debit card face lift!  ASCU now offers beautiful local images of the desert and animals of Southern Arizona as the background art for our debit cards.

Sometimes we have to force our leadership to take a photo together.  They look great with their ASCU colors! Read more at https://www.ascu.org/leadership      

Yesenia Porras is our branch manager in Green Valley/Sahuarita.  She is also active in the Green Valley Rotary club, attending meetings and volunteering her time to assist with their group's fundraising efforts.  ASCU is…

ASCU proudly donates to community groups, school groups, and athletic clubs. Kristin Gray presents check to the Sierra Vista Wolverines.

The FTC has valuable information about scams and scam prevention. It's a great resource to have in your security toolbox. by Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist: December 14, 2023:  When you order something online,…

Often we let brushes with fraud go unreported.  We see them, but we haven't lost any money so they become insignificant in our lives. But reporting scam and fraud events, if reported by everyone,…

Voice cloning technologies can generate a near-perfect voice clone based on a short audio clip or snippet of someone’s voice. The technology has potential to help people—for example, people who've lost their ability to…

There are so many things to think about when you are in a serious relationship and thinking about marriage or moving in together.  No one would rate finances as the most exciting thing to…

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It's the old "Your Account has Been Blocked" scam again. If you receive an email suggesting your account has been blocked, Stop. Think. Do not react.  Amazon wants you to shop.  Why would they…

SHOULD MY TEEN HAVE A CHECKING ACCOUNT? The short answer is YES! About the time they become interested in buying larger items, even as young as 11, 12 or 13, you should consider opening…

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When you buy a car, there’s a lot of paperwork that everyone has to deal with. Below is a description of the various documentation types involving the sale of an auto. Registration:  The registration…

With more people working from home, families are struggling to find ways of upgrading their home offices or converting a garage or an unfinished basement into a useable space to get their work done.…

When someone is looking into refinancing a car, there is always a financial reason behind the decision.  They are usually looking for lower monthly payments to improve monthly cash flow, reduce interest rates to…

The Boys and Girls Club are a vital part of our community's success.  Our youth play such an important role for our community and their success means the future success of our community.  ASCU…

Thanks Army!  We support you and wish you the very best this summer!  The Army Emergency Relief Fund provides assistance to military families in need.

Meeting Note:  Our Main Branch in Sierra Vista will open at 10 AM instead of 9 AM on Saturday May 13th, so our employee/members can attend this event. 68TH ANNUAL MEETING AND REPORTS Date:…

A lot has been said and written regarding the recent bank failures of Silicon Valley and Signature Bank. I’ve been asked a couple of times about my thoughts so I wanted to share with…

Changing for the better! I have always believed organizations are either going forward or going backward, there is no such thing as status quo. I also very much believe in listening to our members.…

Our Benson Branch has a mural!  We launched 2023 with a creative mindset and a colorful twist on nature.  Doug Quarles, resident and artist of Benson, painted the mural at 654 E. 7th Street. …

Emergency Fund Boot Camp It’s time to get your savings in shape—and having an emergency fund in place is a solid step toward a fit financial future. Fitting an emergency fund into your budget…

American Southwest Credit Union is a member of the AllPoint ATM Network. This enables our members fee-free access to cash as long as they use an AllPoint ATM (in addition to our own).  The…

American Southwest Credit Union is a member of the Shared Branching network!  This program enables you to use other credit union branches throughout the United States for services. It's like having over 5,500 credit…

TruStage provides our members with discounts and perks for insurance.  TruStage designs their insurance policies to be affordable and helps offer protection to the financial futures of your loved ones. Check out their rates…

Janet Burel of Sierra Vista has won our drawing for the Pet Photo contest.  "Ladybug" graciously accepted her gifts and goodies.

Congratulations Sahuarita and Graciela for meeting your goals!  Uber Eats here we come!

We love what the Real Wishes foundation does in our community.  Their annual event "Dancing Like the Stars" is a really great fundraiser.  We are donating this basket of bath and beauty products for…

Thanks Walden Grove HS for coming to our Sahuarita/Green Valley branch to pick up your check! We love helping out when we can. #girlsbasketball, #stronggirls, #creditunionfamily #donate #sahuarita #greenvalley

Love being a part of Green Valley Rotary Club.  They are great people and always willing to lend a helping hand.  We know this small donation will be used for their charity or outreach…

It's great to make a budget.  But one of the hardest things to do when initially starting out is just listing all the things, big and small, that we spend our money on.  Sometimes…

Mental Illness is often overlooked in our communities. ASCU is donating $250 to the SE Arizona chapter of National Alliance of Mental Illness to help out.

Guess who's got 4.8 - 5.0 Star Reviews?  Our Online Banking & Mobile Banking system! It's simple to use with the latest features you desire. Make ASCU's mobile or online banking portal your personal…

Tom Wiederstein picks up a donation from ASCU in support of their Vernon White Golf Tournament.  The Tournament will be held on June 5, 2022 at the Mountain View Golf Course on Ft. Huachuca.

Anna picks up a check for Operation Toothbrush, a 501c3 Charity right here in Sierra Vista.  Operation Toothbrush provides toothbrushes and personal hygiene kits for homeless veterans. You can find out more about them…

This poor kitten was found on the highway near Benson, but she's getting better and better every day!  Thanks to Benson Animal Hospital for staying late on a Friday to see her.

Saving Wasn't Easy I remember a time in my history when saving wasn’t easy.  In fact, it was almost impossible.  I wanted an emergency fund, but I literally didn’t have the money to even…

2022.03.01 March Mini ASCU Newsletter We are doing great things in your community! Check it out!  Plus don't forget the Indochine coupons inside! 2022 March Mini Newsletter

There is a lot of hype about credit card rewards or low interest credit card that can entice you into purchases.  If you choose to use a credit card, it is important to understand…

Many people have made a 2022 goal of trying to budget better and save for an emergency fund.  It's a difficult task for those of us who have a fear of not being able…

2022.02.16 ASCU Newsletter We are doing great things in your community! Check it out!  Plus don't forget the Indochine coupons inside! 2022 February Newsletter

Did you know that scammers often request payment with a gift card?  Stop and think before you buy gift cards as a payment for a product or service.  Once you hand over a gift…

Yesenia, our branch manager in Green Valley/Sahuarita, is always reaching out.  Whether it be helping out with projects for the Rotary of Green Valley, meeting with local volunteers and charity groups, or helping our…

Another successful Rage Against Scams workshop at the Sierra Vista Library.  We love providing people with insight into scams and fraud and concrete ways to protect themselves.

Budgeting can be a challenge for a lot of us.  We, as Americans, don’t save nearly as much as we should and with all of the gadgets available that connect us to the world,…

We always want to give back to the community when we can. Ft. Huachuca is such an integral part of our community and Cochise County.  This year we wanted to help out the Army…

American Southwest Credit Union is at a Rotary Club meeting! Yesenia will officially join with the Green Valley Rotary Club soon! Rotary is a community service organization that connects a diverse group of professional…

Great businesses strive to be good employers, aiming toward growth, innovation, and employee satisfaction.  The long term goal for growth is to be able to provide more jobs to our local economy and provide…

Supporting our local charities is one of the ways we contribute to our communities.  This year American Southwest Credit Union is proud to make a $500 donation to We Care Pregnancy Center.  The goal…

American Southwest Credit Union was an exhibitor and a presenter at the Innovations In Education Conference presented by the Cochise County Superintendent's Office.  We presented a program called "Money Moves, How Money Affects Your…

Douglas is a town with a lot of history and we are proud to be a part of it! Today we stopped by the Douglas Art Association and gave them a small donation to…

L-R: Ron Curtis, ASCU Director of Commercial Lending; Jay Williamson, ASCU CEO and President; David Udall, EAC Foundation Executive Director; Ryan Rapier, EAC Foundation Director of Alumni Relations and Development [EAC – Submitted photo].…

American Southwest Credit Union believes in and supports higher education.  Representative Kristin Gray from American Southwest Credit Union (ASCU), presents a check for $1,000 to the the Cochise Education Foundation. Foundation board member Eric…

Is it time to polish your financial to-do list?  We know financial tasks are not what people want to do after a busy day.  It’s stressful and time consuming to say the least.  But…

There is a scam trying to scare people into believing that contactless cards are less secure than a chip card.  This scam offers a “free” sleeve to put your contactless cards into to “protect”…

We are rolling out our new contactless debit and credit cards which include the latest Tap-To-Pay technology. New accounts opened Dec. 16th 2021 or later will receive contactless cards. Existing account holders will receive their…

Episode 002  Relationships and Money Relationships: Building Growth & Stability w/ your Partner Through Financial Health & Communication Explore the importance of financial health in relationships for dating couples, newly engaged or already long-term…

-Contactless Debit & Credit Cards are Here! -How to use a contactless card -Member Highlight: Tony Pham & Indochine Family Restaurant -Member Highlight: The Brodericks & TeeSign Design LLC -ASCU Visa Gift Card available…

-Member Highlight: Chapos Cocina Food Truck! -Douglas Grand Opening -Charity Ride Tickets Fall 2021 ASCU Newsletter    

-New Technology on the ASCU Horizon -Charity Ride 2021 Information -Financial Education Workshops in Douglas -ASCU Donations to the community Summer 2021 Newsletter    

-Information about PPP Loans -Employee Fun -Travel Photos from our Members 2021.04 Newsletter  

We all make financial mistakes at one point or another.  Whether it’s jumping on to a bad investment, missing a payment deadline, or simply succumbing to a “Keep up with the Jones’s” mentality that…

With more and more people working from home, people are looking to upgrade their offices or convert a garage or an unfinished basement into a useable space away from the family to get their…

We are proud supporters of our military families.  This year we donated to the Chaplains Tithes and Offerings Fund on Ft. Huachuca.  This fund helps enlisted and in-need military families with food for the…

Does Comparing Prices at the Grocery Store Make You Crazy? Make it easy with your smart phone! We all want to save money.  Some people want to put a little more into their Rainy…

Zero percent interest credit card offers are constantly being dropped in our mail boxes and email accounts.  But they are not always the best way to assist you with your finances.  People may think…

We love being a title sponsor for the Cochise County Sheriff's Charity Ride every year, raising money for local charities in Cochise County.  The Sheriff's Department did an amazing job raising money to support…

We were happy to partner with the Cochise County Superintendent's Office this year to present "Money Moves" financial education curriculum to Cochise County Teachers.  We are going to be at their annual training day…

No matter how many cars you buy, you will never be as good at buying a vehicle from a dealership as the salesperson is at selling them.  Even a mediocre salesperson will sell at…

Q: I am in the process of buying a new set of wheels, and I’m being pushed to take out an extended warranty plan on my car.  Is this a good idea? A: The…

Our financial education program was kicked off this year with a workshop in Douglas AZ.  Special thanks to Angie Luna who works for the Youth Quest Program in Cochise County. Angie brought the students…

Our local community is really working hard to bring awareness and compassion to those suffering.   Join the walk for awareness on October 23rd.  More information at: OutoftheDarknessWalk

Proud to donate to National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southeastern Arizona.  Don't forget to register for their event, the Sky Island Bike Tour on October 2nd. Show your support and ride!  https://www.skyislandtour.com/

For a clickable PDF with active links, click here: 2021.07.09 cfpb_landlords_rental_assistance_help                     For a clickable PDF with active links, click here:  2021.07.09 cfpb_landlords_rental_assistance_help

SCAM ALERT: Recently, we have been made aware of postcards being mailed to our members referring to a recently closed mortgage you may have with ASCU. The postcard asks you to call a phone…

We value our youth at American Southwest Credit Union and this year, we've made a $1000 donation to the Miss Sierra Vista Scholarship Foundation.  These girls represent the community of Sierra Vista and develop…

Our ASCU team attended the Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce Dinner.  It was great to meet new people in the business community. We hope to attend next year!

Our amazing Yesenia in Sahuarita takes the mic.  Inspiring, positive, and funny, she is an asset to ASCU.  Thanks Yesenia for sitting down to chat with us!  Don't leave before the out takes! [audio…

In a month or two it will be time to plan out the summer! Just because you're going on vacation, doesn't mean your budget has to take a hike. Use these tips to save…

Randy Graf from the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce talks about his time in the area and gives us an inside look into developing the GVS Chamber into an information resource and support…

Accelerated. Automated. How do I register for Fraud Alerts? There’s no need to register for automated fraud alerts. As a member of ASCU you are automatically eligible to receive fraud alerts via SMS, phone…

LIVE at American Southwest Credit Union  Dates:  Friday March 12th, and Saturday March 13th @ SIERRA VISTA BRANCH Date: Tuesday March 16th @ GREEN VALLEY/SAHUARITA BRANCH *Friday March 12th Session Start times:  4PM and…

Dan is retiring!  10 years with ASCU and he shared a bit of his story with us.  Thanks Dan and we will miss you. [audio mp3="https://ascu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Dan-Final-Session-Mixdown.mp3"][/audio]  

Find out about Alex's awesome bosses, how her new position differs from her old position.  Learn what her interests are, how she maintains balance, and about one of her most worthy long term goals. …

Compliance Officer, Samara Vincent of American Southwest Credit Union speaks about her goals and professional journey and gives a bit of advice to students struggling to balance family, work, and getting through college.  She…

Getting to Know Jay Williamson, new President and CEO of American Southwest Credit Union.  Listen in between 9:00 AM on January 12th to March 5th.  Learn about Jay Williamson's professional journey, his philosophy, who…

As a member of American Southwest Credit Union, you know that credit unions are always striving to serve their members and community in as many ways as possible. We value each member’s input as…

Cochise College is a great way to start a career or change careers.  Our donation of $10,000 this year is earmarked for non-traditional students who have been affected by the pandemic.  If you have…

ASCU proudly supports the communities where we serve.  During this pandemic, we wanted to assist with health related issues revolving around COVID-19.  Our donation will go to directly assist for testing, and distribution of…

This donation goes out the the Army Chaplain's Tithes and Offerings Fund, which provides food and clothing to those in our immediate area who are in need this holiday season.  Thanks for all you…

Just Kids, Inc. is a foundation of the Sierra Vista – San Pedro Kiwanis Club.  The foundation was established in 1993.The foundation’s goal is to enhance the lives of needy, at risk children in…

$10,000 to the Sheriff's Assist Team Here is a list of the accomplishments and areas of support given by SAT  88-Crime for Cochise County ACO Support  Assist Detention Personnel  Background Investigations  Cold Case Investigations…

It's the annual Red Kettle Kick Off and we are proud to be the first to put money into the kettle!  Watch the live presentation on the Salvation Army page!  

8th Annual Cochise County Sheriff’s Charity Ride ASCU is a proud title sponsor of the Charity Ride, our first responders, and our community. Did you miss one of the biggest annual events in Cochise…

2020 Annual Meeting Information Date:  September 19, 2020 View Livestream Video of Annual Meeting:  https://youtu.be/jl6K1PkLH8c BOARD REPORTS Chairman's Report During CY2019, ASCU continued to operate in a fiscally sound and conservative manner.  In spite…

Podcast Episode 004 Financing Your Business Ready to start or expand your dream?  Explore lending options with Ron Curtis, our VP of Commercial Lending.  We can assist even the small self-employed entrepreneur!  Learn the…

How much does a poor credit score really cost you.  Meet three people who ended up paying different prices for items based only on their credit scores. [video poster="https://ascu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/poor-creditb.jpg" width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://ascu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Cost-of-Poor-CreditFinished-1.mp4" autoplay="true"][/video]