Skip to Main Content Skip to Internet Banking Skip to Sitemap
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

All VyStar offices will be closed on January 18th.

Close Alert
COVID-19
We are here to help our members. Branch Status | Mortgage | Loans | Businesses | Stimulus | Announcements
Close Alert
VyStar Credit Union VyStar Credit Union mobile view
  • Login
  • Become a Member
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
Search this site
  • Rates
    • Business Deposit & Loan Rates
    • Certificate Account Rates
    • Consumer Loan Rates
    • Credit Card Rates
    • Deposit Account Rates
    • Home Equity Loans & Lines Rates
    • Mortgage Loan Rates
  • Products & Services
    • Checking & Savings
      • Checking Accounts
        • Money Market
        • Magic*Touch
      • Savings Accounts
        • Holiday Savings Account
        • Certificates of Deposit (CD)
    • Lending
      • Auto & Recreational Loans
      • Personal Loans
      • Mortgages
      • Apply for a Loan
      • Make a Loan Payment
      • Adoption Line of Credit
      • Emergency Relief Loan
    • Business Banking
      • Business Membership
      • Business Deposit Accounts
      • Business Lending
      • Business Services
      • Small Business Resource Library
      • VyStar@Work
    • Cards & Services
      • Credit Cards
      • Debit Cards
      • Visa Reloadable Prepaid Cards
      • Gift Cards
      • uChoose Rewards
    • Investments
      • VyStar Investment Services
    • Insurance
      • Home
      • Auto
      • Family Protection
        • Delta Dental®
    • Real Estate Services
      • VyStar Title Agency
  • Online Services
    • Mobile
      • Mobile Check Deposit
      • Touch ID/Fingerprint Recognition
      • Card Control App
    • Internet Banking Access
      • Bill Pay Services
      • Send Money with Zelle®
      • External Transfers
      • Email, Text and Push Alerts
      • Entitlements
      • Make a VyStar Payment
      • Internet & Mobile Security
      • Ways to Go Green
    • Protection Center
      • Reporting Fraud
      • How to Protect Yourself
        • FraudScout
      • How VyStar Protects You
        • Scam Warnings
  • Financial Tools
    • Advice & Planning
      • Financial Calculators
      • Money Management
      • Financial Counseling
      • Real Estate Tools
        • Should You Refinance?
      • Hurricane Resources
      • Loan Tools
    • Financial How-To
      • Money Makeover
      • Accounts Management
        • Setting Up Direct Deposit
      • Personal Finances
        • Create a Budget
        • Free Credit Report
    • Investments & Insurance Tools
      • Introduction to Insurance
      • Saving for Retirement
      • Investment Vehicles
      • History and Trends of the Stock Market
      • Compound Interest Mind Bend
      • Rule of 72
    • Video Library
    • Brochure Library
    • VyStar University
  • About Us
    • Blog
    • Calendar
      • Holiday Closings
    • Newsroom
      • Current Promotions
      • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
      • VyStar Branch Artwork
    • Organization
      • Our Vision & Mission
      • Our History
      • Our Team
      • Financial Information
    • Community Involvement
      • Veterans Memorial Arena
      • High School Branch Programs
      • Sponsorship Requests
      • Get Involved with Community Events
      • Military Support
    • Credit Unions vs. Banks
  • Membership & Benefits
    • Becoming a New Member
      • Join Now - Open an Account
      • Why Join VyStar
      • Who Can Join
      • How To Join
      • VyStar Switch Kit
      • Apply for a Loan
      • Owner's Manual
    • Benefits of VyStar Membership
Login
Search this site

  • Rates
    • Business Deposit & Loan Rates
    • Certificate Account Rates
    • Consumer Loan Rates
    • Credit Card Rates
    • Deposit Account Rates
    • Home Equity Loans & Lines Rates
    • Mortgage Loan Rates
  • Products & Services
    • Checking & Savings
      • Checking Accounts
        • Money Market
        • Magic*Touch
      • Savings Accounts
        • Holiday Savings Account
        • Certificates of Deposit (CD)
    • Lending
      • Auto & Recreational Loans
      • Personal Loans
      • Mortgages
      • Apply for a Loan
      • Make a Loan Payment
      • Adoption Line of Credit
      • Emergency Relief Loan
    • Business Banking
      • Business Membership
      • Business Deposit Accounts
      • Business Lending
      • Business Services
      • Small Business Resource Library
      • VyStar@Work
    • Cards & Services
      • Credit Cards
      • Debit Cards
      • Visa Reloadable Prepaid Cards
      • Gift Cards
      • uChoose Rewards
    • Investments
      • VyStar Investment Services
    • Insurance
      • Home
      • Auto
      • Family Protection
        • Delta Dental®
    • Real Estate Services
      • VyStar Title Agency
  • Online Services
    • Mobile
      • Mobile Check Deposit
      • Touch ID/Fingerprint Recognition
      • Card Control App
    • Internet Banking Access
      • Bill Pay Services
      • Send Money with Zelle®
      • External Transfers
      • Email, Text and Push Alerts
      • Entitlements
      • Make a VyStar Payment
      • Internet & Mobile Security
      • Ways to Go Green
    • Protection Center
      • Reporting Fraud
      • How to Protect Yourself
        • FraudScout
      • How VyStar Protects You
        • Scam Warnings
  • Financial Tools
    • Advice & Planning
      • Financial Calculators
      • Money Management
      • Financial Counseling
      • Real Estate Tools
        • Should You Refinance?
      • Hurricane Resources
      • Loan Tools
    • Financial How-To
      • Money Makeover
      • Accounts Management
        • Setting Up Direct Deposit
      • Personal Finances
        • Create a Budget
        • Free Credit Report
    • Investments & Insurance Tools
      • Introduction to Insurance
      • Saving for Retirement
      • Investment Vehicles
      • History and Trends of the Stock Market
      • Compound Interest Mind Bend
      • Rule of 72
    • Video Library
    • Brochure Library
    • VyStar University
  • About Us
    • Blog
    • Calendar
      • Holiday Closings
    • Newsroom
      • Current Promotions
      • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
      • VyStar Branch Artwork
    • Organization
      • Our Vision & Mission
      • Our History
      • Our Team
      • Financial Information
    • Community Involvement
      • Veterans Memorial Arena
      • High School Branch Programs
      • Sponsorship Requests
      • Get Involved with Community Events
      • Military Support
    • Credit Unions vs. Banks
  • Membership & Benefits
    • Becoming a New Member
      • Join Now - Open an Account
      • Why Join VyStar
      • Who Can Join
      • How To Join
      • VyStar Switch Kit
      • Apply for a Loan
      • Owner's Manual
    • Benefits of VyStar Membership

  • Login
  • Become a Member
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
Home > Financial Tools > Financial How-To > Personal Finances > Where You Seek Financial Advice Says A Lot About You

Where You Seek Financial Advice Says A Lot About You

Common Money Beliefs- illustration of two woman sitting on a couch taking a quiz onlineHow did you decide where to open your first bank account?

Where did you learn to budget or pay bills? If you have a money question now, what do you do? Who do you turn to?

If you’re under the age of 30, your answers to the above questions are likely some combination of “my parents”, “the Internet” and “I don’t know—I just kind of figured it out”. Although you might have been lucky enough to take life skills classes in high school, most young adults don’t receive any kind of formal financial education. So, it’s likely that you’ll need to seek guidance when it comes to money management.

That guidance can come from any combination of sources: family, friends, apps, blogs, classes, forums, financial institutions, articles, books—the list goes on. No source is inherently better than the others, as long as it empowers you financially. But the reality is that when it comes to getting financial advice, most of us have a comfort zone or a pattern we fall into: we ask mom and dad because that’s how we’ve always done it, or we start with an online search because we’re not comfortable with asking someone for help. Your default information sources say a lot about you and your values, and even though each source has good things going for it, it’s important to keep an open mind.

Common Money Beliefs
Which money persona are you?

Your financial health can always benefit from including new sources of advice.

Advice Source: Parents and Family Members

What it says about you: Responsibility is important to you, and you believe that big decisions should only be shared with people you absolutely trust.

Why it’s great: Recent studies have found that 49% of Millennials turn to their parents for financial advice. It’s not hard to see why—family members have a trust factor that just can’t be rivaled by any financial institution. They’ve known you literally forever and they truly have your best interests at heart. They’re familiar and accessible and, since they’ve guided you through most aspects of life, it makes sense that they guide you through your finances too.

Where it’s lacking: No two families are alike. In some households, money is talked about casually and in others the topic is totally taboo. Some parents are fully involved in teaching their children about money; others get stressed out even thinking about it. Parents are an excellent resource if they’re money-savvy and if they’re comfortable talking to you about finances. If that’s not the case, then you might want to look for other sources of financial information before consulting with mom and dad.

Advice Source: Financial Advisor or Financial Planner

What it says about you: You value expertise in decision-making, and you’re not afraid to ask for help from a professional.

Why it’s great: Whether you consult with an advisor at your financial institution or hire an advisor independently, it’s hard to top the results you get from working with a dedicated professional. Having an expert assess your financial situation and design a plan for you is an extremely powerful tool because they can recommend products, services and strategies that you might never have come across on your own.

Where it’s lacking: Many young adults shy away from this advice source. One possible reason is because, as helpful as a financial advisor can be, reaching out to one can be intimidating if you’re used to your finances being a very private matter. Maybe you feel embarrassed about your current level of financial understanding, or maybe you’re not used to talking about money. Using some other sources on this list to gather information before meeting with a planner can help you feel in control and better prepared.

Advice Source: Personal Finance Blogs/Online Forums

What it says about you: You value privacy when it comes to your finances, and you know that research is critical before making any important decisions.

Why it’s great: It’s fast, it’s specific and it’s private—the Internet is great for financial guidance. Some helpful online resources include your credit union’s website, personal finance blogs geared toward your life stage, personal finance sections on news sites, and FAQ sections or forums on popular financial websites.

Where it’s lacking: As with all online content, you need to have a critical eye when gathering data. Who’s the author of the content? What’s their motivation? Is this review biased? Is that research trustworthy? When you use the Internet as your go-to information source, it’s up to you to sift through all the sites and articles to find the content that’s most relevant to you. Getting a second opinion (or better yet, a professional opinion) on a topic you’ve been researching is a great way to get more comprehensive advice. Be very careful with sharing your personal information online even with websites that seem popular and trustworthy.

Advice Source: Friends and Peers

What it says about you: Maintaining the status quo is important to you. You feel most confident with decisions that align with what others are doing.

Why it’s great: Friends and other peers can be a good place to get financial advice—they’re typically in the same age range, they may be facing some of the same financial challenges or situations as you, and they might be easier to talk to than your family. They’re believable role models and can serve as good examples of what certain products, services or financial habits look like in practice.

Where it’s lacking: Even the closest of friends can have dramatically different financial backgrounds. When you go to your friends for financial advice, it’s very easy to compare yourself to them; in some cases, that can do more harm than good. Everyone has a unique set of financial priorities and circumstances. Getting general financial advice from your friends is great, but when it comes to more specific advice, look elsewhere.

Advice Source: Apps

What it says about you: You value efficiency and are always looking for ways to improve and upgrade daily tasks.

Why it’s great: Personal finance apps are wonderful resources because they’re often better at slotting into our busy schedules than some of the more traditional approaches to learning about personal finance. Why bother researching different budgeting systems when a comprehensive budgeting app is just a 99-cent-download away? Convenient and well-designed apps that fill a real need can actually lead you to pay more attention to how you manage your money.

Where it’s lacking: Personal finance apps are usually geared more towards actions than they are to education. They’re a great way to check an account balance on the fly or to set up a budget, but they don’t always provide the education that goes along with those tools. Apps are awesome tools that tend to work best when combined with a broader understanding of financial topics.

Also consider how your credit union can help you further your financial knowledge. If you were to draw a diagram of your financial advice sources, your credit union would sit quite comfortably in the middle. It may not be related to you, but your credit union does have your best interests in mind as a member-owner. Your credit union can also provide you with current, professional advice and can give you access to all sorts of additional resources—both online and in person. It’s worth checking out, especially if your current combination of financial resources isn’t quite making the cut.
Common Money BELIEFS - HOW DO YOU RELATE TO MONEY? Personality can tell us how we learn best, what our strengths are and how we get along with others. But what about revealing our financial personality?As it turns out, there are four money personas that help explain some of our most common financial behaviors. To find out how you can improve your relationship with money, figure out which money persona you relate to. TAKE THE QUIZ (mark down the answers as you go) 1. I define financial success as:a) Not having to think about money all the time b) Living a celebrity lifestyle c) Accumulating the most money d) Avoiding all the money traps that others fall into 2. My relationship with money can be summed up like this: a) I’m not good at managing it, and I never talk about money b) I’m not good at managing it, and I love talking about money c) I’m good at managing it, and I don’t mind talking about money d) I’m good at managing it, and I never talk about money 3.What gives you the most energy? a) Having some “me time” at home b) Going out with friends or spending time with family c) A full schedule—when I’m busy, I feel alive d) Planning out a new project or working with details 4.  When it comes to personal finance, I wish I was more: a) Aware b) Free c) Prepared d) In control 5. If I suddenly inherited $500,000, I would feel: a) A little anxious—what should I do with that much money? b) Totally thrilled—that’s one amazing shopping spree! c) Happy—that would put me ahead of the game d) Motivated—it’s fun thinking about how to allocate it 6. I believe that most personal finance problems are the result of: a) People thinking they deserve lifestyles they can’t afford b) Treating money as something stressful instead of something enjoyable c) Being undereducated when it comes to money d) A large and corrupt economic system 7. More money, more : a) Problems b) Freedom c) Happiness d) Nothing—more money doesn’t change anything 8. Which weakness best describes you? a) I can be kind of lazy b) I can get pretty self-centered c) Sometimes I’m a little too competitive d) I have trust issues 9. Which strength best describes you? a) I’m thoughtful b) I’m friendly c) I’m determined d) I’m smart 10. “Treat yourself!”  a) But I haven’t done anything to deserve it b) OK! c) Nah, I’d rather make money than spend it d) No, I don’t need special treatment 11. Which statement sums up your point of view when it comes to investing?  a) I’ve never taken the time to really learn about investing b) Big risks lead to the biggest payouts c) The more investments I have, the safer I feel d) I don’t invest because of the risk of losing everything 12. When it comes to money, the most important lesson to be learned is: a) Money is complicated and almost impossible to manage well b) Money is the key to your sense of well-being c) You will never have enough for the things you truly want d) Being able to keep it is more important than simply having it-      How did you do? If you answered, mostly a's: AVOIDING OSTRICH If you answered mostly b's: STRUTTIN’ PEACOCK Mostly c's:STASHING CROW Mostly d's:WARY OWL - AVOIDING OSTRICH (money persona: avoidance) Avoiding Ostriches often feel guilty about having money, or undeserving of money. They sabotage themselves by minimizing their financial problems instead of facing reality. This persona is most common among young adults. Most likely to: have piles of unopened bills, be charged with late fees Least likely to: ask for a raise, discuss finances with others Needs to work on: money management skills, budgeting basics STRUTTIN’ PEACOCK (money persona: status) Struttin’ Peacocks believe that their self-worth comes from their lifestyle and possessions. They will overspend in order to impress others. This leads to struggles with budgeting and debt. Most likely to: live in debt, make risky investments Least likely to: be able to afford the lifestyle they project Needs to work on: setting savings goals, managing debt STASHING CROW (money persona: worship) Stashing Crows have a scarcity mindset when it comes to money; they believe that they will never have enough to afford the things they want in life. They get a sense of safety from stockpiling money.  Most likely to: be a workaholic, have hoarding tendencies Least likely to: spend money on themselves or on leisure activities Needs to work on: seeing money as a source of enjoyment WARY OWL (money persona: vigilance) The Wary Owl’s relationship with money is based in fear. A little bit of money vigilance is good, but Wary Owls can easily take it to the extreme. Fear and distrust of investing keeps them from growing their money. Most likely to: underspend, distrust financial institutions Least likely to: overspend, invest their money Needs to work on: trying out new financial products - RECOGNIZING YOUR PERSONA:  It’s likely that you’re a combination of several money personas (as opposed to being an extreme version of just one). Identifying your money persona can help you approach financial decisions more positively, and help you spot behaviors that you want to change. -  brought to you by VyStar Credit Union -Sources: Mind Over Money by Brad Klontz, PsyD & Ted Klontz, PhD; Lifehacker.com; The New York Times
Personal Finances
  • Create a Budget
  • Budgeting Basics
  • Free Credit Report
  • Credit Score Breakdown
  • Boost Your Credit Score
  • Where You Seek Financial Advice Says A Lot About You
  • Earning Money Online
  • Good vs Bad Spending
  • Rates
    • Business Deposit & Loan Rates
    • Certificate Account Rates
    • Consumer Loan Rates
    • Credit Card Rates
    • Deposit Account Rates
    • Home Equity Loans & Lines Rates
    • Mortgage Loan Rates
  • Products & Services
    • Checking & Savings
    • Lending
    • Business Banking
    • Cards & Services
    • Investments
    • Insurance
    • Real Estate Services
  • Online Services
    • Mobile
    • Internet Banking Access
    • Protection Center
  • Financial Tools
    • Advice & Planning
    • Financial How-To
    • Investments & Insurance Tools
    • Video Library
    • Brochure Library
    • VyStar University
  • About Us
    • Blog
    • Calendar
    • Newsroom
    • Organization
    • Community Involvement
    • Credit Unions vs. Banks
  • Membership & Benefits
    • Becoming a New Member
    • Benefits of VyStar Membership
  • Like our page on Facebook
  • See our photo stream on Instagram
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel
  • Check us out on LinkedIn
  • Explore our Pins
  • Sitemap
  • Careers
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy
  • Security
  • Accessibility

VyStar Credit Union
P.O. Box 45085
Jacksonville FL 32232
904-777-6000 or 800-445-6289
Routing Number 263079276

  • Federally Insured by NCUA
  • Equal Housing Lender
  • Verified by Visa