Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1031255
AACREDITUNION.ORG | 15 AACREDITUNION.ORG | 15 American Airlines Credit Union Share the fi nancial soundness of American Airlines Credit Union membership. Did you know more than your dependents can join the Credit Union? To learn more about sharing the benefi ts of membership, see Page 25. Off podcast and author of the upcoming book, The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money: Thirteen Ways to Right Your Financial Wrongs. "One easy step is to commit to paying cash for most things and pay off your credit cards at the end of each month," she says. If you are using credit, make sure you pay on time and use a card with the lowest possible interest rate, just in case you run into trouble. Do a credit and fi nance checkup every few years — if not more often. If you're running a race it's good to know what mile marker you're at. The same goes for your fi nancial journey. "Here at the Credit Union, we do complimentary fi nancial planning that takes into account your earnings, what you have saved, infl ation projections and other elements, and estimate what you're going to need later on and how close to meeting those goals you are," says Rod Chisholm, a fi nancial advisor and certifi ed fi nancial planner at American Airlines Federal Credit Union. Make saving a priority. You need both short- term savings and long-term savings to help you achieve all of your goals. Presuming that you do not have consumer debt, your fi rst order of business is to max out your 401(k) to the best of your ability, says Schlesinger. If you are carrying student loans, you should at least try to contribute up to your employer match. You should also have an emergency reserve fund of three to six months of your living expenses, so you're not plunged into debt if something unexpected comes up. "I know people hate this advice, but it's what you need to do," Chisholm said. "Have the money automatically taken out of your paycheck and the process will be painless." KAREN J. BANNAN is a writer and blogger who writes about business, technology and lifestyles for a variety of publications, including Time magazine, The New York Times, Women's Day and Yoga Journal.