My name is Linda Hostetler. I had the amazing experience of working with Krista Phillips for over a year, and what a pleasure it was.

Not only did Krista “hold my hand” walking through the mess we had gotten into, but she “coached” me and showed me how to never let it happen again.

Over the time we worked together, I felt like I had made a wonderful friend in Krista. She was excited when we got good news, and supportive when we didn’t. I cannot think of words to express our appreciation for what NCR through Krista’s help has met to us. Our credit scores increased about 100 points during that time, and have continued to improve even sore since by following what we learned from Krista. Since our business relationship has ended, we have given your name to several others, including our real estate broker and the credit union loan officer.

As I write this, we are waiting to hear from the lender as to our closing date of our new home, which we believe will be next Thursday. We are excited and extremely thankful for the opportunity to work with Krista & NCF….

Love you Krista!!!

Sincerely ,

LaVerne and Linda Hostetler

“6 Tips to Shop Safer This Holiday Season”

Holiday Fun Facts

1. Given the different time zones, Santa has 31 hours to deliver gifts, but his reindeer really have to fly, since that means visiting 823 homes per second.

2. Dreaming of a green Christmas? Household waste increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. In the United States, trash from wrapping paper and shopping bags totals 4 million tons.

4. The U.S. Postal Service delivers 20 billion cards and packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

5. Rudolph first hit the holiday scene back in 1939, when Montgomery Ward stores distributed 2.4 million copies of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” written by Robert L. May, a copywriter for the company. Executives vetoed the original name, Rollo, when May’s young daughter suggested Rudolph.

6. The Löschner family of Neuhausen, Germany, owns the biggest nutcracker collection: 4,334. It is said that German craftsmen made the first decorative nutcrackers around 1800 as a way of mocking authority figures, leading to the phrase “a hard nut to crack.”

7. Despite their bad reputation, poinsettias aren’t deadly. Latex in the stems and leaves can be irritating, but not much more, to humans and animals.

8. The first candy cane dates back to 1670 in Germany. According to holiday lore, a choirmaster distributed sugar sticks bent into the shape of a shepherds’ crook to quiet his young singers during Christmas services. Today more than 1.76 billion candy canes are made for the holidays, enough to stretch from Santa Claus, Indiana, to North Pole, Alaska, and back again 32 times.

9. Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” between October and November of 1843. The story was a hit, selling 6,000 copies by Christmas Day.

10. The largest gingerbread man in the world is a dieter’s nightmare, weighing in at a whopping 466 pounds, six ounces. The Gingerbread House, in Rochester, Minnesota, baked the giant cookie on February 21, 2006.

11. An average of 5,800 people end up in the ER after suffering injuries from holiday decorating.

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”

–Walt Disney

Posted by ehoyer on December 8th, 2014 :: Filed under Bankground Checks
Tags :: home ownership

The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on the past 12 months, and when

you’re being smart about money, this includes your finances. What should you have

done differently last year to make your credit stronger, your debt smaller, and your

bank account fuller? It’s a brand-new year — a perfect time to commit to wise

financial resolutions that will leave your bank account and credit history in better

shape than ever. See how many of these resolutions you can incorporate into your

life this year.

1. Pay Down Debt

There’s nothing that feels quite as good as being debt-free. Give yourself the gift of

paying down your debt steadily starting today to make a big difference in your

finances — and your life — that you’ll be proud of in 2016.

2. Save For Emergencies

Just because credit cards are available in emergencies does not mean you should

use them. Avoid the pitfalls of emergency-induced debt by saving a portion of your

paycheck each month, just in case.

3. Pay Bills On Time

Do whatever it takes, whether it’s setting reminders on your calendar or putting a

note on the fridge, to pay your bills early or on time. Save yourself — and your credit

— from the aggravation caused by late payments.

4. Understand Your Spending

This year, make an effort to know precisely what you’re spending on. Add up

superfluous monthly expenses and multiply by 12 — what else could you be doing

with that money?

5. Ask For A Lower Interest Rate

One short phone call could lower the interest rates on your credit cards. It never

hurts to ask — and if they say no, see about transferring your debt to a lower-interest

card.

6. Use Autopayments

Simplify your life and banish late payments in one fell swoop by setting up

autopayments. Be sure to leave a safety buffer in your checking account just in case.

7. Make Smart Investments

Got a little extra cash on hand? Put it aside into safe investments like CDs or high-

yield savings accounts to make that money work for you.

8. Never Max Out Your Credit

If you’re hitting the limit on your credit cards regularly, you’re damaging your credit

score. Aim for only using 30% of your credit line — and if you’re paying down your

credit cards, first shoot for the 30% rule while you’re working your way down to zero.

9. Hang On To Old Accounts

Having long-term credit accounts actually helps your credit history. If you’ve moved

to a different creditor, consider keeping the old account — just be sure to monitor it

to ensure there are never any outstanding charges.

10. Dispute Any Errors

Order your annual free credit report closely to check for errors. Clear up any

mistakes as soon as you see them to keep your credit history clean and accurate.

If you know you can make one or more of these resolutions, but need help figuring

out how, give us a call. We’d be more than happy to help you find a way to make

—and keep — positive financial resolutions this year.