Dollars & Sense

In honor of January being Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we got Tricia MacFarlan into the studio to discuss Human Trafficking and the impact that has on individuals, psychologically, financially, and otherwise. Resource Blog: https://hapo.org/services/tools-resources/blog/Post?postID=cd5d5bbe-c3ff-68be-bdb6-ff0000eccc20

We continue our conversation with Jana Kay and Ricky from Washington State University Tri-Cities Financial Aid department. We continue the discussion with topics like 529 Savings accounts, Non-Resident Programs, FAFSA, Loans vs Grants, and Motivations to get those applications in for those potential support programs. Read the companion Blog post with resource links here: HAPO Community Credit Unio...

Jana Kay and Ricky from Washington State University Tri-Cities Financial Aid Department join us to talk in depth about the value of a degree, and more importantly how to pay for it.  We talk about Federal, State, and Private assistance programs, Grants vs Loans, and all the other factors you probably didn't consider when it comes to funding you or your child's higher education. Read the...

Tawney and Susie from HAPO's Asset Recovery team join Scott in the studio to demystify the topic of Collections. We discuss some real-life stories of how people can end up in collections, the best practices for anyone who finds themselves in that situation, and some preventative tools you should consider if you'd like to stay out of collections.

Part 2 of our episode about Budgeting and Account Types and Structures. We talk more about how you can utilize accounts and other tools, like direct deposit, to help support your budgeting plans.

Sebrina and Stephanie join us on the Podcast in the first part of a two-part episode.  We talk about budgeting and the purpose behind budgeting, and also account types and account structures that can assist you in maintaining your budget, and helping to facilitate the lifestyle you want!

Our fraud expert, Jen Kasparek, returns to the podcast with new information about how scams are evolving. We discuss one scam in particular that has been around for ages: The Grandparent Scam. We talk about how this scam works, and how it has changed with advances in technology, and how it is still evolving. Then we discuss how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from scams like these.

On this episode of Dollars & Sense we talk with Temple, Angelique, and Jen about the do's and don'ts of hiring. We discuss the structured process of what an applicant or jobseeker should be expecting as they work through the hiring process, and then we talk about some red flags that people need to be aware of, so they don't fall victim to hiring scams.

Scott Mitchell joins us in the studio to discuss some of the basic foundational differences between Banks and Credit Unions, as well as to discuss the recent news about financial institution failures, and what exactly is a "Run on a bank."

Scott sits down with one of the Most Powerful Women in Credit Unions, HAPO CEO Dolores Broeske for Women's History Month and International Women's Day.  They talk about Women in the Workplace, her career path, and how women helping women, and people helping people are true driving motivators.

Scott welcomes Keilani to the podcast to discuss how to manage Professional Relationships and conflict resolution to help promote a healthier, happier, and more productive work environment.  Some of these tips could even help to make you more promotable in your own company's corporate culture!

Scott sits down with Cathy Manderbach of the Kadlec Healthy Ages Program.  We discuss navigating the many parts of Medicare, and how the community can take advantage of the resources available through the Healthy Ages Program.

Jen joins Scott in the studio to talk more about different credit cards, and why you might want to choose one over another, or maybe even take both.  We discuss technology advances and security, how purchases with Digital Wallets help to protect your identity, and some of the best ways to go about getting into your first or your next credit card by taking advantage of intro rates and balance trans...

Jeremy joins the podcast to discuss advances in technology, how that impacts the financial world, and striking an appropriate balance between technology and personal touch.

Courtney Armstrong, Community Health Specialist with Kadlec Regional Medical Center, drops in to the podcast studio to have a serious discussion about Mental Health and Financial Stress.  We discuss how the two topics are interconnected, and how we can best help ourselves, and our loved ones, in handling Mental Health before it escalates to a Crisis situation.

Monte and Bobby stop by the studio to give our listeners a historical rundown of the Commercial Services department at HAPO Community Credit Union.  We talk about business expansion, lending, the Small Business Administration - Paycheck Protection Program, and amazing new features that are out on the horizon.

Scott is joined by HAPO Community Relations Director Crystal and they talk about community events, giving back, and advocacy, and how those thing effect the communities and members!

Scott welcomes Romi and Enif into the studio and gets the scoop on what borrowers need to know about the different types of mortgage loans, when they should first meet with a mortgage loan officer, and all the ways a mortgage loan officer can help a borrower navigate the mortgage landscape to get the best suited program.

Scott sits down to talk with HAPO's benefits specialist, Lindsey, to discuss what you should be considering when looking into a new job or career.  Topics such as Direct vs Indirect compensation, Employer vs Employee paid benefits, and how Health Insurance packages aren't all created equally.  There is so much more to consider than just hourly wage or salary.

Kandy and Scott have Pedro Yniguez in the studio to talk about a very unique feature that HAPO offers: A Mobile Branch.  Pedro is the Mobile Branch Manager and talks about how a Mobile Branch operates, how to get the mobile branch out to events, and how operations work in such a unique work environment.

In this episode, Kandy takes a turn on the other side of the microphone and talks to us about HAPO's Financial Education Department, Financial Coaching, and the resources her department makes available for the community.

In this episode we have a discussion with David about CUNA Mutual Group and their affiliation with HAPO Community Credit Union.  Then they dive into tax returns and what you can do with them. 

In this episode we talk with Hannah in HAPO's Card Services department. Hannah speaks with our hosts to highlight the differences between Credit and Debit cards as well as the Perks that come with them.

In this episode, our resident fraud expert, Jennifer Kasparek, talks about some scams to be on the lookout for. She also shares some real life stories so that you don't fall victim to the same scams the others have experienced.