Alternatives Federal Credit Union

10/15/2026

💚💜 Sometimes the best way to understand what a credit union means is to listen to its members.

For International Credit Union Day, we asked our members to share their stories. And they reminded us why we're here.

Stories about second chances. Buying a first home. Learning to save. And finding someone willing to listen when it mattered most.

One member put it this way:

“i can trust my ‘bank,’ how weird is that.”

That made us smile. Because trust is something we work to earn every day.

Today, we celebrated our members and their stories at our Ithaca and Rochester branches.

Thank you to our staff, Board members, and NYS Assemblymember Anna Kelles for joining the celebration. And a special thank-you to our member-owned businesses, The Richford Diner and GRAFT w**e + c***r bar, for donating gift certificates for our member giveaway.

International Credit Union Day comes once a year. The stories we're helping our members write continue every day.

Thank you for being part of ours. 💚

10/14/2026

💚💜 Tomorrow is International Credit Union Day, and we're celebrating YOU!

Our members and staff are what make Alternatives special. And tomorrow, October 15, we're bringing everyone together to celebrate!

Stop by our Ithaca or Rochester branch to meet staff from across the credit union, ask questions, share your story, or just say hello. We'd love to see you!

🎉 Plus, a giveaway featuring two local member-owned businesses!

💚 $50 gift certificate to The Richford Diner
💜 $100 gift certificate to GRAFT w**e + c***r bar

Eligible Alternatives members can enter for a chance to win at either branch or online through October 20.

💚 Learn more about International Credit Union Day and enter our giveaway:
https://www.alternatives.org/international-credit-union-day/

To our members, thank you for being part of Alternatives. To our staff, thank you for the care you bring to our community.

Together, we're what makes Alternatives special.



No purchase necessary. Eligibility requirements and official rules apply. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.

09/30/2026

💚 Financial Wellness Wednesday

Gift-giving doesn't have to mean overspending. Some of the best gifts don't come with a big price tag.

A few ways to keep it meaningful and affordable:

1. Think about homemade gifts, like something baked, crafted, or written.
2. Consider giving an experience instead of an object, like tickets to something or time spent together.
3. Ask about a gift exchange or a spending limit with your family or friend group, so nobody feels pressure to spend more than they're comfortable with.

A thoughtful gift and an expensive gift are not the same thing.

The people who matter most will remember how the gift made them feel, not what it cost.

💚 Want some help getting started? Our Financial Education Team offers free, one-on-one sessions — no prep required. Sessions available in Spanish.

🔗 https://ow.ly/LLMi50ZyzAM

What's a budget-friendly gift you've given or received that really stuck with you? Share below 👇

09/25/2026

Credit cards can work for you, or against you. It depends on the habits behind them.

Join our nonprofit partner, BALANCE, for a free session on using credit cards with confidence, from everyday spending decisions to building a stronger credit score.

You'll learn how to:

• Understand how your habits and mindset shape your credit card use
• Get practical tips to avoid common pitfalls and build your credit score
• Enjoy rewards without adding financial stress

Two sessions to choose from:
📅 October 6, 2026 | 1:30pm EDT
📅 October 15, 2026 | 5:00pm EDT

Register free → alternatives.bebalanced.org/webinars

09/24/2026

💚 Can't make it in during the week? Now you don't have to choose between work and getting help with your money.

Our Financial Education Team is offering free, 1:1 appointments on Saturdays too. Megan and Jorge will alternate hosting sessions the second Saturday of every month, 10 AM–12 PM.

Book time for:

• Credit Report Reviews
• Financial Counseling
• Home Buying Information

🔗 Book your free appointment: www.alternatives.org/welcome-were-glad-youre-here/

09/24/2026

This made our whole team's day!

❤️ SOME PEOPLE HELP YOU BUY A BUSINESS. SOME PEOPLE HELP YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN BUILD A LIFE AROUND IT.

Today I want to take a minute to recognize the people at Alternatives Federal Credit Union who helped make The Richford Diner possible.

When we decided to take the leap and purchase this diner, there was a LOT of fear behind the excitement.

It was a huge decision.
A huge risk.
A whole lot of unknowns.

But there were also people who looked at us, looked at our dream, and said, in their own way…

“We believe in you.”

Alternatives Federal Credit Union helped us get the keys to this place. But what has meant just as much to us is how they've treated us since.

They've been kind.
They're easy to work with.
They're family-friendly.
And they genuinely seem to understand what it means to support a small business and the family behind it.

And today, I walked into the bank with The Boss. ❤️

She came with me to make the deposit and helped me get it done.

And as I stood there looking at her, I couldn't help but think about how crazy this whole journey has been.

There was a time when this diner wasn't ours.

There was a time when this was just an idea, a hope, a “what if we actually did this?”

And now?

We're walking through those doors with the day's deposit from a business our family built together.

That hits differently.

So, Alternatives Federal Credit Union — thank you.

Thank you for taking a chance on us.

Thank you for helping turn a dream into a set of keys.

Thank you for supporting not just a business, but a family that is working, sweating, worrying, laughing, learning and doing everything we can to make this little diner something special.

Every deposit isn't just money going into a bank.

Sometimes it's a little reminder of how far we've come.

And today, I got to make that deposit with my favorite little helper standing beside me. ❤️

We'll never forget the people who believed in us before everyone else could see what we were trying to build.

From our family to yours — thank you. ❤️

09/23/2026

💚 Financial Wellness Wednesday

Money conversations with family can feel uncomfortable. Having them now, before the holidays are in full swing, can save you a lot of stress later.

Talk with the people you celebrate with about what's realistic this year. Can you host, or would it work better at someone else's place? Can you make it to every gathering, or do you need to pick a few? These conversations are easier now than in the middle of the season.

The same goes for gifts. If a spending limit or a gift exchange would take the pressure off, say so. Chances are, more than one person in your circle is hoping someone brings it up.

Speaking up about your budget isn't awkward, it's a gift to everyone involved. It means nobody gets caught off guard.

A few honest conversations now can save everyone some stress later.

💚 Want some help getting started? Our Financial Education Team offers free, one-on-one sessions — no prep required. Sessions available in Spanish.

🔗 www.alternatives.org/welcome-were-glad-youre-here/

Have you ever set a spending limit or a gift exchange with family or friends? How did it go? 👇

09/17/2026

💚 $475 in prizes went to 10 Alternatives members in August!

One member won $250, two won $50 each, and fivewon $25 each, all just for saving. That's the Lucky Savers Certificate at work: an account that pays you for something you're already doing.

Here's how it works:

1. Deposit at least $25 into a Lucky Savers Certificate.
2. Every $25 you save is another chance to win (up to $250 per month), in Alternatives' monthly drawing and the statewide drawing.
3. The statewide drawing includes a $5,000 grand prize every quarter.

No tricks, no fine print games. Just your savings, working a little harder for you.

Want a shot at next month's drawing? Learn more about Lucky Savers Certificates. 🔗 www.alternatives.org/accounts/savings-certificates/lucky-savers-certificate/

Federally insured by NCUA.

09/16/2026

💚 Financial Wellness Wednesday

Once you know what the holidays will cost, the next step is making sure the money's there when you need it, without pulling from your regular budget.

Here's how to build it:

1. Open a separate savings account online or through our mobile app, and give it a name like "Holiday Fund" so it's easy to track.
2. Look back at your holiday blueprint and estimate what you'll actually need.
3. Set a monthly savings goal based on that number.
4. Automate a transfer into that fund so it happens without you having to think about it.

Whatever amount you can set aside is worth setting aside. Small and steady adds up.

Starting your holiday fund now means spreading the cost out, instead of feeling it all at once in December.

💚 Want some help getting started? Our Financial Education Team offers free, one-on-one sessions — no prep required. Sessions available in Spanish.

🔗 www.alternatives.org/welcome-were-glad-youre-here/

Do you save for the holidays separately, or fold it into your regular budget? 👇

09/10/2026

Taking out a loan means signing your name to a lot of fine print — interest rate, term, monthly payment. It's easy to feel unsure if you're getting a fair deal, especially if it's your first time.

💚 Our Financial Education Team is hosting a free webinar on Borrowing Basics. You'll learn:

• Why people borrow, and the different types of loans out there (credit cards, auto loans, personal loans, student loans, mortgages)
• How lenders decide who qualifies, and how credit scores work
• How to compare loan offers and spot the warning signs of taking on too much debt

📅 Monday, September 28
🕠 5:30–7:00 PM
Free. Registration required.

Register free → www.alternatives.org/solutions/financial-tools-and-resources/