Welcome to the Logix SmartLab

Are you struggling to save money? You're not alone. More than half of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. An interesting way to create good financial habits is to complete the No Spend November challenge. If you're ready to embark on this difficult challenge, here are some tips so you can survive the month:

Credit unions are about common beliefs and taking control of your finances in cooperation with others that subscribe to the same goals and philosophies. While they might seem similar to a bank at the briefest of glances, there's so much more to discover upon a closer look.

Something huge happened this month worth a shout-out: Logix Community Stars Foundation has donated $1 million to local charities since 2007!  We are elated and hit this mark because of your generosity!

More than 500 of our employees joined together to make blankets for the Santa Clarita Valley chapter of Project Linus during our inaugural Community Day of service.  The event was hosted at the Hyatt Regency Valencia on October 8.

Have you ever had a mechanic knock on your door to tell you that he was driving by, saw that your car wasn’t running correctly, and decided to come by and fix it? He helpfully takes apart your engine at your request, but then stops working and demands money to finish. You pay what he requested, he works a little more, but tells you more is broken than he thought and that he needs more money. This cycle continues until you stop giving him money, at which point you’re left with a disassembled car in your driveway and a lot less cash in your wallet than you started the day with.

What mechanic could know your car's repair needs simply from driving by? Moreover, why would the "repairs" happen in your driveway?  If this situation sounds nonsensical, that's because it is. But, that’s basically the same idea as a common fraud technique: The PC cleaning scam.

Nearly everyone has a familiar face come to mind after hearing the word cancer.  Your mother, sister, grandfather, best friend, co-worker…the list goes on.  A cancer diagnosis can often be the beginning of a long, costly, and painful journey for those affected.  More than 5 years ago, we partnered with SCV’s Circle of Hope, Inc., a non-profit charity, through our Logix Community Stars foundation.  Circle of Hope provides financial assistance to cancer patients in need and offers emotional support, while educating cancer patients and their families.  Given their values and contribution to our branch communities, it made sense for us to support their efforts.

As of September 21, 2018, freezing and unfreezing your credit is now free.  Under a new federal law, you will no longer need to pay a fee for freeze requests, and fraud alerts on credit reports are now valid for a year, extended from the prior timeline of 90 days.

If you're like most people, your home is the biggest investment you'll ever make. You may not think of it that way, of course, but if you take care of it, you could come out way ahead when you finally sell.

Want to live a greener life but think it's too expensive to buy all the gadgets that make it possible? Here are five ways to cut your carbon footprint in your home without spending a fortune, including rechargeable solutions, composting ideas and paper reduction.

Earlier this year, we shared that October 8^th will be our inaugural Community Day.  Logix staff will be supporting SCV Project Linus by making 200 blankets that will comfort children who are ill, traumatized or otherwise in need.  The SCV Project Linus chapter was formed in 2013.  Many of their “blanketeers” are students from local high schools, who donate completed blankets to several nonprofits throughout the area, including Henry Mayo, located in Santa Clarita.  We're grateful for the opportunity to help.