The Pipeline

Just like you, your account will transition into adulthood with an All About Me Account!

Young adults are in a unique and eventful phase of their lives, and learning how to responsibly manage your finances is one important part. Let’s face it, ‘adulting’ has its share of challenges, so we designed All About Me to help make managing your financial life a bit easier.

That depends on a few things.

How old are you?

• If you are 16 years of age or older, you can open the account without a parent or guardian.
• If you are younger than 16, you'll need a parent or guardian as a Joint Owner.

Is someone in your home already Beach Municipal FCU member?

• If your parents, grandparents or siblings are already members of the Credit Union, then you are eligible to join, too.
• If not, you can review your membership qualifications on our Who Can Join page.
• If you already know you're eligible for membership, visit the Open an Account page to review the steps and account opening instructions.

When you're ready, visit one of our branches to open your Pipeline account. Make sure you know what to bring with you to open the account.

You can stay connected with Beach Municipal FCU by using our convenient automated services. Balance inquiries, transfers, and loan payments are just a few of the things that can be done online using Virtual Branch Home Banking or the Mobile Banking App.

Visiting CU Service Centers is another great way to stay connected with your Beach Municipal FCU accounts. There are over 50,000 CU Service Centers nationwide; just look for the “swirl” and you’ll be able to make deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and balance inquiries on your Beach Municipal FCU accounts. Find the CU Service Center locations & ATMs near your campus by visiting here.

A college education is a great investment in your future.  Unfortunately, it is also a very expensive investment.

The cost for one year of tuition and fees varies widely among colleges. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2022-2023 school year was $57,570 at private colleges, $27,940 for state residents at public colleges and $45,240 for out-of-state residents attending public universities.*

Here are some tips to help you plan for this worthwhile venture:

Start saving now.
The sooner you save, the more time you have for your money to grow. In addition to a regular savings account, you may want to consider some long-term investment options:

• Beach Municipal FCU Youth Share Certificates 
• Beach Municipal FCU Coverdell Education Savings Account
• Virginia 529 College Savings Plan

Study hard.
If you earn good grades, you will increase your options for college and may also be eligible for scholarships in the future.

Learn about financing options.
Go to finaid.org to explore information about scholarships, loans, savings goals and much more.

Private student loans are another option. We've partnered with Sallie Mae to offer the Smart Option Student Loan® and Sallie Mae's suite of graduate loans.

Some scholarship opportunities may even be at your back door!

• Every year, Beach Municipal FCU offers two educational scholarships of $2,500 to qualifying members.
• The Leigh Ann Graham Scholarship is offered annually and is open any credit union that belongs to the Tidewater Chapter of the Virginia Credit Union League, which includes Beach Municipal FCU.

Define your career goals early.
Different schools are geared towards specific courses of study.

• Community college courses are often less expensive than those offered by four-year educational institutions. 
• Depending on the institution, community college credits may often transfer to other colleges and universities. 

Beach Municipal FCU can help you formulate a solid strategic financial plan in order to make your educational goals much more attainable through high school graduation and beyond!

*Costs based on 2022-2023 figures from the College Board

Everyone needs a little downtime, but can you afford to hang out with your friends?  The average cost of a concert ticket is almost $96...and that’s if it’s not the hottest concert of the year.* At Beach Municipal FCU, we can help you save so you go to that epic concert with your friends or do whatever you want to do!

Here are some tips for managing your money and making it stretch farther:

Always bring some cash.

• At some restaurants, it’s difficult to split the tab on a Debit Card. If possible, ask to split the tab prior to the server bringing the check. 
• Use an ATM within your Credit Union’s network to avoid fees. 

Don’t get stuck with the gas bill.  

• If you tote your friends around town in your car, ask them to give you gas money.
• If you are that friend, offer the driver money. Fair’s fair.

Find ways to decrease what you spend.

• Look for coupons for the restaurants or activities you enjoy. Ask for their specials.
• Rent your video games versus buying them.  Video rental kiosks offer a great alternative.

Search for ways to increase your money.

• Some video game retailers offer to buy back used games for store credit.
• If your parents pay for your school lunches, ask if they will give you the cash instead. Then brown bag it and pocket the money! 
• Ask your parents if you can do additional chores around the house for extra money.
• Ask your neighbors if they will hire you for yard work or babysitting.

Suggest that your friends try some less expensive options.

• Instead of going out to eat for a full meal, get something lighter and cheaper like dessert or smoothies, or split an appetizer.
• Check out the free activities in your community (concerts, city parks, museums, etc.).
• Play sports outside or go to the beach.
• Volunteer together for community projects—not only are you spending time together, but you’re helping others at the same time.

 
*www.statista.com

Our Youth Share Certificates are exclusively for our Long John Saver & Pipeline members!

• Available in the amounts of $50 and $100 only.
• 5% APY.^*
• 60-months terms.
• Members are limited to a maximum of $1,000 in Youth Share Certificates at any one time.
• Member must have a Long John Saver or Pipeline account to qualify.
• A maximum of two new Youth Share Certificates may be purchased per 30-day period. 
• Funds used to purchase the Youth Share Certificates must be new money deposits or money already on deposit in the member's Long John Saver or Pipeline account.

Share certificates are a great way to teach children the importance of saving and offer a hands-on lesson on how dividends can make their money grow!