Taking the fear out of finances

Link Credit Union services help to support you financially but also give back to your local community.

In the Bailieborough branch, it’s all about loans at the moment; and finding the best one to suit your purpose is the aim.

“We will work with you,” marketing officer Ciara McMahon assured.

The credit union team try to remove the stress from applying for a loan with their ‘Loan from Home’. This allows members to apply for a loan from the comfort of their own sitting room.

She said the process can be done “totally online” for those who wish to avail of the service.

For those who prefer to come into the office, Ciara said they operate from three office locations in Cootehill, Bailieborough and Kingscourt.

Ciara urged people to “get in touch” if they need advice on loans.

She warned people to be mindful of who they choose to borrow money from.

“There’s a lot of illegal money lenders at the moment,” she said.

She said that a lot of these payment options can be “quite enticing” but can result in “a big payment at the end or a very high interest rate”.

“We would encourage people to come to us,” she said.

Supporting the community

“As a credit union we are non-profit,” she said, explaining surplases generated from their services go back into the organisation and then into the community, supporting initiatives such as St Patrick’s Day parades, Christmas lights, sport clubs, the Bailieborough Leisure Centre and other events taking place in the area.

“It’s a member-based and community-based organisation,” she said.

Another example of supporting community in the student loan rate which has been reduced to five per cent in recent months, helping support students through education.

The scholarship competition consists of ten €1,000 euro bursary prizes for students, with two specifically for members who have taken out a student loan. Applications for the bursary will open in August, with more details posted on the link Credit Union social media pages.

“It’s just to help our members a little bit at a time when finances can be a little bit of a struggle,” she said.

Step Up grant

The Credit Union has also just finished their ‘Step Up’ grant, which is for students moving from primary to secondary school. Ten such students received €200 bursary to help towards their school costs.

“We try to make things a little bit more affordable,” she said.

The credit union also provides current accounts, which are free for students, and are €4 per month for other members.

“That’s one of the cheapest current accounts available on the market,” she added.

“As we are a community based organisation and a not for profit entity, our future lies with community groups and local businesses to ensure we contribute positively to our local area,” Ciara concluded.