Easy Tips on how to Manage your Finances and Develop Great Cost Saving habits!

Organizing your finances is always very important, particularly in times of uncertainty.  To assist you in better managing your finances we have put together several simple tips, which we hope you find useful.

Manage your budget - Maximize your Credit Card Rewards

Get great savings when you use your Republic Bank Credit Card instead of Cash for all your purchases. Redeem your rewards at travel agencies, supermarkets, telecommunication companies, pharmacies, jewelry and clothing stores and much more.

Manage Your Time - Use RepublicOnline Banking

Use

- to transfer funds to your credit card account and get real time availability of funds - this will allow you to channel your everyday purchases through your credit card and benefit from Republic Bank's Reward programs.
- to pay your credit card and utility bills and track your account activity. This lets you do your banking 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, at your convenience.
- to view and retrieve your monthly credit card statements.

ALL THESE SERVICES ARE FREE OF CHARGE!

Manage your payments

Pay your credit card bill or loan payment as soon as it is due, to avoid paying unnecessary late fees. If you think that you might run the risk of forgetting to pay the bill by the payment due date, you can take advantage of the option to pay the full balance or pay your minimum monthly payment via Automated Payments, Standing Orders or RepublicOnline each month, at no cost to you. Additionally with RepublicOnline you can arrange ahead of time for the payment to be made on a particular date in the future - and just forget about it!

Manage your account - Track your spending

Diligently monitoring your credit card and chequing account statements will make you less likely to fall victim to fraud. Always ensure that all transactions noted on your statement are correct. Check the due date for your credit card or loan payment. Look at the new charges and match all transactions with your receipts/cheques. Make sure your last payment was recorded correctly. You can track your spending, anywhere, anytime with . If you have any queries you can also contact our Customer Service Department at 627-3348. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Manage your Card - Use Wireless Terminals

Be sure to ask the waiters at your favorite restaurants if they have a Point of Sale terminal so that you might settle your bill conveniently at the table with speed and ease, as well as eliminate possible fraudulent ‘skimming’ opportunities.

REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR CARD – CREDIT CARD OR LINX

Manage your spending - Limit Increases

If you anticipate that you may need to spend more money than usual on particular purchases e.g. travel, home renovations/repairs or shopping, simply contact any of our branches during normal opening hours, and apply for a limit increase on your credit card. That way you can make your purchases with your Republic Bank Credit Card without any problems, while you continue to earn valuable Rewards and save money!

MAKING EXCESS DEPOSITS ONTO YOUR CREDIT CARD WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CREDIT LIMIT OR AVAILABLE BALANCE OR ENTITLE YOU TO SPEND MORE THAN THE LIMIT ON YOUR CARD.

Manage your Card - Vacation /Business Travel

To ensure that you enjoy uninterrupted service and convenience with your Republic Bank Credit Card when you travel, let us know of your plans. Simply call our friendly Customer Service Representatives at 627 -3348 and advise us of your travel dates and country (if visiting the USA please advise us of the State to which you are traveling) prior to your trip. This will allow us to effectively monitor the use of your credit card and avoid any unauthorized transactions.

If you do not have a credit card, you may purchase a Republic Bank Visa Travel Money Card, where you can load the amount you need to spend. If your are abroad and need extra funds you can effect a top up of the value on the card by transfer via RepublicOnline or you may contact any one of our branches. This card value top up can be done real-time to enable you to continue enjoying your shopping . It’s safe and carries all of the security features as a credit card.

Manage your Spending - Spending Limits

Regardless of the credit limit on your card, the maximum amount of money available for daily purchases on Republic Bank Credit Cards is US$5,000 or its TTD equivalent. This does not include Cash Advances.

The maximum amount of money available for daily purchases on a Republic Bank LINX card is TT$5,000 at a Point of Sale or for a cash advance at an ABM the limit is TT$2,000.

Please contact our Customer Service Dept at 627-3348, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Manage your Card - Phishing

Be suspicious of unsolicited e-mails that appear to have originated from your bank or any other credible source asking you to verify or supply personal or financial information. These types of e-mails can also appear as an offer of rewards requesting that you provide your credit card information in order for the rewards to be processed. Please note that any personal financial information that you provide or disclose on these sites can be used for fraudulent purposes.

REPUBLIC BANK WILL NEVER CONTACT YOU FOR PERSONAL/CREDIT CARD OR LINX INFORMATION.

Manage yourself

Know how much you have versus how much you need to save for that special item. Set a goal and stick to it! Start saving small, maybe a few dollars per week. This may not seem like a lot, but it adds up! Cut your spending by $1 every day, and that will equate to $365 a year in savings. Take a close look at your spending: are there any daily, weekly or monthly expenses you can eliminate or reduce? Before making a purchase ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I really need this now?
• For how long can I postpone this expense?
• Is this a nice to have or a must have?

View your monthly savings commitment as another monthly expense and establish a Standing Order to automatically deduct the money from your salaried account to your Savings account at no cost to you. Save it and Forget it!

Manage your Expenses

Implement a personal budget plan and then prioritize your expenses by:

ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF PRIORITIES FIRST!

Manage your Emergencies

Start saving an Emergency fund that can be easily accessed when an unexpected financial need arises. You can have a Savings account, Money Market or Certificate of Deposit. The only time you would withdraw the money out of this account is in an emergency. At a minimum, you should keep at least 3 months worth of living expenses in this fund.

Manage your children's spending habits

Encourage them to save. Tell them their weekly allowance is $20 for example, but they will only receive $15 per week with the remaining $5 to be placed in their savings account.

Monitor their spending...ask them tactfully what they spent for the week...teach them how to spend wisely, e.g. buying a DVD for $15.00 and inviting their friends home versus going to a Movie that will cost $25.00 per child.

Teach them the value of money...establish chores around the home that will allow them to earn extra money.

Buy a Republic Bank Visa Gift Card for them for birthdays, Christmas etc. and encourage them to make decisions regarding their purchases. Alternatively you can purchase a Republic Bank RightStart Gift Certificate and encourage them to save for something special.

Manage your Finances - Get help early

If you’re having trouble with your debts, please get help early. Visit any of our branches and give us the opportunity to help you manage your debt.

We provide loans at reasonable rates for:

• consolidation which can reduce your monthly expenses, e.g. existing loan plus credit cards plus hire purchase = $1000, new loan payment = $700 – Monthly savings $300
• that critical immediate expense, be it medical or otherwise
• a vacation for you and your family to visit family abroad
• a home (why continue to pay rent?)
• planned costs such as weddings, furniture etc.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a loan as along as you can afford it.

Republic Bank has all of the tools, be it credit cards, debit cards, savings accounts or loans packages, to effectively manage your finances and reap great benefits!

Call us at 625-4411 or Visit any of our branches today.