Published: December 01, 2008 10:34 am      

Buck the norm to bypass debt

When it comes to finances, following the path most people take can lead to trouble. Spending more than you have and not maintaining a proper budget is a problem that many people face, especially young ones. It seems as though everybody has credit card debt.

When it comes to these bad habits, Tinker Federal Credit Union is doing its part to help teenage and young adult consumers kick the trend. The credit union recently launched buckthenorm.com as a way to provide important information and tips without hyper-selling the audience.

“The focus is financial empowerment,” said Matt Stratton, TFCU’s senior vice president of marketing. “Rather than saying there’s a problem out there we want to fix, we want to reach out. Not give a hardcore sales pitch.”

Some of the potential benefits offered by the Web site are tips on how to properly budget, and a glossary of financial terms. Other important information presented to the Generation Y visitors is advice on how to properly interview and construct the perfect resume.

TFCU is Oklahoma’s largest not-for-profit credit union, according to a release distributed by the credit union’s advertising firm Third Degree Advertising and Communications.

The financial institution has over 194,000 members and boasts more than $1.7 billion in assets.

As a result of the message’s target audience, buckthenorm.com is presented in an intuitive way that makes surfing more appealing to younger visitors.

A quick hit on the “What is the norm?” video located on the site’s main page provides a quick rundown to what it’s all about.

As well as the abundance of information, other fun stuff is available to get users involved. This includes purchasable products, downloadable ringtones, video scholarship contests and more.

Stratton said the site is just one more way that TFCU works to empower and educate the public. In addition to the information presented here, the credit union also has two full-time financial educators who conduct seminars for people of all age groups.