﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?><Search><pages Count="6"><page Index="1" isMAC="true"><![CDATA[YOUR CREDIT UNION YOUR COMMUNITY YOUR FINANCESFirstword2016 Spring EditionDEBT to INCOME RATIOWhat it means to y InsideMember Spotlight on Switchback Pizza]]></page><page Index="2" isMAC="true"><![CDATA[Letter from the CEODear Member:I’m sure you’ve noticed our Firstword newsletter is new and improved for 2016. An online, magazine style, version is also available on our website. Firstword will continue to be your go to source for what’s happening at People First. That is just the beginning of improvements on the horizon.We constantly review our services to ensure we are o ering you, our member, the best service available. Last year, we began the search for new providers for PCAccess, our home banking and bill payer service, and a new computer processor. With more members using automated and mobile technology, it is important for your credit union to stay competitive. We have outgrown our current processor and looked for one that will bring you many new features. Continue to read your Firstword newsletter and PeopleFirstCU.org for updates on these.Following on the heels of the Bethlehem Township branch opening in September, we are working to finalize the new Trexlertown o ce. Continuing with other new advances, the new o ce will have all of the features of our current o ce plus: drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM, eTellers, and a coin counter. I’m proud to usher in these improvements already underway and those yet to come.Sincerely,Je rey J. Albert, CEOPeople First Federal Credit UnionLOVE MY CREDIT UNION REWARDSMembers have saved over $1.4 billion with Love My Credit Union Rewards.Start saving today at LoveMyCreditUnion.org“With m e mem rs using aut ated and mobile technology, it is imp tant f  y r credit uni  to stay c petiti ”.Holiday Food DrivePeople First donated over 800 pounds of food and needed items to the Second Harvest Food Bank and Allentown Rescue Mission. Thank you for your kind donations.Holiday Gift DonationsPeople First employees delivered Christmas gifts to spread the holiday cheer. Gifts were delivered to children at Lehigh County Early Intervention (LCEI) and Lehigh Valley Assertive Community Treatment (LVACT).seraC]]></page><page Index="3" isMAC="true"><![CDATA[Don’t Let Debt-to-Income RatiosWHY IS MY DEBT-TO-INCOME RATIO SO IMPORTANT?Generally speaking, mortgage lenders want a potential home buyer to have a front-end DTI of no more than 28% and a back-end of 36%. While these numbers may vary from lender-to-lender or by location, it is wise to use these figures as targets when you are beginning the process of buying a home.If you find yourself with numbers above the 28/36 thresholds, don’t despair. While it may be tough to quickly raise your recurring monthly income, it’s usually easier to examine your budget for ways to free up money to aggressively chop away at your debts. You may need to sacrifice a few luxuries for a while, but if doing so helps you get into a home you love, you will probably find it was all worth it.WANT TO LEARN MORE?Y ’re invitedDerail Y r H e PurchaseYou’ve got your down payment. Your credit score is fantastic. You’ve even figured out your monthly budget for housing expenses. So now you’re ready to charge ahead into the home buying process, right? Maybe not. If you’ve overlooked your debt-to-income ratios, you might not be as mortgage-ready as you thought.WHAT ARE DEBT TO INCOME RATIOS?As the name suggests, debt-to-income ratios (DTIs), are ways of measuring a person’s monthly debt payments as they relate to incoming cash.There are two main types of debt-to-income ratios used by mortgage lenders. These are known as the front-end ratio and the back-end ratio. The front-end ratio measures monthly payments for only housing-related expenses, like mortgage principal, interest, taxes, mortgage insurance, homeowner’s insurance and HOA fees (if applicable).The back-end ratio encompasses all debts that are currently or will be paid on a monthly basis, like the housing-related expenses, home equity loans, credit card minimums, student loans, personal loans, alimony/child support and any other monthly debts.Remember that your income figures should include not only any salary you receive, but also any alimony or child support taken in, stock dividends, profits from a side business, or regular bonuses (yearly totals divide by 12 for a monthly figure). Be sure to use gross (before tax) figures.HOW DO I CALCULATE MY DEBT-TO-INCOME RATIO OR DTI?Once you’ve added up your projected monthly housing expenses, simply divide them by your gross monthly income. This will give you your front-end DTI. For example, if your projected monthly housing expenses are $1,500 and monthly family gross income is $6,000, your front-end DTI is 25%.To calculate your back-end ratio, just add your monthly debts as described above and then divide them by your gross monthly income.You’re Invited to Our Home Buying Seminar:Wednesday, April 13, 2016 from 6:15 PM to 8:00 PM at the Devonshire O ce located at:2141 Downyflake Lane Allentown, PA 18103WHO SHOULD ATTEND OUR HOME BUYING SEMINARS?Anyone with an interest in buying a home now or in the future should attend. Reserve your spot by April 8, 2016 By calling 610.797.7440 Ext. 768.Equal Opportunity Lender]]></page><page Index="4" isMAC="true"><![CDATA[We’ve Teamed up with the IronPigsTMso y  can ha  a Birthday BashThrow a birthday party that your child will never forget! People First has once again teamed up with the Lehigh Valley IronPigsTM to sponsor the “IronPigsTM Birthday Bash”.A birthday package includes tickets to the game, a meal voucher, IronPigsTM Pennant, and Video board recognition. The birthday child receives an autographed baseball and will also be serenaded on top of the dugout by IronPigsTM sta  and fans!As an added bonus for People First Members, the IronPigsTM will ra e o  a FREE birthday party for one lucky member each month (April-August) during the 2016 season.Enter to win a Fr  Birthday Party!A New Benefit that Could Save You MoneySTOP IN AT ANY PEOPLE FIRST BRANCH AND ENTER TO WIN.FeRROUS or FeFe will be on hand each month to select a winner. Visit our calendar of events page or our People First Facebook page for drawing dates and locations.If you are not one of the lucky winners in the drawing and would still like to celebrate a birthday party at Coca-Cola Park, call the IronPigsTM Group Sales o ce and mention the bonus code “PFFCU” when booking your bash.As an added bonus you will receive a $10 Gift Card on the night of the party. The gift card can be used anywhere in the park, including the Majestic Clubhouse Store and all concession stands.This special code is valid for People First members only.To set up your party call Liz at 610.841.1249.When was the last time you shopped for auto and home insurance? Whether it was last week or last year, you may want to take another look by comparing your policies to the Travelers Auto and Home Insurance Program for People First Federal Credit Union members.THE ADVANTAGE OF GROUP BUYING POWERPeople First and Travelers, one of America’s leading insurers, have come together to o er special savings on auto, home, condo and renters insurance to People First members. That means you could save money through this program.QUALITY INSURANCE SOLUTIONS FROM TRAVELERSBeyond Special program savings, this new benefit can give you the cover- age you need with the savings you deserve. Plus, you can choose from several convenient payment options,such as automatic electronic funds transfer or your People First Visa® Platinum Credit Card.YOU CAN APPLY AT ANY TIMELicensed insurance representatives will take the time to understand your insurance needs and help you choose the coverage that’s right for you. Even if your current policy isn’t up for renewal or you're shopping for a new car, you can still contact Travelers for a quote and switch.Insurance is underwritten by The Travelers Indemnity Company or one of its property casualty a liates, One Tower Square, Hartford, CT 06183. In FL: Homeowners insurance is not currently o ered for new business. In TX: Auto insurance is o ered by Travelers Texas MGA, Inc. and underwritten by Consumers County Mutual Insurance Company (CCM). CCM is not a Travelers Company. Coverages, discounts, special program rates or savings, billing options, and other features are subject to availability and individual eligibility. Not all features available in all areas. 2015 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. Travelers and the Travelers Umbrella logo are registered trademarks of the Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries.Upcoming EventsSHRED DAYShred Day will be held at our Devonshire O ce on Saturday, May 7th from 9 am - 12 pm. Clean out your old files and have sensitive documents destroyed for FREE!MobileAccess+Coming soon, our mobile app will be upgraded with many new features and benefits. Stay tuned for the exciting news.YOUTH MONTHPeople First will show youth and teens how to get Credit Union StrongTM and pump up their savings at People First. For details, visit our website at PeopleFirstCU.org.]]></page><page Index="5" isMAC="true"><![CDATA[Member Spotlight on...Why did you start Switchback?Andrew (my business partner) and I spent 2 months in Italy working on two organic farms. One of the farms made pizza every week with a wood oven on their terrace. All the ingredients came from either their farm or a nearby farm.Making pizza at Casa Lanzarotti, was exhilarating and just plain fun. On pizza day, everyone on the farm came out to the oven and we each made our own pizza. We drank wine, cooked the pizzas in the oven and shared a meal on the terrace.After returning home from our trip, Andrew and I wanted to recreate that experience and share it with others. There is a simple joy that comes from watching a pizza cook in a wood oven and knowing where all the ingredients come from that you are eating.What is your favorite pizza topping?That’s almost an impossible question to answer! It depends on the time of year, what I’m excited about and the ingredients I have to work with.How did People First help you start Switchback?People First helped us expand Switchback. We had been in business for 2 years as a mobile caterer and used a rental kitchen. In order to expand and grow our business we wanted to have our own kitchen and open a restaurant.The loan we received from People First helped us buy our building and build our restaurant. It gave us the opportunity to grow our business and retain full ownership.To learn more about Switchback Pizza check them out at:switchbackpizza.comor stop in at 525 Jubilee Street in Emmaus.Switchback PizzaWe recently had the opportunity to sit down with People First members Marguerite Viola and Andrew Foreman, the co-owners of Switchback Pizza, to talk about their new restaurant in Emmaus.Tell me about Switchback Pizza...We make a traditional Neapolitan style dough that only contains flour, yeast, salt and water. There is no oil or sugar in our dough. We use our own custom blend of King Arthur Flour and then it rests for two days to naturally develop its flavor and sweetness.Our oven is from Italy and runs entirely on wood. Our pizza is cooked for about 2 minutes at 900 degrees giving it a unique flavor and texture. We use local naturally raised meats and vegetables (when in season) and not only can we tell you all the ingredients of the food you are eating we often know the name of the farmer that raised the food.I know Switchback uses locally sourced produce, how do you feel that improves your product?Local produce doesn’t have far to travel and it is often more flavorful.A local farmer can pick their varieties of lettuce, for the flavor not for the lettuce’s ability to store. We are often able to cook with produce that was harvested the day before it came to our restaurant. There is nothing like the taste of an heirloom tomato that was picked hours before you eat it.We do an heirloom pizza during the summer that is only heirloom tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It tastes amazing but it would be impossible to make using tomatoes bought from store.Using local produce also challenges us to come up with new pizza specials every month using all the local produce that is plentiful at di erent times of the year.Tell our readers a little about your involvement in the communitySwitchback has been a vendor at the Emmaus Farmer’s Market for almost four years. I’m the treasurer and a board member. I work year round to help grow and strengthen the market for the community. Switchback is a drop o  location for Wild Fox Farm. Every week during the summer and winter growing seasons their customers pick up a box of organically grown vegetables.We do fundraisers for area non-profits at our store to help raise money and awareness for their cause. Last year, we raised money for the Fresh Air Fund and Circle of Season’s charter school.If you would like to share your story of how People First helped you or your business, email us at:Marketing@PeopleFirstCU.org]]></page><page Index="6" isMAC="true"><![CDATA[YOUR CREDIT UNION YOUR COMMUNITY YOUR FINANCESFirstword2016 Spring EditionIn This Issue• Letter from the CEO• Feature: Debt-to-Income Ratios• Member Spotlight: Switchback Pizza• Win a Birthday Bash with the IronPigsTMIntroducing a new look and member-driven contentGRADUATETO A NEW RIDE Start your next chapter with the confidence of a 12-month / 12,000 mile limited powertrain warranty.*3DAYEVENT•MAY5-7,2016Thursday, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. | Friday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Saturday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. PeopleFirstFederalCreditUnion | 2141DownyflakeLane | Allentown,PA18103 | 610-797-7440WE’LL MAKE YOUR FIRST TWO PAYMENTS UP TO $250 EACH.1With financing and pre-approval from People First FCU by May 4, 2016.Call People First Federal Credit Union to get pre-approved today. Call 1 866 227-7253 for the nearest Enterprise Car Sales location or preview our great selection of quality used vehicles at cuautodeals.com1Vehicle must be financed using standard financing terms through People First FCU to qualify for payment offer. People First FCU will make the first payment on the payment due date up to $250 on member’s behalf after vehicle is financed through People First FCU. People First FCU will also make the second payment on the payment due date up to $250 on member’s behalf after vehicle is financed through People First FCU and is pre-approved by 5/4/16. Offer void when 7-day Repurchase Agreement is activated. Offer valid from 5/5/16 - 5/7/16. Used vehicles were previously part of Enterprise short-term rental and/or lease fleet or purchased by Enterprise from other sources including auto auctions, with previous use possibly short-term rental, lease or other. *Limited Warranty begins on the vehicle purchase date and extends for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Restrictions apply. For details, see an Enterprise Car Sales Manager. **Enterprise 12-Month Unlimited Mileage Roadside Assistance Package is provided by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and its affiliated clubs in the United States and Canada. ***For a period of seven days after the date of delivery or 1,000 miles beyond the odometer reading at delivery, whichever comes first, the vehicle may be returned for the exact price originally paid minus a $200 documentation and cleaning fee (as allowed by law). Restrictions apply. For details, see an Enterprise Car Sales Manager. The “e” logo, Enterprise and “Haggle-free buying. Worry-free ownership.” are trademarks of Enterprise Holdings, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2016 Enterprise Car Sales. G05025 HA 39/16 KDG05025 HA.indd 1 3/15/16 2:22 PM610.797.7440 • PeopleFirstCU.org • Allentown • Bethlehem • Nazareth • Trexlertown • WhitehallFederally Insured by the NCUANOTACFREIHICIC1E EE NYI TC CV SRTL AAH SODE/1IMTNW2E0T0RIIA*** UIS-A7EDISDAOR***TW 1R -R MA ONN NT TEY HMEERGASAPER2E-LEMCFIAETRRDHFPAOX®R0E,RMAONLRP2SET]]></page></pages></Search>