We don't need any encouragement to talk about money here at Stuff You Should Know about Money - but we know it's a difficult subject for many people. So, in support of the national Talk Money Week campaign each November, we're on a mission to get everyone talking about money!

In this edition, discover a bit more about Talk Money Week, and the benefits of talking about money - on our health, wealth and relationships.

And, speaking of benefits - we also find out about a Benefits Calculator - a new, free tool that The Co-op Credit Union is encouraging everyone to try to help them discover if they are missing out on benefits they may be entitled to.

Why? Well, an incredible £16 billion of benefits and tax credits remain unclaimed in the UK each year – most often by low income, working households. We think that's well worth talking about. Could you or someone in your family be missing out on valuable financial support without realising?

Listen to find out more, and try it for yourself now, at:

https://www.co-operativecreditunion.coop/benefits

The OpenMoney app is now featured on the CCU website and members may now receive financial advice in the form of a recommendation based on their personal and financial circumstances via this app.

If OpenMoney believes a members is not in a good financial position to invest, they help by getting the members finances into shape through the money management app. This app’s account linking feature, and transaction analysis tool, encourages members to reduce their debts and build cash savings.

Additionally, OpenMoney will tell members whether they think investing is right for them, and if so, which product mix and portfolio fits their profile. OpenMoney is authorised and approved by the FCA to provide financial advice, but not all robo-advisers are. With OpenMoney members have the opportunity of speaking with a qualified financial adviser at no additional cost. Some providers may offer guidance, so they can help members narrow down their options. Others offer financial advice but at a premium cost.

If a member does invest how safe is their money with OpenMoney? As with most investments, when, and if, a member invests they are putting their money at risk. This means members might get back less than what they put in. OpenMoney manages this risk by ensuring the portfolio they recommend is inline with a members risk level and capacity for loss.

• Saving with a credit unions offer a convenient, safe and ethical way to put some money away for the future and to escape the trap of high cost loans. We don't tie members into a strict savings plan, but we do encourage everyone to save regularly. Members can also benefit from free life insurance.
• With a regular savings account, you commit to paying in a certain amount each month. In return the credit union provides a safe place to easily access your savings and provide a loans service to enable good budgeting of life's ups and downs.
• The credit union is owned by its customers, or members, and may pay a dividend each year to regular savers and borrowers.
• Cash you put into a credit union is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The FSCS savings protection limit is £85,000 (or £170,000 for joint accounts) per authorised firm.
• Withdrawals and deposits can be made directly to and from your bank account
• Life cover at no extra cost – Savings doubled up to a maximum of £15,000 in the event of a claim
• Payroll deduction available
• No hidden costs or charges

https://www.co-operativecreditunion.coop/contact/

• Business Hours: 9am to 4.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 10am – 4.30pm Tuesday. Closed Bank Holidays.
• Phone: 0345 602 3554 – call-back service. Please leave a message clearly stating your full name, membership number, contact telephone number and the nature of your query we will get back to you the same day if message left before 3pm, or if after 3pm we will call you back the next working day.
• App: Chat via our secure and convenient messaging app, Nivo, during office hours and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Find out more or download now

• Email: credit.union@co-operativecreditunion.coop. Note: any emails sent to our old address (credit.union@coop.co.uk) will be automatically forwarded. We will service these enquiries as normal.
• Postal address: 1 Angel Square, Manchester, M60 0AG. (Note, the office is closed to walk-in visitors).

Here are some handy tips to help you when you borrow money, take out a loan or use credit cards:

• spend time shopping around, researching what’s on offer and getting advice. You may think it will take too much time if you need a loan quickly but you’ll be paying the price for years to come if you don’t
• always look at the total amount you will have to repay when borrowing money. A shorter repayment period may be better than a slightly lower Annual Percentage Rate (APR) amount
• make sure you know the difference between secured and unsecured loans. A secured loan means you can lose your home if you don't keep up the repayments
• work out your budget before you borrow to make sure you can afford the repayments
• never borrow money on the spur of the moment. If you're buying something really expensive such as a car or furniture, think about payment options beforehand. The credit offered by the sales staff may be more expensive than other options

If you need help from The Co-op Credit Union contact us:

• Join your credit union today for an easy and convenient way to save, and a cheaper way to borrow.
• Membership is open to employees, pensioners and members of a range of co-operative organisations. We also welcome family members over the age of 16, living at the same address.
• Phone: 0345 602 3554 – call-back service. Please leave a message clearly stating your full name, membership number, contact telephone number and the nature of your query we will get back to you the same day if message left before 3pm, or if after 3pm we will call you back the next working day.
• App: Chat via our secure and convenient messaging app, Nivo, during office hours and we’ll get back to you ASAP. NIVO https://links.nivohub.com/dt?i=87910b34-7253-4db6-9c00-f6e062ab833f&b=3189e31d-e882-4e11-8160-27589f924b4b
• Email: credit.union@co-operativecreditunion.coop. Note: any emails sent to our old address (credit.union@coop.co.uk) will be automatically forwarded. We will service these enquiries as normal.
• Postal address: 1 Angel Square, Manchester, M60 0AG. (Note, the office is closed to walk-in visitors).