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All of our news. . .

Member Appreciation Day 2024! 💙💚

The third Thursday of October is always Member Appreciation Day! A day to celebrate all of you – our member-owners! 💚 Stop by any branch on October 17th during regular business hours so we can say thank you. There will be smiling faces ready to hand out:• Donuts and...

Niagra Falls, Ontario 2025

June 9 -14, 2025 6 Days & 5 Nights *Includes a night in Toronto $1,187 per Person, Double Occupancy $1,593 per Person, Single Occupancy **Valid Passport required when traveling into Canada**Package includes: Overnight lodging to & from Niagara Falls 3 Nights...

New Member Benefit! With CU Travel!

We are so excited to announce our newest member benefit! We have partnered with Credit Union Travel! With CU Travel, you can save on 1.2 million brand-name hotels worldwide, plus book flights and car rentals - all from one place with 24/7 booking support. This...

2024 Annual Meeting: April 22

Get Ready! Our 2024 Annual Meeting will be held on Monday, April 22 at Hiwassee Meadowland Park! We will start serving food at 6:00 pm for a social hour. 2 Dudes BBQ food truck will be catering for us that evening. We will also hand out gifts as you take your seat for...

Update On Compromised Debit Cards

On January 28th, our fraud detection team identified a small set of members' debit cards that had been compromised.  All members affected will be contacted and provided with information about next steps.  No member will incur a loss due to this event. Be advised that...

Mackinac Island, Michigan 2024

September 22-28, 2024 7 Days & 6 Nights $1,638.00 per Person, Double Occupancy $2,297.00 per Person, Single OccupancyPackage includes: 6 nights lodging, including overnights & 3 nights at the Murray Hotel 6 Breakfasts 1 Lunch 4 Full course dinners, including...

Bowater’s First-Ever Fall Festival! 🍂

This year we wanted to try something new! We will be having our first-ever Fall Festival at the Hiwassee Meadowland Park Calhoun, on October 13, 2023, from 5 pm to 8 pm. There will be carnival games, a bounce house, a slide, vendors, and snacks! Costumes are welcome!...

Creating a Successful Budget

What is budgeting? It is a financial plan to divide out your income most effectively and efficiently for your needs and wants. Budgeting can help you manage and avoid debt, achieve short- and long-term goals, and prepare for the curve balls life throws at you....

Make Your Home Your Dream Home

Whatever your home improvement needs are, we got you covered! We offer several financing tools to help you reach your goals. Whether it's remodeling inside, or outside, or buying new furniture, we have your back. Here are some of our fantastic options: Personal...

Start Owning Your Finances!

Do you want to start making your money work for you and prepare to start to Owning Your Financial Future? Bowater Credit Union just like other credit unions offers safe, convenient, and accessible ways to invest and is financially insured by the NCUA up to $250,000,...

Bowater Credit Union College Scholarship

Any graduating senior who is a member-owner before March 1st of the year they graduate is eligible to apply for our $2000 College Scholarship. Applicants must submit application and all requirements before July 1st. Requirements:- Grade transcript from senior year of...

How Many Credit Cards Should You Have?

Credit cards are easy to apply for and convenient to use—so convenient that most people now carry three or more cards. But how many credit cards should you have? Let’s take a look at the financial implications of owning multiple cards and consider some tips for...

Tricks to Paying Off Credit Cards Faster

It can be easy to push aside credit card debt and pretend it doesn’t exist – but facing credit card debt head-on is the best way to truly tackle it. If you're wondering how to pay off credit card debt fast, our guide is here to give you eight simple tools to get your...

5 Different Credit Cards [& How to Choose]

Credit cards come in many different flavors with plenty of options to choose from. Let’s look at seven different types of credit cards and how each kind might fit your wallet.   Smart Swiping: How 5 Credit Card Types Work For You Like ketchup, credit cards come...

KidZone Halloween Party 2022

Join us for our 🎃 SPOOKTACULAR 💀 KidZone Annual Halloween Party! Dying to have fun? Stop by our Calhoun Branch Friday October 28th between 8 am – 5:30 pm Come trick or treat yourselves to snacks and other ghostly festivities! 👻  It’s going to be a great time!  I can...

Mobile App Upgrade Coming September 13th

Ready for an easier way to manage your cards? Our upgraded mobile app puts more control, convenience and safety in your hands. From instant card activations to clearer merchant transaction info to robust fraud protections, now you can do even more from one convenient place.

How to Maximize Credit Card Rewards

Your credit card is more than just a great way to manage spending. Choosing a rewards card will earn you points or cash back on everyday expenses. Here’s how to maximize credit card rewards to make every swipe count. Plastic Perks: Maximizing Credit Card Rewards Are...

Anatomy of a Scam Email

How to Identify a Scam E-Mail Member Service Associate Lisa Burkhart is always on the lookout for ways to protect our members from fraud.  She recently shared an example of a scam email that reached her inbox, and some pointers on how to spot that the email is fake:...

Best of the Best 2022: Cleveland and Athens

To our members, thank you for your dedication to YOUR Credit Union! You take pride in the Credit Union that YOU own, and for that, we are extremely grateful. Without you, we would never be able to achieve the awards that we do. To our staff, thank you for your...

Credit Union vs. Bank Mortgage: Which is Better?

You found the perfect house, saved up your money and you’re ready to buy. Now, your next step is to get a mortgage. A commercial bank could be the obvious choice, but they aren’t the only option for your mortgage.  Credit unions also originate mortgage loans and work...

Closed Monday June 20th: Juneteenth

Juneteenth National Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865....

Walmart Phishing Scam

Multiple local residents have reported receiving a text to "confirm a purchase from Walmart. It asks them to text back yes or no. One member texted back no and got an immediate phone call. The caller said "let me see if I can get rid of this charge for you" and that's...

A Smart Guide to Credit Cards

Financial literacy is important to making smart financial decisions. But if you’ve never had a credit card before, you may not know the best ways to use them.  We are here to help with this quick guide to credit cards and smart credit card usage. Keep reading to learn...

What Is a Personal Loan?

A personal loan can provide the flexibility you need to cover planned and unplanned expenses without breaking your budget. But, what is a personal loan? If you’re not familiar with personal loans, how they work, or why you might get one, Bowater Credit Union is here...

2021 Member Appreciation Day 👕🌭🍩🤑

Thank you so much for being a member-owner!! We're excited to celebrate outside in front of all our branches this year! Stop by any branch on October 21st during regular business hours and let us thank you for being a member-owner. There will be a tent out front full...

2021 KidZone Halloween Party👻

Join us for our 🧛‍♂️ SPOOKTACULAR 🧟‍♂️ KidZone Annual Halloween Party! Things are a little different this year but we know we can still have so much fun with all you boys and ghouls this year at our Annual Halloween Party Stop by our Calhoun Branch Friday October 29th...

How to Use a Credit Card to Build Credit

Do you know how to use a credit card to build credit? It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book!  Getting a credit card and using it regularly and responsibly is one of the quickest and most effective ways to build or rebuild your credit. Read below for some good...

The Pros and Cons of Personal Loans

Whether you're thinking of consolidating high-interest credit card debt or looking for some extra cash to provide you with more budget flexibility, you may be investigating your various loan options.  For many, a personal loan can provide this flexibility while giving...

Thank you for voting us BEST OF THE BEST!

Thank you for voting your credit union as the BEST OF THE BEST in both the Daily Post Athenian and the Cleveland Daily Banner, and for nominating us for the News 12 Now Viewer's Choice Awards. Thanks to your voting, our team was recognized with the following readers...

It’s time to vote for your favorite T-Shirt!

July is here, and although we love the fireworks and cookouts, Bowater Credit Union is already waiting in anticipation for this fall’s Member Appreciation Day! We have received tons of  t-shirt designs this year that have exceeded expectations and we are excited about...

Patti Brand Wins $500 Pot O’ Gold Drawing

Pictured left to right: Meggan Casey, Member Service; Patti Brand, Member; Brad Alexander, Branch Manager; Andria Eldredge, Member Service.Congratulations to this year's $500 Pot O' Gold winner, Patti Brand! Patti has been a member-owner of Bowater Credit Union for...

HELOC for Home Improvements

What is a HELOC? A HELOC - pronounced "Hee-Lock" - is a Home Equity Line of Credit. You are borrowing against the value if your house (like a mortgage), but can access as much or as little of the amount you are approved for as need (like a credit card). Want to learn...

Questions About Your 2021 Stimulus Payment?

Millions of Americans will be receiving another stimulus check from the federal government as part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan to help with economic difficulties caused by the pandemic. We know there will be questions. How much will you get? When will the payment...

Clearing Your “Data Cache”

Web browsers have something called a "data cache" that stores quick information about websites to give you a faster browsing experience. Unfortunately due to the three-day outage of myBRANCH, many members browsers stored "bad information" in their data cache which has...

New Check Vendor: New Styles, Lower Cost!

Bowater Credit Union has partnered with Main Street Member Services to offer our members a new variety of check options, and at a lower cost! There are over 60 styles to choose from at a much lower cost, higher quantity, and with faster shipping too. Check reorders...

Scam Alert: “Auto Wrap Campaign”

Update 2/8/2021: More members have been receiving letters and "checks". This scam is ongoing; read below to ensure you don't fall victim! Multiple members have brought in checks they received in the mail claiming to be payment for an "Auto Wrap Campaign". The members...

Gayle Davis Retires January 4, 2021

After nearly eighteen years of service to members and coworkers, Gayle Davis is retiring from Bowater Credit Union on January 4, 2021. Gayle has benefited the credit union in multiple roles during her time at the credit union. Many members will know her from her days...

Get the Shirt & Support Financial Literacy

Can you tell when it's not Mayfield Milk?  We thought so. Do you call the Walmart that's been there more than ten years "the new Walmart"? Us too. Do you need to make sure people know whether you're a Cherokee or a Charger?  Of course, it's important information...

Nikki Black Joins the HomeLoan Team

"[A mortgage] is a big financial decision and I love being a helpful part of it."  Loan Officer Nikki Black has been a familiar and welcoming face at our King Street Branch in Cleveland.  As of this fall, she is now expanding her talents and serving members out of our...

Customize your myBRANCH

myBRANCH was updated on August 27 - it has a new, modern, easier-to-use interface and has up-to-date security to back it up! Our favorite review described the new layout by saying "it's like putting on glasses"! Another exciting feature of myBRANCH is your ability to...

2020 Annual Meeting: Monday September 28

The 2020 Annual Meeting of Member-Owners will be held on Monday, September 28 at 6pm at the City Park in Charleston, Tennessee.  (Right across Worth Street from Charleston City Hall, 126 Worth St NE, Charleston TN 37310.) In most years the Annual Meeting includes food...

Denley Hines to Retire, Matt Holden Named CEO

Denley Hines, President/CEO of Bowater Credit Union, headquartered in Calhoun, Tennessee announced his retirement effective September 1, 2020. Denley has been serving the credit union movement for 44 years, the last 20 as President/CEO of Bowater Credit Union. During...

Mollie Farris Wins Annual College Scholarship

Mollie Farris of Cleveland, Tennessee, has been selected as this year’s recipient of Bowater Credit Union’s Annual $2,000 College Scholarship. In order to receive this scholarship, Mollie competed against many other students who were evaluated based on grades, school...

New App Now Available!

The new mobile app is now available in the App Store and Google Play - just search for "Bowater Credit Union".  You'll find a simplified, modern and user-friendly look and feel, and a more reliable interaction with all devices.  Logging in with Face ID or your...

Should I Refinance My Auto Loan?

Refinancing is simply paying off your current loan with a new loan. This does not change the amount you owe but it can bring you some nice benefits like lowering your interest rate, lowering your monthly payment, OR often times both.  With interest rates falling this...

Mobile Wallet Offers Touch-Free Payments

What is Mobile Wallet? It's a virtual wallet - an App on your phone that stores your Debit Card and Credit Card information right on your phone. When you pay at the register, instead of getting your debit card out of your wallet, inserting or swimping, and touching...

Milton Palmer wins 2020 $500 Pot O’ Gold

Congratulations to this year's $500 Pot O' Gold winner, Milton Palmer! Milton and his wife, Mary Lou, have been loyal members for many years.  When told about their prize they exclaimed that they've won smaller prizes at our Annual Meeting over the years, but never a...

March 23 Annual Meeting Cancelled

Bowater Credit Union’s Annual Meeting, which was scheduled for March 23, has been cancelled. With the continued reduction in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation on the size of public gatherings, the Board has determined the cancellation to be...

Tonsie Maxwell Retiring After 30 Years

Congratulations are in order! Long-time employee Tonsie Maxwell is retiring from Bowater Credit Union. All members are encouraged to drop in to the Calhoun Branch on her last day, Wednesday, January 15, to offer their congratulations and swap stories. Tonsie began her...

FBI Warns: Your Account Could Be Fueling Crime

Like many Americans, Aaron Cole and his wife had been able to save up a nest egg through the rising value of their home. But after six years there and the births of their two children, the Oregon couple decided to sell and use the equity they had built up to purchase...

Black Friday Shopping Tips🤑

 Black Friday is just around the corner and we all know how hectic and overwhelming it can be, so we hope this short list of tips can help at least a little! Make your wish list. Your goal should be to buy just the items on your list at the lowest possible price....

KidZone Annual Halloween Party👻

Join us for our🧟‍♂️SPOOKTACULAR🧟‍♀️ KidZone Annual Halloween Party! Stop by our Calhoun Branch October 25th between 7:30 am - 5:30 pm to enjoy popcorn🍿, cotton candy, and ghostly👻 festivities. It's going to be a 😱FRIGHTFULLY😱 good...

Going Casual for Kids

People Helping People Credit Unions are all about "people helping people," and Bowater Credit Union has joined Credit Unions for Kids to work with other Credit Unions across the nation to support local children's hospitals through Children's Miracle Network Hospitals,...

Reasons to refinance your home

Not looking to move, but interested in low mortgage rates?  Reasons to refinance: Switch from an adjustable rate to a fixed rate, Change from one adjustable rate to another to lower your monthly payment.  Reduce you interest rate and your monthly payment. Build equity...

5 House Hunting Tips

Know what you can afford. Consider both your income and debt and see what amount you would feel comfortable with. Use mortgage calculators where you can put in your income and see suggestions for home amount and expected monthly payments. Compare down payment options....

5 Ways To Reduce Debt

June 2019 marked 85 years of the Federal Credit Union Act, which was signed by President Roosevelt in 1934. The act empowered all 50 states to authorize federally chartered credit unions. In honor of the anniversary, www.mycreditunion.gov honored the financial...

Auto Rates To Get Excited About!

When you are looking for a new ride a low interest rate is definitely something worth getting excited about! AND your interest rate can vary greatly depending on the institution you borrow from, your credit score, your term length, and more. Term Length               ...

HELOC by the Numbers

What is a HELOC? A HELOC - pronounced "Hee-Lock" - is a Home Equity Line of Credit. You are borrowing against the value if your house (like a mortgage), but can access as much or as little of the amount you are approved for as need (like a credit card). 70% for Home...

2019 Pot O’ Gold Winner!

Congratulations to this years Pot O' Gold winner, Robert Bressler! After hearing good things about Bowater Credit Union for years, Mr. Bressler decided to give us a shot and has now been with us for several years. When asked what he would do with the money he quickly...

Ditch the float & get a BOAT!

This is the year to ditch the floats and get the boat you have always wanted!  New Boat You can choose fixed-rate financing for 36 or 60 months and pay no money down on a new boat. Or, you may elect to take avantage of our 72-month variable-rate loan if your boat is...

Buying a Car

Know what you can (and should) afford Ideally, your car payment will be less than 10% of your take-home pay. Talk to a loan officer at the credit union before you shop to find out what amount you are pre-approved for.  Shop and test-drive Once you know how much you...

Help us update your info!

Your credit union is making a conscious effort over the next few months to verify your address, phone numbers, and get updated photo identification scanned into our system.  We apologize for the inconvenience, but we're excited to be maintaining high levels of...

Refer A Friend in February, You Both Get $50

If you love Bowater Credit Union, it's time to tell your friends and neighbors they can join and you'll both get rewarded! Refer someone to Bowater Credit Union in February, and as long as they join and open at least two qualifying accounts, and keep them open for 90...

Simplify Debt & Simplify Life

If you find yourself with far too many loan payments to keep up with you may want to look into consolidating that debt.  Debt consolidation is just simply combining multiple balances into one loan so you just have one payment! Credit Cards are a great example: If you...

Use Those Gift Cards!

More than 60% of people surveyed by the National Retail Federation requested a gift for the 2016 holiday season, equaling an estimated $24.78 billion. An estimated $45.7 billion is estimated to be floating around on unused gift cards since 2005. If you are a gift card...

We Have A Winner – Duck Race for Charities

  On July 14th, 2018, the River Town Festival in Calhoun, TN hosted Bowater Credit Union as we held the first Duck Race for Charities event, which went incredibly well thanks to the people who donated their time and money to make such a memorable...

Fraudulent Cashier’s Check Scam

It's no surprise that scams exist and are a part of the world that we live in. Did you know that scams, which are "a dishonest scheme" to take your money without you knowing it, affect millions of people each year? We make it our mission to educate people...

Best of the Best – Bradley & McMinn

To our members, thank you for your dedication to YOUR Credit Union! You take pride in the Credit Union that YOU own, and for that, we are extremely grateful. Without you, we would never be able to achieve the awards that we do. To our staff, thank you for your...

Lower Payments to Fuel Your Trip!

Going on a road trip is a great way to see new things at your own pace and create your own kind of journey. While a road trip may sound inexpensive like all vacations if don't plan right it can become pretty pricey. One great way you could have extra for your road...

You Should Know: Wire Scam

Sadly there are a lot scams going around these days. We want to make sure you are prepared in case someone tries one on you. A popular tactic for fraudsters is to send out bad checks to people and then ask them to wire part of it back and to keep the rest....

How Much Will Your Teen Driver Cost?

Many people buy cars in the spring, using their tax refund as a down payment. Your low-rate loan from Bowater Credit Union will help keep your teen's car payment low, but don't forget to calculate the cost of vehicle insurance. Some factors that affect...

HELOC & Drop It

With every payment you make towards your mortgage, you build equity in you home. AND you can use that equity to help finance some of your dreams! A Home Equity Line of Credit, or a H.E.L.O.C. (pronounced /hee-lock/), is a loan in which the lender agrees to...

Tax Tips for First-Time Filers in College

Unless you’re an accounting major, filing taxes may not be your idea of a good time. But if you don’t file, you may end up leaving a lot of money on the table. If you’re going to file taxes for the first time this year, here are a few tips to make this...

What To Do With A Little Extra Cash?

Sometimes it feels like you need thousands of dollars to move the needle on your finances even a little bit. So if you find yourself with a few hundred dollars-- say from a tax refund or anything unexpected-- the temptation to spend it can be great! Often we have the...

How to Build Credit with a Pledge Loan

If you are expecting a tax refund this year, and you are looking to build or repair your credit score this is the article for you!  As we all know buying any big ticket item is hard without a good credit score. We also know it takes more work to raise our...

What is a Shimmer?

With the shift to EMV chip cards there has also been a shift to what is called a shimmer. A "Shimmer" is just an evolved version of ATM skimming.  It is a slim card-shaped device that is wedged or shimmed into the card reader between the chip on a card and...

How To Save By Switching Auto Insurance

Are you paying too much on your auto insurance? Switching to a different provider may save you lots of money! Many of us stay with the same provider for years because we do not want to deal with the hassle of switching. This is understandable because life...

Get Linked Up With Turbo Tax

Bowater Credit Union has partnered with Turbo Tax to help our members when filing their 2018 tax returns. Turbo Tax is a fast and easy way to prepare and file tax returns. It has all the tax knowledge for you and will walk you step-by-step through your return. If you...

Too Many Payments To Keep Up With?

If you find yourself with far too many loan payments to keep up with you may want to look into consolidating that debt.  Debt consolidation is just simply combining multiple balances into one loan so you just have one payment! Credit Cards are a great example: If you...

8 Tips To Prevent Holiday Scammers

Credit Union Members – It’s the holiday season! All things may be merry and bright, but online and in-person scams are not. We want to equip you so that scammers don’t take away your Christmas spirit! CUNA Mutual Group is here to help prepare for the holiday scams.

Equifax Data Breach 2017 Information

What happened? Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, has acknowledged a breach of their data.  As a credit bureau they stored information that, in the wrong hands, can be used for identity theft: Names, addresses, social security numbers, account...

Payments Coming Out of Accounts Faster

Payments will come out faster Soon, there will be a change to the way electronic payments, also known as ACH debits, are processed by the Federal Reserve. Starting September 15, 2017, the Federal Reserve will begin processing most ACH debits the same day...

Mobile Deposit Now Available!

Thanks to the hard work of our employees, Bowater Credit Union is now happy to offer you Mobile Deposit! Mobile Deposit is a quick and easy way to deposit your checks without even having to go into your local branch. Simply open up the Bowater Credit Union App, tap on...

Junior Achievement: Bowling for Financial Literacy

Junior Achievement hosted an event this year to raise money for their organization, which seeks to help educate our younger generation in the subject of finances. This year, Bowater Credit Union raised $3,618.78 at the Junior Achievement Bowl for Education as well as...

Bowater Credit Union Offers Yearly Scholarship

Every year, Bowater Credit Union offers a $2000 scholarship to one lucky member. They will receive $500 every year, totaling $2000. The scholarship is awarded to one qualified student based on grades, community involvement and a 1-2 page essay submission. If you are a...

Member Lori Freeman Wins $1,000 for Feed My Sheep

Member Lori Freeman Wins $1,000 for Feed My Sheep

Bowater Employees Credit Union member Lori Freeman, has won $1,000 from Bowater Credit Union to her favorite non-profit, Feed My Sheep Sack Pack Program through Benton United Methodist Church. Bowater Credit Union has asked its members to nominate their favorite...

Visa Purchase Alerts

Visa Purchase Alerts

Receive a text or email instantly, whenever your card is used to make a purchase. Enroll today and immediately begin receiving a text or email anytime a purchase is made over an amount you choose. Stop fraud in its tracks by setting your purchase amount to $1 or...

$1000 Winner | Food Pantry

$1000 Winner | Food Pantry

JoAnne Rogers wins $1,000 for The Eastview Baptist Church Food Pantry from Bowater Credit Union Credit Union Member JoAnne Rogers has won $1,000 for her favorite charitable organization, the Eastview Baptist Church Food Pantry. Bowater Credit Union asked its members...