Library Workshop: Understanding Credit
September 17, 2018 - Edward Azul, branch manager at Golden 1 Credit Union’s Oakhurst Branch, said he learned his first “real” lessons about credit when he started selling cars at the age of 19.
“And, like many people, I didn’t receive much guidance when it came to credit at my age back then,” he added
On Saturday, September 29, 2018, Azul will present a workshop called “Understanding Credit” from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Oakhurst Branch Library. The workshop will be held in the library’s community room at 49044 Civic Circle Drive, Oakhurst.
“Once I turned 18, I got credit card offers almost weekly which I took. At one time, I had as many as 16 credit cards or loans that I did not manage well,” admitted Azul.
“I learned the hard way the importance of having good credit as well as the downsides of bad credit. Today, I can say that I rebounded well from my earlier experiences and continue to stay on top of my credit,” he continued.
After his job selling cars, Azul moved on to do home loans and real estate and, when the market crashed, he transitioned into retail banking where he works today.
“Reviewing credit is part of my day-to-day routine, including reviewing applications or developing plans for our members to build or establish credit,” he explained.
According to Azul, Golden 1 Credit Union offers a free Financial Wellness Portal where visitors can choose to watch a short video, listen to a podcast, participate in a webinar or view a learning lab module. Topics include Home Buying, Understanding Credit, Raising Money Smart Kids and other personal finance lessons. The Financial Wellness Portal, launched in 2017, can be accessed at www.golden1.com/financialwellness.
Azul, who grew up in Los Angeles, has lived in Clovis for 10 months. His wife is from the Central Valley so “it was kind of like coming home for her,” he said. Prior to moving to Clovis, the couple lived in Huntington Beach for seven years.
The free workshop is sponsored by the Friends of the Oakhurst Branch Library. For more information, call the library at (559) 683-4838 or visit www.oakhurstfol.com.
