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July 2, 2024
For Kids: Investing
Investing is a way to make money grow. People invest money in things like the stock market and real estate in hopes that the money they put in—their initial investment—returns more money over time.
Why Invest
Investing comes with risk, or the chance of loss, but it also comes with the possibility of growth way beyond the amount you started with. It’s a common method for achieving long-term financial goals, like retirement or paying for college.
You don’t need a lot of money to invest. Even small amounts, like one dollar, can grow much larger in the right investments over time. The earlier you invest, the more time your money has to grow.
Investing vs. Saving
There are similarities between investments and saving accounts. Both are ways to set aside money for the future.
With savings accounts, people usually put aside money for a specific, short-term goal, such as purchasing a car, paying for a vacation, or building an emergency fund. This money earns a small amount of interest, and the cash is guaranteed to be there when you need it.
With investing, it’s best to use money you don’t need for a long time. Investments aren’t guaranteed, which means it’s possible to lose some or all of the money you invest. If you need your money, it takes more time to withdraw invested money than a regular savings account. There could even be penalties and fees, depending on how you invested.
Over time, investments typically grow at a higher rate than the interest on a savings account. That’s why it’s important to use investing for long-term goals, not money you need right away.
Both investing and saving grow your money beyond the initial amount, so the right approach depends on your goals and situation.
Disclaimer
While we hope you find this content useful, it is only intended to serve as a starting point. Your next step is to speak with a qualified, licensed professional who can provide advice tailored to your individual circumstances. Nothing in this article, nor in any associated resources, should be construed as financial or legal advice. Furthermore, while we have made good faith efforts to ensure that the information presented was correct as of the date the content was prepared, we are unable to guarantee that it remains accurate today.Neither Banzai nor its sponsoring partners make any warranties or representations as to the accuracy, applicability, completeness, or suitability for any particular purpose of the information contained herein. Banzai and its sponsoring partners expressly disclaim any liability arising from the use or misuse of these materials and, by visiting this site, you agree to release Banzai and its sponsoring partners from any such liability. Do not rely upon the information provided in this content when making decisions regarding financial or legal matters without first consulting with a qualified, licensed professional.
Posted In: Investment
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Lost or Stolen Card?
We’re here to help. If your card has been misplaced or stolen, we’ll act quickly to protect your account. You can report a missing card in the following ways:
Online and Mobile Banking
Log in and follow these three easy steps:
- From the menu, select Tools
- Select Card Manager
- Report your card as Lost or Stolen*
By phone or at a Grow store
Call 800.839.6328 to speak to a team member or let us know in person at any Grow store.Notice: Taking these steps will immediately cancel your card to prevent unauthorized transactions. If you find your card later after reporting it lost or stolen, it cannot be reactivated.
*The selected card will be canceled and removed from Manage Cards when it is reported as lost. Once your new card has been issued, it will be available in Manage Cards. The replacement card will have a new card number. Your replacement card will be sent to the mailing address on your account, and you should receive it within 7 to 10 business days.
How to Find Your Routing & Account Numbers
When you make a payment online, by phone or on a mobile device, you may be asked for our routing number and your checking account number. Credit unions and banks use these numbers to identify accounts and make sure money gets where it’s supposed to be. You’ll also need to provide your routing and checking account numbers for:
- Direct deposits
- Electronic checks
- Military allotments
- Wire transfers
Where to Find Your Routing & Checking Account Numbers
Your personal checks include both our routing number and your account number, as shown on the Grow check example below.

Where to Find Your Checking Account Number in Grow Online and Mobile Banking
If you don’t have a physical check on hand, you can also locate your Checking Account Number for Electronic Transactions in Grow Online and Mobile Banking.*
Here’s how to find it:
- In the Grow Mobile Banking app, select your checking account, then tap Show Details in the top right corner.
- In Grow Online Banking, select your checking account, then click Account Details.
Don’t have a Grow check or Online Banking? No worries.
Visit any Grow store or call us and ask for a Direct Deposit Form. It lists both your routing number and checking account number.
Making a Loan Payment
When it comes to making payments, we try to make it as painless as possible to pay your loan every month. We have several different ways to pay, including convenient online options.
Pay Online
You have two ways to pay online by transferring funds from another bank or credit union.
- Grow Online Banking (Preferred payment method for any loan)
This is the simplest way to pay your loan. You can make one-time payments or set up automatic recurring payments in Grow Online Banking. Once you log in, select “Transfer/Payments” from the menu. If you’re not enrolled in Grow Online Banking yet, you can set up your account in just a few minutes.
Log In
- Debit Card or ACH (Available for auto, personal loans and HELOCs)
Note: ACH and debit card payments are not available for credit cards or most mortgages, except HELOCs.
We accept ACH payments with no additional fees, consumer Mastercard® and Visa® debit cards with a convenience fee of $4.95, or commercial Mastercard® and Visa® debit cards with a convenience fee of 2.95% of the payment amount. To get started with an online ACH or debit card payment, select Pay Now below.
Pay Now
Pay by Mail
You can also pay any Grow loan by check through the mail. Please remember to include your account number and Grow loan number on the check. (For credit card payments, please do not write your 16-digit credit card number on the check, which can cause a delay in processing the payment.)
Address for auto, credit card, personal loan and HELOC payments:
Grow Financial Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 75466
Chicago, IL 60675-5466Address for personal first or second mortgages and home equity payments:
Grow Financial Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 11733
Newark, NJ 07101-4733You Are About To Leave GrowFinancial.org
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