Banks drive customers to Credit Unions

[kap]

The majority of folks I know are dumping their banks specifically BoA and Chase for their employers' credit unions. All say the customer services and the offers are so much better from the latter than the formers. The credit unions are bending backwards to please its customers. We have been quite happy with our credit union since leaving WaMu/Chase early part of this year.

[mattkime]

know why? credit unions didn't get high on trashy mortgages.

[Grateful11]

My question is if they had access to a CU why weren't they in it before. The NC State Employee's CU
is the best move we've made when it comes to banking. We were able to get in because my Father,
Brother and Sister either worked or still work for the state.

[(vikm)]

It's pretty easy to join a credit union these days. They seem to be pretty lax on requirements. Have been a member of one in different cities for at least 10+ years now. I absolutely hate those Chase CS'ers and will soon be free of their tyranny, I hope.

I totally suggest joining a CU if given the opportunity. :-)

[Seacrest]

Grateful11 wrote:
My question is if they had access to a CU why weren't they in it before.

Banks spend a sh!tload more on marketing than CUs.
(Plus, to be honest, they were able to offer more branches, better* rates, and easier† terms)

*turns out these weren't so much "better" after all
†ditto

[kap]

I think the reason why many didn't and still don't want to join a CU due to lack of available ATM machines and and so few branches.
I had my first CU membership during my college years. Being a student was one of the strict requirements. My girlfriend at the time couldn't get in so I had to 'introduced' her to the CU. I remembered failing to get a partial loan to buy the first Mac Color Classic from the CU but I had a crush on the friendly and helpful loan officer!

[testcase]

I've severed ties with Chase, CitiBank, WaMu and BofA in the last couple of years. If banks hadn't been bailed out and, had been allowed to fail due to their bad decisions, I think we'd all have been better off. The survivors would be the banks that followed sound business practices which include reasonable customer service.

[freeradical]

kap wrote:
I think the reason why many didn't and still don't want to join a CU due to lack of available ATM machines and and so few branches.

My Credit Union is a member of a Co-Op, so I have surcharge free access to 28,000 ATM's nation wide. I can even make deposits at many of them.

http://www.co-opfs.org/public/locators/a.../index.cfm

[JoeH]

freeradical wrote:
[quote=kap]
I think the reason why many didn't and still don't want to join a CU due to lack of available ATM machines and and so few branches.

My Credit Union is a member of a Co-Op, so I have surcharge free access to 28,000 ATM's nation wide. I can even make deposits at many of them.

http://www.co-opfs.org/public/locators/a.../index.cfm
Looks like my CU, and others in this area, are not members of that particular coop. But mine is a member of the SUM ATM network, http://www.sum-atm.com/. It started in the Northeast, but is spreading to other states. Member institutions include CU's and many small to medium size local banks. Enough ATM's are available that it has been a long time since I paid an ATM surchage fee to make a withdrawal.

[mattkime]

>>If banks hadn't been bailed out and, had been allowed to fail due to their bad decisions, I think we'd all have been better off.

Ug, no no no. As hateful as these institutions may be, they still play a critical role in our economy and one that most consumers don't see. Failing one by one may be fine since the smaller impacts could be absorbed but they nearly died all at the same time.