More Than Just Money
Last year I got fed up with dealing with one of the “too big to exist” banks and transferred all my accounts to BECU.
Now you may be asking why on earth would I close my accounts at Chase which has branches on every other corner (and is adding a lot more) and open accounts at a financial institution with the nearest branch located 100 miles away in Lacey, Washington?
Simple. With virtual banking and ATM networks it no longer matters where your bank is located. I have business, non-profit and a personal accounts, all of which I moved to BECU. Instead of having to worry about low balance fees and very low quality customer service , BECU pays me over 6% interest on the first $500 I keep on balance in both my checking and savings accounts. That means they are paying me $5 a month to bank with them rather than charging me a monthly service fee. And I have had to call and email them many times getting the accounts set up, I always get through right away on the phone and their personnel are knowledgeable about their products and services.
When I need to make deposits I either scan the check deposit online or go to any of the many ATM network locations. I just did a location search on their website and their are 81 different locations within 10 miles from me where I can do my banking either through an ATM or through a Co-Op arrangement with other credit unions.
Now you may be wondering why I call BECU a bank when it is actually a credit union? The reason I do so is besides credit unions being owned by their members and being non-profit entities, therefore exempt from income taxes, credit unions are virtually indistinguishable from a bank. Your deposits are insured by the Federal Government exactly the same as the “big banks”. They make loans, issue credit and ATM cards, have online bill payment, make car loans, etc.
Full disclosure: Other than doing my banking with BECU, I am not affiliated with them in any way nor do I receive anything for writing this article.
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John F Howes on 