A friend of mine was recently complaining about a “monthly maintenance” fee his bank charged to his checking account. We got to talking about the other hidden fees he’s paid his bank in the past and everything seemed way too sneaky and deceitful for my liking. One of the definite perks of banking with a Credit Union is the free products and services. I’m not usually one to complain about being charged for a service, but I’m certainly not going to complain about free. And I’m definitely going to gloat about it to my friend as he protests his next “minimum balance” fee.
You can’t beat free checking. I pay no maintenance fees. I have unlimited check writing ability. It’s the way it should be, isn’t it? Not having to pay a surcharge or fee to use my money? I also never had to pay for my Visa debit card.
The MobileAccess+ app has become a vital part of my everyday life. Free. I view my balances and history and pay bills all from my phone. I’ve also gotten use out of eDeposit, which lets me deposit a check simply by snapping a picture of it. I’d probably pay for that kind of service, but like I said, I’m not objecting to free. All online account access is also free of charge.
For quick cash on the go, I have access to more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs. There’s even an app out there that finds the closest one to me.
The variety of free products and services isn’t the only reason I enjoy doing business with my Credit Union but it sure carries weight when a friend is moaning about bank charges. What’s your favorite free service the Credit Union offers? Have a story about a financial institution charging an unusual fee? Let us know!
