If you've been feeling like small potatoes at your bank lately, it's probably time to start looking at a credit union instead.
Of course, you won't find a credit union on every corner, or ATMs at every convenient location that you require. But if you compare convenience with better rates, service and options, you'll quickly realize a credit union is the best way to go.
With a mere $5 (or maybe a bit more) deposited into a credit union account, you've become a shareholder, instead of just a customer like at a bank.
Originally when credit unions first started popping up, the shareholders usually had something in common, like their church, union, workplace or employer. But now, whatever holds together a credit union can be something less defined, a geographic
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Most don¡¦t advertise too much (although that seems to be changing a bit of late in some areas). But looking around can pay off in spades. Here are some ideas on how to locate one:
>Look around your workplace there may already be a credit union catering to your every need. Or, if you are a professional, ask around to see if there is a credit union that has been created just for those in your profession, union or trade.
>Try calling the National Credit Union Administration at (703) 518-6330. They can look up credit unions in your area that you might be able to join.
>If you attend religious services, ask the administrative staff if there is a credit union that is affiliated with your church.
>Contact your local chamber of commerce, or any clubs that you belong to. You never know who may have a credit union already organized that fits your interests.
>Talk to friends, family or coworkers, and ask them about any credit unions they have heard about, or have used themselves.
Once you've shopped around a bit, you probably have come up with a couple of credit unions to choose from. But how do you decide which credit union is the best for