Just saved $40 a month by moving my checking account to a local credit union

My old bank was charging me $12 a month just for having a checking account plus $3 every time I used an ATM outside their network. I was paying about $40 a month in fees. My buddy at work kept talking up his credit union so I finally moved my direct deposit over last month. No fees, free ATMs everywhere through their shared network. Feels good. Anybody else done this and found other hidden savings?

3 comments

3 Comments

wren6381mo ago

Man, I used to think those local credit unions were just for old folks or whatever... but hearing this, it kind of changed my mind, might have to look into it myself.

piperbailey1mo ago

Huh, funny you mention that @wren638. I switched to a credit union a few years back and found out they don't charge for cashier's checks either. Saved me like 15 bucks when I bought a used truck from some guy on Craigslist who wanted one. Felt like I was getting away with something.

nathan9011mo ago

Not quite true for all credit unions though. Some of the smaller ones still charge a fee, especially if you don't have a certain minimum balance. I ran into that when I switched to one near me. They wanted $5 for a cashier's check unless I had over $500 in my account. Just gotta check their fee schedule before you assume they're all free. That said, most are way better than the big banks. You just have to read the fine print a little.