Money Maximized. Benefits Boosted.
How to make the most of your checking account benefits.
November 15, 2022
Checking accounts are part of a busy life’s essentials, but that doesn’t mean they should provide only the essentials. Thankfully, at UCU, checking accounts have moved beyond the basics to provide a wide range of options with an assortment of benefits. Let us help you find the checking account that’s the right fit for you and your lifestyle.
Let’s start by examining your financial habits and ways you can adjust those habits to maximize your checking account benefits. To begin, we’ll look at different types of example accountholders, match them to an account that best suits them and show how they can have the best account experience possible.
Dividend Darnell is a saver and is always looking for unique ways to build his account balances. He’s been frustrated with the small dividends he’s earned at his previous financial institutions – both on his checking and savings accounts. Darnell also likes to travel and has difficulty finding an ATM that doesn’t make him pay a fee. He uses his debit and credit cards and likes doing most of his banking online. We matched Darnell with a Kasasa Cash Checking account, and now he is earning up to 2.50% APY* on his checking balances up to $10,000 – and he’s also earning high yields on his savings account. Darnell no longer has to worry about ATM fees since we refund him up to $25 per month nationwide. Because Darnell already liked taking advantage of e-Statements, digital banking, and debit card purchases, it was easy to qualify for benefits and make the most of them!
Debit Debra has always preferred the convenience of making purchases with her credit and debit cards, but after getting into a little too much credit card debt, Debra is shifting most of her purchases to her debit card. That way, she knows she’s spending within her means while still enjoying the convenience of using a card at check-out or online. She also likes getting cash at ATMs whenever and wherever she is while on the go. We matched Debra with a Kasasa Cash Back Checking account, which gives her cash back on qualifying debit card purchases and refunds up to $25 of nationwide ATM fees each month. Since she’s using her debit card as her primary means of making purchases and using ATMs while on the go, Debra is already making the most of her Kasasa Cash Back Checking account – and she loves paying no monthly service fees, too.
Convenient Carl loves negotiating and finding the best deal. He’s a coupon clipper, but because he’s got a busy life, he likes to keep things simple and mobile friendly. First, we matched Carl with a Custom Checking account. It gives him all the features he wants for free, including a debit card, digital banking, unlimited mobile deposit, an on the go mobile app, and more. Plus, he gets it with no monthly service charge. Even though Carl doesn’t have a minimum balance requirement, he’s so good at watching his spending and taking advantage of free services that it was relatively easy for him to build up his balances over time. When his balance reached $10,000, we upgraded Carl to Premier Checking so Carl could enjoy all the free benefits of Custom Checking – plus dividends.
Young Yolanda, will soon graduate from college and is looking to gain experience with a checking account and learn more about managing money – but she doesn’t have much of it. We matched Yolanda with a free4ME Checking account, which offers all the perks of Custom Checking plus two free “Oops! Passes” each year for life’s little financial mistakes.
At UCU, we can help you find a checking account that best suits you and has the best benefits for your lifestyle. For guidance on checking accounts, give us a call at (800) 696-8628 or send us a text at (207) 889-8600.
APY = Annual Percentage Yield. APYs accurate as of 11/01/2022. Rates and rewards are variable and may change after account is opened. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional Information: Account approval, conditions, qualifications, limits, timeframes, enrollments, log-ons and other requirements apply. No minimum deposit is required to open the account. 1. Reward Information: When your Kasasa Cash® account qualifications are met during a Monthly Qualification Cycle, the following rewards will be distributed to your account(s): Kasasa Cash®: (1) Balances up to $10,000 receive APY of 2.50%; and balances over $10,000 earn 0.15% interest rate on the portion of balance over $10,000, resulting in a range from 2.50% to 0.36% APY depending on the account’s balance. When Kasasa Cash® qualifications are not met the balances in your Kasasa Cash® account earn 0.05% APY*. Dividends will be credited to your Kasasa Cash® account on the last day of Statement Cycle. When your Kasasa Cash® qualifications are not met, all balances in the Kasasa Cash® account earn a non-compounding APY of 0.05%. Enrollment in electronic services (e.g. online banking, electronic statements) and log-ons may be required to meet some of the account’s qualifications. Other terms and conditions apply. Go to www.ucumaine.com/KasasaCash for full details.