The finance world seems to be divided on the topic of credit scores (even if there are free credit scores) and their importance.
Some are all about using their credit to their advantage, whereas others do not care about their credit history at all and think it’s unnecessary and evil.
I’m on the pro credit side. I think your credit history can be used to your advantage, so why not work to improve it?
Plus, you can check your credit score for free. Just click here to find out what your credit score is.
As a background for why we care about our credit right now: We are in the very beginning stages of buying a new home. Since we are both self-employed, obtaining a mortgage is a little more difficult. Having a great credit score is one of the areas where we will be analyzed. We also care about our credit because we like to use credit cards with great rewards programs.
Why is your credit score important?
There are too many people out there who have no clue what their credit score is. Too many people also have never checked their credit report. It doesn’t make much sense since you can get your free credit score easily and you can even get your credit score online for free.
I think this is a MAJOR problem.
Your credit score and credit history are important. You can leverage them and use them to your advantage. Yes, it is possible to have the credit system on your side and have the highest credit score you’ve ever had.
A credit score usually means you can keep more of your money because you will receive lower interest rates on your home or car loan. For example, if you have an excellent credit score, you may be able to qualify for a 0% car loan. However, if you had a bad credit score, you may receive a 24% interest rate on your car loan. Yes, that does exist…
Also, if your credit score isn’t high enough, you may even be completely denied a loan. You may have to pay higher rates or pay larger deposits because you are deemed more risky.
Overall, a good credit score can help you in life.
In the next few weeks, I will talk discuss what is a good credit score, but for today we will talk about why a credit score is important.
When will your credit score be checked?
How some go about with never needing their credit score or credit report is beyond me. Good for those of you who do not need it, but I think most people enjoy having a credit history.
There are many instances where your credit score and/or credit report may be looked at, and sometimes they have nothing to do with a loan.
Home and car insurance – If you have car or home insurance, your rate may be calculated on one factor that you did not know about – your credit score. If your credit score isn’t good, then you may actually be paying more because companies may consider you to be more risky.
Employer – This might be shocking to hear, but there are some employers out there who will check your credit report (with your permission). Industries that often check your credit report include those that deal with financial services, chemical, and defense.
Renting a home – If you have decided that you don’t want to own a home, do not think that you have escaped having your credit history checked. Your landlord will most likely check your credit history. They will want to know if you pay your bills on time or if you have skipped bills entirely. This will say a lot about you as a renter, whether you want to believe it or not. If your credit history is not something they want to see, you may be denied the rental altogether, you may be asked to pay multiple months at once, or you may be asked to find a co-signer just in case you fail to pay your rent.
Credit cards – If you don’t care about credit, then you probably will not care about this one. However, if you want a credit card, especially one with a good rewards system in place (learn more at How To Take A 10 Day Trip To Hawaii For $22.40), then you will want a higher credit score. The good reward credit card offers and acceptances are usually only available to though with good or excellent credit scores.
Loans (home, car, etc.) – If you apply for a loan, your credit score and credit history will definitely be checked. Before you are approved for a loan of any sort, the lending institution is going to thoroughly check your financial history so that they don’t end up losing money on your loan. There are a lot of expenses that go into owning a home, so getting the lowest interest rate possible is very important.
Credit Sesame Review
I once signed up for a free credit score company who used to have those catchy singing commercials. I thought it they were supplying a free credit score, and I remember being charged months later. I didn’t catch the charge the first time either, and I was actually charged a few times before I noticed.
Yes, yes, I know. I’m a personal finance blogger who made a huge mistake!
However, that was a long time ago and I have learned from my mistakes. And that’s why I want to do a review on Credit Sesame so that you can check your credit score for free.
If you are looking for a truly free credit monitoring service, then Credit Sesame is for you. Other companies say that they are free, but they usually charge you a fee later on when you probably won’t notice. Credit Sesame doesn’t ask for your credit card, so there is NO WAY that they can secretly charge you later.
Credit Sesame uses the Experian National Equivalency score, whereas most lenders will look at the FICO score. However, the scores are usually fairly similar.
Okay, so you’re probably wondering how everything is free. They must make money somehow right? Well, yes they do. Credit Sesame makes money by showing you different home loans and credit cards you may qualify for. If anyone clicks on these links, then they may make money that way.
Your next question may be “Will checking my free credit score on Credit Sesame hurt my score?” Nope! It is just a soft pull so it will not affect your credit score.
If you are interested in checking your FREE credit score through Credit Sesame click here. It’s completely free.
How often do you check your credit score? Are you trying to increase your credit score? Why or why not?
Some of the largest banks call America home. These banks are backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and offer a variety of products and services. If you prefer a big bank over regional banks or a smaller, community bank, you’ve come to the right place.
Below we’ve compiled a list of the largest banks in the U.S. Once you read through it and perform some of your own research, you should be able to choose a bank or two that meets your needs.
How to Measure Bank Size
First, let’s discuss how to measure the size of a bank. We can do so by looking at the number of customers, number of branches, and number of employees.
But perhaps the best way to measure bank size is by focusing on the total assets under management. This figure shows the actual size of a bank, regardless of how many employees, branches, or ATMs it has.
In our list of the largest banks in the U.S. below, you’ll find that we include each bank’s total assets so you can get a better idea of just how large it is.
Bank Services
We also thought it would be a great idea to briefly discuss how banks work and what they can do for you as a customer. Banks have been around since at least the 14th century. They offer a safe place for individuals and business owners to park their cash and work on various financial goals.
While every bank has their own unique lineup of services, most of them provide checking accounts, savings accounts, and loan services. Some go the extra mile with credit cards, wealth management services, and other conveniences.
Types of Banks
In addition, it’s wise to go over the types of banks at your disposal. The most common types of banks you’ll find include:
Retail banks: Retail banks serve the public and typically have branches and main offices. They provide a wide range of services, like checking and savings accounts, mortgage and loan services, auto financing, CDs, and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Retail banks may be regional banks operating in various states.
Commercial banks: Also known as corporate banks, commercial banks gear their offerings to small business owners and larger corporate entities. In addition to the usual banking services, they may offer cash management, employer services, and commercial real estate services.
Investment banks: Investment banks are designed for corporate clients with complex needs, like mergers and acquisitions. These clients are large corporations, governments, and hedge funds.
Central banks: Central banks are not available to the public. Instead, they’re an independent institution that oversees the money supply and monetary policy in the country. The Federal Reserve Bank is the central bank in the U.S.
Banks vs. Credit Unions
While banks are quite popular, some customers use credit unions instead. While credit unions also offer banking services, like checking and savings accounts, they’re not for profit institutions that are managed by their customers or members.
Compared to banks, credit unions tend to deliver more personalized service. But they also provide fewer services and have fewer branches and ATMs. A credit union can make sense, depending on your unique goals.
20 Biggest Banks In The U.S.
Here’s an overview of the largest banks in the U.S.
1. JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Total Assets: $3.381 Trillion
Headquarters: New York City, New York
If you focus on consolidated assets, JPMorgan Chase earns the spot as the largest bank in the U.S. This investment bank is also a holding company for subsidiaries, including Chase Bank. Chase, which is J.P. Morgan’s consumer banking division, has more than 4,700 branches in the U.S. plus more than 30 branch locations abroad.
According to Chase, almost half of the households in the U.S. are Chase customers. It attracts digital savvy customers that value online banking and products with artificial intelligence (AI). In addition to consumer banking, JPMorgan Chase is a combined bank that offers commercial banking, asset and wealth management, and investment banking.
Chase offers some of the most popular cash back and travel credit cards that can earn you valuable rewards through their program, Chase Ultimate Rewards. Using these credit cards for everyday purchases can earn you travel points, cash back, and other benefits.
2. Bank of America Corp.
Total Assets: $2.440 Trillion
Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina
Bank of America is a multinational bank with nearly 66 million customers and small business clients across the globe. It has a few divisions, including Merrill, Bank of America Securities, and Bank of America Private Bank.
As a Bank of America customer, you can enjoy access to a wide variety of products and services as well as access to more than 4,000 branches and more than 17,000 ATMs.
Just like most big banks, Bank of America prides itself on a robust mobile app, the Zelle payment solution, and other intuitive digital tools. Its various service lines include consumer banking, corporate banking, credit cards, insurance, investment banking services, institutional banking, mortgage loans, private banking, private equity, and wealth management.
3. Citigroup
Total Assets: $1.720 Trillion
Headquarters: New York City, New York
Citigroup, which is widely known as Citi, is an investment bank and financial services firm. When Citigroup merged with Travelers Group in 1998, it became a major player in the financial space. Citibank, Citigroup’s retail banking division has more than 700 branches in the U.S. and over 1,800 branches outside the U.S.
Most of the U.S. bank branches are in Florida, California, New York, and Washington DC. Citibank manages over 138 million bank accounts and has 65,000 fee-free ATMs across the country. Over the years, it has earned high rankings for its digital money management tools, including one that shows customers a financial wellness score.
4. U.S. Bancorp
Total Assets: $582.25 Billion
Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota
The parent company of U.S. Bank, Bancorp’s locations are mainly in the Midwest. It offers personal and business banking with more than 3,000 branches and 5,000 ATMs. Over the years, Bancorp has worked to become a responsible financial provider and earn a spot on the Ethisphere Institute’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list.
As a Bancorp customer, you can access information about your accounts through Google Home and Amazon Alexa. You may also download the handy mobile app to make mobile deposits and perform other services, like transactions via Zelle.
5. PNC Financial Services Group
Total Assets: $534.35 Billion
Headquarters: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
PNC is short for Pittsburgh National Corporation. PNC Financial Services is the bank holding company of PNC Bank, which has more than 2,000 branches across 21 states. It stands out among other large banks for its unique customer perks and products for individuals and business owners. The Virtual Wallet tool, for example, lets you manage your money online or on your mobile device.
You can keep your checking and savings accounts together or just stick to one type of account, depending on your particular needs. In addition to traditional banking services, PNC offers mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, personal loans and personal lines of credit, student loans, and student loan refinancing.
6. Wells Fargo
Total Assets: $1.71 Trillion
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Wells Fargo made its debut in 1852 when it was first opened by investing partners, Henry Wells and William Fargo. It was initially designed as a bank and express delivery service for gold. Eventually, Wells Fargo expanded as a consumer bank to serve all types of customers with various banking needs. It is admired for its long list of offerings and the Wells Fargo mobile app that helps customers track their spending and simplify their bills.
While Wells Fargo has focused on consolidating and prioritizing digital banking services in recent years, it still has about 4,700 locations and more than 12,000 ATMs around the U.S.
In addition to personal and small business banking, Wells Fargo supports commercial banking, investing and wealth management, and investment banking.
7. Truist Financial Corporation
Total Assets: $532.08 Billion
Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina
Compared to the other large commercial banks on this list, Truist is fairly new. It was formed in 2019 as the result of one of the largest bank merger between BB&T and SunTrust.
Truist is made up of three major divisions, including Truist Bank, Truist Securities, and Truist Insurance Holdings. These divisions employ over 37,000 people that work in consumer and commercial banking, investment banking, mortgages, and insurance.
It offers a variety of noteworthy perks, such as no overdraft fees, a $100 negative balance buffer, and automatic upgrades. The bank also places a lot of emphasis on community involvement and giving back.
8. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Total Assets: $501.91 Billion
Headquarters: New York City, New York
Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 by Marcus Goldman, a German American shopkeeper. Its original purpose was to help merchants and small businesses with short-term funding. Eventually, Samuel Sachs joined Goldman in 1882. Today, Goldman Sachs has a reputation as a leading global investment banking, management, and securities firm.
In the fall of 2016, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, its online banking division made its debut and began to offer numerous financial products, like savings accounts, certificates of deposit, credit cards, and loans.
In addition to these offerings, Goldman Sachs provides asset management services, mutual funds, investment banking and management, prime brokerage, commodities, and commercial banking.
9. Charles Schwab Corporation
Total Assets: $407.90 Billion
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Charles Schwab is a multinational financial services firm with a focus on investment accounts, such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and brokerage accounts.
You’ll find an extensive selection of funds with low expense ratios as well as commission-free stock and ETF trades. While there are over 360 Charles Schwab branches with financial consultants, you can take advantage of its services online.
Schwab also offers a high-yield checking account. Whether you’re new to investing or consider yourself a veteran, you can benefit from Charles Schwab.
10. TD Group U.S. Holdings
Total Assets: $405.22 Billion
Headquarters: Wilmington, Delaware
While TD Bank has roots in Canada, it’s been in the U.S. market since 2007 when it acquired Commerce Bancorp. There are more than 1,100 branches and 700 ATMs across fifteen U.S. states and Washington D.C.
TD Bank offers the typical lineup of banking products and services but is known for its branch convenience. Most branches have long hours, are open on the weekends, and provide curbside pickup for new debit cards.
If you prefer in-person banking, TD Bank is certainly worth exploring. Many of its accounts come with generous sign up bonuses and access to comprehensive online banking features, such as online bill pay, Zelle, and remote check deposit.
11. Capital One Financial
Total Assets: $388.44 Billion
Headquarters: McLean, Virginia
Since it was established in 1988, Capital One bank is one of the newer large banks on our list. In only a few decades, the bank has grown significantly, thanks to its credit card offerings in the early 90s.
Once 2016 came around, Capital One was named the third-largest credit card issuer in the U.S. These days, Capital One continues to offer credit cards as well as digital services through Capital One 360.
Capital One 360 stands out for its Capital One’s 360 Performance Savings account, which comes with no minimum opening deposit and no minimum balance requirements.
It also has a mobile banking app with mobile check deposit, customized alerts and notifications, Zelle, free credit score monitoring via CreditWise, and more. There are about 775 branches, 2,000 ATMs, and nearly 30 Capital One cafes.
12. Bank of New York Mellon
Total Assets: $365.10 Billion
Headquarters: New York City, New York
Bank of New York Mellon came about after a 2006 merger between Mellon Financial Corporation and The Bank of New York. The Bank of New York was originally founded in 1784 by Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury of the U.S. Bank of New York Mellon is now one of the largest securities firms in the word.
It specializes in a number of solutions and services for corporations, insurance companies, banks, brokers, dealers, and other reputable clients in the financial industry. In addition, the bank offers private investment and wealth management services for wealthy clients.
13. State Street Corporation
Total Assets: $296.43 Billion
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
State Street Corporation was founded in 1792 as a financial services and asset management company. It has more than 40,000 employees and a global presence in over 100 markets.
Its offerings include investment research and trading, investment management, and securities lending for clients, such as insurance companies, pension funds, and asset owners.
14. Citizens Financial Group
Total Assets: $226.53 Billion
Headquarters: Providence, Rhode Island
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. has been around since 1828. It owns Citizens Bank, its retail division and offers credit cards, deposit accounts, personal loans, student loans, refinancing, and a number of other financial services. Citizen Bank mainly operates in the Northeast and Midwest.
In addition to more than 2,700 ATMs, there are over 1,100 branches in New England states as well as Delaware, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. The bank provides extended call center hours, a streamlined online experience, and a highly rated mobile app.
15. Silicon Valley Bank
Total Assets: $211.82 Billion
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
Silicon Valley Bank made its debut in 1983. Today, it serves as a full-service commercial bank for technology and life sciences companies. Aside from traditional banking services, Silicon Valley Bank offers foreign exchange, venture capital, and treasury management services.
It has supported innovation for several well-known tech companies, including Google and Facebook. Many people give it credit for establishing Silicon Valley.
16. Fifth Third Bank
Total Assets: $205.55 Billion
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
Fifth Third Bank is a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bancorp and known as one of the largest banks in the Midwest. It has approximately 1,100 branches that span across Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
As a customer, you can enjoy access to more than 50,000 ATMs across the country and no opening deposit requirements for checking and savings accounts.
In addition to deposit accounts, Fifth Third Bank financial institutions offer mortgages, auto financing, personal loans, insurance, and investing products. Products and services are available to business customers as well.
17. First Republic Bank
Total Assets: $197.91 Billion
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
First Republic Bank is a premier private bank with more than 80 branches across the country. Its vast lineup of products and services includes checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, IRAs, CDs, and wealth management.
Business customers can take advantage of business loans, business lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, and small business loans. The bank focuses on philanthropy and constantly supports programs related to art and education.
18. Morgan Stanley
Total Assets: $191.35 Billion
Headquarters: New York City, New York
Morgan Stanley’s roots date back to 1935. Today, the bank is a reputable, multinational investment management and financial services company. It has over 700 locations in every state as well as Washington D.C.
Its investing division includes three portfolios, including the impact portfolio, market-tracking portfolio, and performance-seeking portfolio. Whether you’re a beginner investor or wealthy client, Morgan Stanley may be a solid pick.
19. KeyBank
Total Assets: $184.67 Billion
Headquarters: Cleveland, Ohio
KeyBank was founded in 1825 and is now considered a community bank with a presence in 15 states. It has more than 40,000 ATMs in its network and 1,000 full-service branches. The bank also partners with the AllPoint Network of over 40,000 ATMs nationwide.
Its standard services include checking accounts, savings accounts, home loans and mortgages, lines of credit, credit cards, investing, insurance, and debt consolidation. In 2021, KeyBank acquired several digital businesses including digital platform XUP Payments and GradFin, a student loan counseling fintech.
20. Ally Bank
Total Assets: $182.2 Billion
Headquarters: Sandy, UT
While it’s based in Utah, Ally Bank is an online only bank with a long list of digital banking solutions. Its deposit accounts come with no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements.
The bank also pays high yields on CDs and savings accounts than traditional banks with brick-and-mortar banks. As a customer, you can enjoy 24/7 customer services and access to more than 43,000 ATMs through the Allpoint network.
Bottom Line
As you can see, there are many large banks in the United States. Each one has its own unique perks and priorities. To choose the right bank, consider your location, needs, and preferences.
If you’re looking for personal banking services and prefer a digital platform, Goldman Sachs and its Marcus division may be the way to go. But if private wealth management is your top priority, you may be better off with Bank of New York Mellon. Best of luck in your search for the perfect large bank.
Largest Banks in the U.S. FAQs
What is a bank?
Put simply, a bank is a financial institution that can legally accept checking and savings deposits and distribute loans. Some banks also offer additional services like certificates of deposit (CDs), individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and wealth management.
What is the largest bank in the world?
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is the largest bank in the world. The bank’s assets add up to $4.324 Trillion.
What are the ten largest banks in the U.S.?
Ranked in total asset value, the ten largest banks in the U.S. include JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, PNC, Truist Bank, Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab, and TD Group.
How do I choose a bank?
To choose the right bank, focus on what you’re looking for. For more personalized service, you might want to explore a community bank. But if you prefer branch locations across the country and a long list of offerings, one of the large banks on this list might be a better fit.
Is my money safe in a bank?
Your money is safe as long as the bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). An FDIC-insured bank typically insures up to $250,000 per depositor. Note that you don’t have to purchase FDIC insurance. As long as you’re a customer at a bank that offers it, you’ll receive it automatically.
How does a commercial bank differ from a retail bank?
A commercial bank offers a variety of products and services to both individuals and businesses. Retail banks, on the other hand, focus their offerings to individual customers. If you own a business, you’d be better off with a commercial bank that can serve the financial needs of your organization.
Do online banks exist?
Absolutely! In today’s day and age, online banking is more popular than ever before, among larger banks and smaller banks. While some banks offer in-person and online services, other banks, like Ally Bank, solely operate online with no branch locations.
What are some other large banks not on this list?
Other big banks you might want to consider include First National Bank, Huntington Bank, Provident National Corporation, America Bank, and HSBC Bank USA.
Compared to banks, credit unions offer more individualized service. Plus, many of them also provide lower fees and higher rates on certain accounts. However, you must become a member of a credit union to utilize its services. In most cases, credit union membership is reserved for people who live, work, and worship in a certain area.
Some credit unions are also geared toward those in specific professions, like education or law or anyone who makes a donation or joins an organization. You’ll be pleased to learn that most credit unions have made their membership criteria more lenient and opened up their offerings to more types of people. In fact, many of them are quite easy to join.
14 Best Nationwide Credit Unions
While many credit unions are small and can only be found in select local areas, there are quite a few that are nationwide. If you travel frequently for work or pleasure, you might be in the market for nationwide credit unions.
Fortunately, most credit unions that have a nationwide presence are easy to join and offer a variety of benefits. To make your search for the best federal credit unions a bit easier, we’ve compiled this handy list.
1. Connexus Credit Union
Headquartered in Wisconsin, Connexus Credit Union is known as one of the largest credit unions in the U.S. It has over 400,000 credit union members across all 50 states. This is no surprise as it partners with well-known companies, such as Liberty Mutual Insurance, Kraft, Honeywell, and BMW.
To join, you’ll need to qualify through your employer that’s one of the credit union’s partner companies or donate at least $5 and open an account. As a credit union member, you can enjoy high APYs on checking accounts and other deposit accounts as well as low rates on mortgages, personal loans, and car loans.
The Xtraordinary Checking Account offers an APY of up to 1.75% on certain balances so you can make the most out of your hard earned money. White you don’t have to pay any fees, Connexus does require that you spend a certain amount on your debit card and sign up for eStatements to take advantage of the interest.
Furthermore, if you don’t use your checking account for more than 90 days and have a balance of $100 or less, you may have to pay an inactivity fee. Connexus has more than 5,600 shared branches and over 67,000 fee-free ATMs. Plus, the credit union offers higher rates and exclusive discounts throughout the year.
2. Navy Federal Credit Union
If you’re part of the military community, Navy Federal Credit Union should be on your radar. You can become a member if you have an active duty or reservist military member, worked for the Department of Defense, or are the immediate family member of someone eligible for membership. You’ll also be required to open a Navy Federal savings account and make a minimum deposit of $5.
The credit union has about 350 physical branches worldwide and many of them are near military bases in Maryland, Virginia, and California. There are also more than 30,000 fee-free ATMs. If you like to do your banking on your mobile device, you’ll be pleased to know that there is a highly rated app.
If you join Navy Federal Credit Union, you can enjoy no monthly fees or minimal fees on basic savings or youth savings accounts. NFCU also offers several checking accounts as well as competitive rates for share certificates, which are basically certificates of deposits (CDs).
3. Consumers Credit Union
Based in Illinois, Consumers Credit Union has 11 branches in the Chicago suburbs but opens its membership to anyone in the country. All members get access to more than 5,000 shared credit union branches and over 30,000 ATMs.
To join, simply pay $5 and fill out a short application form. Consumers offers some of the highest annual percentage yields or APYs on its rewards checking accounts. However, it requires that you make at least 12 debit card purchases per month, enroll in eDocuments, and have a monthly minimum of $500 in ACH deposits, direct deposits, and mobile check deposits.
If you prefer, you can choose from a no-frills checking account that doesn’t earn any interest. Other product offerings include four savings accounts, IRA certificates, and money market accounts.
4. Pentagon Federal Credit Union
Founded in 1935, PenFed Credit Union is known as one of the largest credit unions in the country. It serves more than 2.8 million members and has over $36.6 billion in assets. While this best credit union was originally only available to military members and their families, it eventually opened the doors to anyone. You can join as long as you deposit $5 into a savings account.
As a PenFed member, you can reap numerous benefits, including great rates on checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market certificates. In addition, you can sign up for early direct deposit and access more than 85,000 fee – free ATMs across the nation.
Even though PenFed is not part of a shared branch network, like other credit unions, it pays high rates, and has about 40 of its own branches throughout the U.S. There’s also a solid mobile app and customer phone support with evening and weekend hours.
5. SkyOne Federal Credit Union
SkyOne Federal Credit Union is one of the best credit unions and has a mission to help families become financially stable. It serves more than 40,000 members with $600 million in assets. Since its inception in 1949, SkyOne has offered a robust lineup of financial products, like interest-bearing checking accounts, money market accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and car loans.
Its share certificates come with exceptional rates that you might not find at other credit unions. SkyOne also has a free mobile banking app, a plethora of free educational tools, and a network of thousands of credit union branches for easy access.
The main downfall of this credit union is that it’s geared toward those who work in the air transportation industry so you might have a difficult time qualifying. Fortunately, membership has recently become a bit more lenient to accommodate more people.
6. Alliant Credit Union
Illinois-based Alliant Credit Union has more than 700,000 members across the country. Unlike other credit unions on this list, Alliant operates strictly online. If you like the idea of online and mobile banking, this credit union should definitely be on your radar. Its online accounts pay highly competitive interest rates that can be as much as 22X the national average.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about overdraft or ATM fees. You can also score up to $200 per month in ATM rebates. While its checking and savings accounts are the most popular products, Alliant also provides mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, and credit cards. At this time, Alliant does not offer any no-penalty or specialty CDs.
Customer service is available 24/7 and there’s also an online contact form you can use for less pressing questions or concerns. To become a member, join Foster Care to Success (FC2S). Once you do, Alliant will pay the $5 membership fee to the organization for you.
7. First Tech Federal Credit Union
First Tech Federal Credit Union made its debut in 1952 when it was first founded by employees of Hewlett-Packard and Tektronix. Today, the credit union partners with large companies, like Hewlett-Packard, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nike. You can join as long as you work at one of its partner firms or become a member of the Computer History Museum or Financial Fitness Association.
There are 33 branches, mainly in California, Washington and Oregon, but with several locations across Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts and Texas. As a member, you can enjoy in-person service at more than 5,600 Co-op Shared Branch locations in the U.S.and access your money at over 30,000 free ATMs.
It offers a long list of financial products, like checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, loans and investment accounts. Most of these offerings come with low minimum opening balance requirements and no monthly maintenance fees. First Tech Federal Credit Union is unique in that there are many business banking services that are rarely seen at other credit unions.
9. Bethpage Credit Union
While it is located in New York, Bethpage Credit Union opens its membership to anyone who makes a $5 payment, regardless of where they live. The credit union partners with hundreds of other credit unions to offer access to more than 5,000 branches and over 30,000 fee free ATMs. Virtual visits by phone and video appointment are also available.
Bethpage’s product lineup includes three checking accounts, four savings accounts, share certificates, and money market accounts. Believe it or not, even the free checking accounts pay interest. In addition to deposit accounts, the credit union provides mortgages, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), car loans, auto refinancing, personal loans, retirement planning, health savings accounts, IRAs, and insurance.
You can access your accounts on the go with the handy mobile app, which includes convenient features, such as budgeting tools, online bill pay, and budgeting tools. Bethpage also offers access to a digital wallet and Zelle money transfers.
10. Latino Community Credit Union
Headquartered in North Carolina, Latino Community Credit Union has 15 branches in the state as well as 1,300 free ATMs through the CashPoints network. While it was originally built for the Latino community, you don’t have to be Hispanic or live in North Carolina to join. All you have to do is submit an application and pay a $10 membership fee.
Latino Community Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and offers 24/7 customer service via phone. Compared to brick-and-mortar banks, it provides competitive interest rates and accounts with low minimum opening balance requirements.
If you’re part of the Hispanic community, you may also benefit from services in both Spanish and English as well as a financial literacy education program that’s focused on low-income Latino families and immigrants.
11. Boeing Employees’ Credit Union
If you’re a Boeing employee or live or work in Washington, Boeing Employees’ Credit Union can be a good fit. Just keep in mind that you’ll be required to open the Member Advantage Savings account, Member Share Savings account or Early Saver account.
You can enjoy nationwide access to more than 30,000 free ATMs, discounts on local events, such as sporting games and fairs and impressive rates on CDs, money markets and IRAs. Plus, there are no monthly service fees or minimum balance requirements.
Other noteworthy perks include free credit score monitoring, Zelle payments, online bill pay, and budgeting tools. You can find more than 50 physical branches in Washington as well as one location in North Charleston, South Carolina, for in-person banking.
12. Blue Federal Credit Union
Blue Federal Credit Union began as Warren Federal Credit Union and has been in business for more than 70 years. It offers more products than most credit unions, including checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, home loans, personal loans, and investment banking. This is great news if you’d like the diverse offerings that are widely seen at banks at lower price points.
In addition to a vast selection of financial products, Blue Federal Credit Union provides rates as high as 2x to 5x higher than the national average and access to thousands of partner credit unions across the nation. Thanks to the tiered membership rewards program, you can earn great rewards.
To join, donate to the Blue Foundation and open a Blue FCU Membership Share Savings account. Once you’re a member, you can bank online, visit branches in Colorado or Wyoming, or go to shared branches across the U.S.
13. Wings Financial Credit Union
Wings Financial Credit Union is worth exploring, even if you don’t work in the aviation industry. It has more than 26 branches in Minnesota, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, and Washington. Not only is it NCUA insured, it’s part of the Allpoint, CO-Op, and MoneyPass ATM networks that offer access to more than 80,000 free ATMs.
To become a member, you should live in work in an eligible location, work in the aviation industry, or make a $5 donation to Wings Financial Foundation, a non-profit organization that offers financial education programs and college scholarships.
The credit union pays high interest rates on many of its accounts and doesn’t charge monthly service fees. Depending on your goals, you can open the Wings Financial High-Yield Savings Account, Wings Financial Credit Union High-Yield Checking Account, Wings Financial Investment Money Market Account.
14. NASA Federal Credit Union
NASA Federal Credit Union dates back to 1949 when it first launched to serve NASA employees. Over time, the credit union has expanded and has more than 140,000 members to date. You can join even if you’re not affiliated with NASA as long as you become a member of the National Space Society.
Popular product offerings at NASA Federal Credit Union include the Premier Checking, Premier eChecking, Premier Preferred Checking, Shared and Special Savings account or Education Savings Account.
We can’t forget the Star Trek credit cards which offer 2x points for gas station purchases, and 3x points for purchases at StarTrek.com. Furthermore, if you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days, you get a bonus of 30,000 points. You may redeem your points for merchandise, gift cards, and more.
Credit Unions vs. Banks
If you’re used to banks or unfamiliar with credit unions, you might wonder how credit unions and banks compare. The truth is both types of financial institutions offers similar products, but there are several differences between them, including:
Financial Products
In general, banks offer more financial products and services than credit unions, especially large banks with a national presence. Credit unions primarily focus on checking accounts, savings accounts, and credit accounts. While loans and investment products are less common, they can still be found at some credit unions.
Rates and Fees
Banks tend to charge higher rates and fees than credit unions. However, online banks are usually more affordable and comparable to credit unions as they have lower overhead costs. It’s a good idea to shop around so you can compare rates and fees at a variety of financial institutions and hone in on the best option.
Technology
Credit unions typically are less technologically advanced than banks. The good news is more and more credit unions, especially those with a nationwide presence, are improving their technical offerings. Many of them offer mobile apps, online bill pay, and other advanced banking tools that were unheard of in the past.
Bottom Line
With this list of the best credit unions nationwide, you’re sure to find a credit union or two that checks all your boxes. Whether you’re new to credit unions or have used them for a while, these types of financial institutions can help you meet (or even exceed) your personal finance goals.
Credit Union FAQs
What is the difference between a bank and a credit union?
While a credit union is a member-owned, non-profit institution, a bank is a for-profit financial institution that is owned by shareholders or individuals. Credit unions are known for more personal service and flexibility. Whether you use a bank or credit union depends on your unique goals and priorities.
Do I have to join a credit union?
All credit unions may have certain membership requirements. Fortunately, many are lenient and let you join if you make a donation or pay a fee. Some credit unions will pay for you once you make a deposit into an account. Of course, some credit unions limit membership to people in certain geographical locations or professions.
Do credit unions have ATMs?
Yes! In many cases, credit unions partner with a large network of ATMs. This makes it easy for you to access your money regardless of where you are.
Are credit unions insured?
Reputable credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration or NCUA, which is similar to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or Federal Deposit Insurance Corp of traditional banks. This means if the credit union fails because of bankruptcy, for example, you’ll get your money back.
Are credit unions online?
While credit unions have a reputation for in-person branches with individualized service, online credit unions do exist. Several examples include Alliant Credit Union, Connexus Credit Union, and Quorum Federal Credit Union. If you like the idea of online banking, an online credit union might make sense.
What is the best nationwide credit union?
Not all nationwide credit unions are created equal. In fact, there are many options available with various pros and cons. To pinpoint the ideal online or local credit union for you, explore the institutions on this list and consider your priorities. Remember, you can join multiple credit unions if you’d like.
A credit union is a nonprofit institution that’s owned by its members. Compared to a traditional bank, a credit union tends to offer more personalized service.
You can turn to a credit union for a variety of financial products, like checking and savings accounts, credit cards, car loans, and mortgages. Some regional and federal credit unions also offer wealth management services and other extras.
A typical credit union only accepts members who live in a specific region or work for an eligible employer. For example, they may require that you’re a resident of Atlanta, Georgia or work as a teacher.
The good news is some credit unions require less and make it easy for just about anyone to join. If you’d like to join a credit union but don’t want to worry about the strict membership requirements at most institutions, you’ve come to the right place.
38 Best Credit Unions Anyone Can Join
There are hundreds of credit unions that anyone can join, but we’ve done the heavy lifting and found the best ones for you. The credit unions below, which are overseen by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) may be an option for you, regardless of what you do for a living or where you’re located.
Just keep in mind that you may have to make a donation, join an organization, live in a certain state, or meet some other eligibility requirement. We encourage you to explore this lengthy to list of credit unions anyone can join so you can hone in on the ideal credit union for your unique situation.
1. Alliant Credit Union
Alliant Credit Union made its debut in 1935 to serve the employees of United Airlines. It stands out for it high-interest savings and checking accounts with low minimum opening deposits as well as excellent customer service.
You’ll also receive access to more than 80,000 free ATMs across the U.S. and get reimbursed up to $20 in out-of-network ATM charges per month. Since it only has two brick-and-mortar locations, you should feel comfortable with online banking. If you’d like to join Alliant Credit Union, make a $5 donation to Foster Care to Success.
2. Connexus Credit Union
Connexus Credit Union was founded in 1935 and has a widespread presence in Wisconsin as well as more than 54,000 ATMs across the country. It couldn’t be easier to join the credit union as all you have to do is pay a one-time $5 fee to the Connexus Association, which supports financial education through college scholarships.
As a member, you can open one of its three checking options with high APYs and a traditional savings account or one that’s specifically designed for the holidays.
3. Pentagon Federal Credit Union
Pentagon Federal Credit Union, or PenFed, was founded in 1935 as a credit union for military and civilian government. Today, this Virginia-based credit union has opened it doors to anyone as long as they open a savings account and deposit a minimum of $5. It offers two savings accounts, including the Regular Savings and Premium Online Savings.
In addition, you can find checking accounts, CDs, and money market accounts. Other products include Coverdell Education Savings Certificates, IRAs, credit cards, mortgages, home equity loans, and student loans. Plus, you can enjoy modern perks like mobile check deposits, online bill pay, and instant transfers.
4. First Tech Federal Credit Union
First Tech Federal Credit Union is headquartered in California. The credit union offers many benefits, such as excellent customer service, many branches throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, online banking, and mobile banking.
It also has the Dividend Rewards Checking Account, which gives you 1.00% APY on balances below $1,000. You don’t have to live in California to join as long as you donate to a nonprofit called the Financial Fitness Association.
5. Consumers Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union was established in 1951 as a local credit union. Based in Illinois, it’s one of the largest credit unions in the state with over 100,000 members and more than $1.2 billion in assets.
You can join it, even if you don’t live in Illinois. All you have to do is donate the $5 membership free to an affiliated nonprofit. You can open almost all of its accounts online, except for the checking accounts and IRAs. The credit union also offers a high-yield checking account that offers high interest if you meet certain criteria.
6. Langley Federal Credit Union
Langley Federal Credit Union is based in Virginia and made its inception in 1936. At that time, members of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the predecessor to NASA, chartered the credit union.
Today, Langley offers membership to anyone who pays a fee to support an important cause in Virginia and deposits at least $5 into a savings account. You can choose from a checking account without a monthly fee, a variety of no-fee savings accounts with competitive interest compounds monthly, and Visa Cards with cash back rewards.
7. Lake Michigan Credit Union
Lake Michigan Credit Union made its debut in 1933 by a group of teachers. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, it has 51 branches in Michigan and southwest Florida. Since it’s part of the Allpoint ATM network, members can enjoy free access to more than 55,000 free ATM.
To join, donate $5 to the ALS Foundation and deposit $5 into a Member Savings account. Once you do, you can earn perks through the MORE rewards program and redeem them for complimentary checks and free out-of-network ATM transactions.
You may also open the free, no frills Max Checking account. Note that the Member Savings account, which you must open to become a member, requires a minimum daily balance of $300 or you’ll be charged a $5 monthly fee.
8. Lafayette Federal Credit Union
Lafayette Federal Credit Union was founded in 1935 as an alternative to traditional banks. It offers numerous perks, like no minimum balance requirement or monthly maintenance fees, online banking, mobile deposits, free direct deposit, and special discounts.
You can join it if you live, work, worship, or attend school in Washington D.C. If you live outside the D.C. area, you may still become a member as long as you invest in a lifetime Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) membership for only $10. This nonprofit focuses on helping consumers navigate the path to homeownership.
9. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union has 26 branch locations across Minnesota. APFCU offers MyPlus Rewards that gives you points if you keep a certain amount of money in your bank account or use its debit or credit card.
To be eligible to join, all you have to do is donate $25 to the Affinity Plus Foundation and open a basic savings account. If you live and work in Minnesota or have a family member in the state, there are other ways to become a member.
10. Chevron Credit Union
Chevron Credit Union has been around since 1935 and has 19 branches that span six states, including California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Utah and Virginia. It operates under two brands: Chevron Federal Credit Union and Spectrum Credit Union.
To become a member, join one of its nonprofit partner organizations, such as the Contra Costa County Historical Society. You’ll also need to deposit $25 into a primary savings account and maintain a $25 minimum balance.
Chevron also offers a second chance checking account called New Solutions for those who need help rebuilding their banking history.
11. Ascend Credit Union
Since its inception in 1951, Ascend Credit Union has offered a variety of products, like checking and savings accounts, a money market account, Christmas Club account, youth accounts, credit cards, and loans.
If you’re interested in these services, join The Nature Conservancy, Tennessee Chapter and you’ll be eligible automatically. Note that there is a one-time fee of $25.
12. Hope Credit Union
Hope Credit Union is a black-owned credit union that was organized in 1995 by the Anderson United Methodist Church in Mississippi. You can join if you pay a $10 membership fee and show a foreign passport, permanent resident card, or Matricula Consular. Plus, you may use an ITIN number instead of a Social Security number.
Hope Credit Union provides a number of personal bank accounts, business banking accounts, and transformational deposits. With its transformational deposits, you can participate in socially responsible investing.
13. Boeing Employees Credit Union
Boeing Employees Credit Union, or BECU, was established in 1935 for Boeing employees and currently caters to more than 1 million members. But despite its name, you don’t have to work at Boeing to join.
Its products and services are available to you if you become a member or donor to the KEXP, which is a nonprofit art organization or the Sea Hawkers Central Council. The most noteworthy benefit of joining is the first-time homebuyer grant in which you can receive $7,500 toward your down payment and closing costs.
14. Hiway Credit Union
Hiway Credit Union made its debut in 1931 to serve employees of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. It offers a free checking account with no monthly fee or minimum balance requirements, a free money market account with a $500 minimum deposit, credit cards, and loans.
You can qualify for a Hiway Federal Credit Union membership if you donate to the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation for $10 per year or the Association of the U.S. Army, which costs $40 for two years.
15. GreenState Credit Union
GreenState Credit Union was founded in 1938. It provides its members with personal accounts, business accounts, credit cards, loans insurance, wealth management services, and more.
GreenState was named one of the fastest growing credit unions in 2021. As long as you live or work in the state of Iowa, you can become a member and take advantage of its services without any issues.
16. Cascade Credit Union
Cascade Credit Union made its debut in 1952 to serve employees of the Cascade Division of the Great Northern Railway. Today, it’s open to many people and offers great perks like members-only sweepstakes, competitive rates, online banking tools, financial counseling, and group insurance benefits.
If you’d like to join, simply become a member of the Great Northern & Cascade Railway Association (GNCR) and pay an annual membership cost of $40. The credit union can help you fill out your application online or in-person at a local branch.
17. Wildfire Credit Union
Wildfire Credit Union began in 1937 as Saginaw Telephone Employees Credit Union, its original credit union name. Its first location was in the basement of the home of Hank Kosk, the credit union’s treasurer.
After some office upgrades, the credit union opened the doors to its current location on Bay Road in Saginaw and merged with Flint Telephone Employees Credit Union that same year. Today, Wildfire Credit Union offers several deposit accounts as well as personal banking and business banking services. You can join if you live, work, worship, or attend school in Michigan.
18. Nextmark Credit Union
Nextmark Credit Union made its debut in 1958. Its offerings include personal and business checking, home equity loans, personal loans, credit cards, gift cards, and more.
To join, you must live in a qualifying county in Virginia or make a donation to Herndon Elementary PTA, a Title I school.
19. Technology Credit Union
Technology Credit Union, or Tech CU, was established in 1960. It’s based in Silicon Valley and provides its members with no shortage of benefits. These include competitive rates, online banking, access to fee-free ATMs, free credit score monitoring, conference room space, and easy online appointment booking. To become a member, join Financial Fitness Association for only $8.
20. Veridian Credit Union
Veridian Credit Union was established in 1934. Most of its members are those who live or work in Iowa or certain counties of Nebraska. However, it’s open to anyone who is a registered user of Dwolla, a financial technology company. This means you can join as long as you sign up for a personal account at Dwolla.
You’ll also need to open a savings account and deposit at least $5. If you’re already a member of a credit union or bank but would like to switch to Veridian Credit Union, the switch kit may be helpful.
21. Harborstone Credit Union
Harborstone Credit Union’s roots date back to 1955, when it was known as McChord Federal Credit Union and served airmen on the McChord Air Force Base. In 1996, the credit union expanded its membership to anyone in the state of Washington and changed its name as a result.
As long as you live, work, or worship in Washington, you may join Harborstone Credit Union and enjoy a variety of financial products and digital tools.
22. NASA Federal Credit Union
NASA Federal Credit Union began in 1949 to serve NASA employees. Since then, it’s grown to more than 177,000 members. While the credit union is headquartered in Upper Marlboro, Massachusetts, there are 12 branches in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Its product lineup includes a simple checking account with no minimum opening deposit, a savings account with a great rate, and several CDs. You can also monitor your credit score and make deposits with the mobile app. If you don’t work for NASA, you can still join. Simply sign up for a one-year membership at the National Space Society (NSS).
Hanscom Federal Credit Union opened in 1953. The credit union has over 20 branches in and around Boston as well as one in McLean, Virginia. It offers fee-free checking accounts, savings accounts with rewards, credit cards, and loans.
To join, you’ll need to support one of its partner organizations, such as the Burlington Players, a volunteer theater group. In addition, you’ll be required to deposit $25 into a free primary savings account.
24. Pen Air Federal Credit Union
Pen Air Federal Credit Union was founded in 1936 to support civil service employees of Naval Air Station Pensacola. It has 16 locations in northwest Florida and southeast Alabama. You may be surprised to learn that you don’t have to be an active duty or retired military member to join.
You’ll be able to take advantage of Pen Air Federal Credit Union if you become a member of the Friends of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and deposit a minimum of $25 into a savings account. As a member, you can enjoy the Pen Air Platinum Mastercard, Share Savings account with the Round It program, and more.
25. State Department Federal Credit Union
State Department Federal Credit Union was founded in 1935. To join, you can become a member of the American Consumer Council for $8. This is a non-profit organization with a focus on consumer education and financial literacy.
The State Department Credit Union offers a long list of products and services, including basic, advantage, and privilege checking, a money market account, share certificate accounts, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), credit cards, and loans.
26. United Nations Federal Credit Union
United Nations Credit Union made its debut in 1947. As long as you join the United Nations Association of the United States of America, you can become a member.
UNFCU has a vast product lineup that includes a checking account, membership savings account, credit cards, debit cards, and loans, like car loans and debt consolidation loans.
Other membership perks include loyalty rewards, credit card rewards, and the member referral program.
27. Premier Members Credit Union
Premier Members Credit Union was established in 1959 for members of the Boulder Valley School District. You’re eligible to join if you make a donation to Impact on Education, a charity in the Boulder Valley School District, and open an online savings account or youth savings account.
As a member, you can expect perks, such as high interest rates on checking accounts, no monthly service fee, no overdraft fees, and free overdraft protection. The credit union also offers an extensive network of branches and ATMs for your convenience.
28. SRI Federal Credit Union
SRI Federal Credit Union is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. It was founded in 1957 and offers membership to anyone who joins the Financial Fitness Association for $8 per year.
The credit union’s account offerings include a checking and savings account, money market account, IRA, health savings account, and youth, teen, and gradate accounts.
29. United States Senate Federal Credit Union
United States Senate Federal Credit Union has been around since 1935. Its mission is to “improve the financial wellness of members throughout all stages and circumstances of life.” Its products are similar to what most credit unions offer.
As a member, you can enjoy access to a number of checking and credit union savings accounts, mortgage loans, personal loans, auto loans, Visa debit cards, and business advisory services. To join, you’ll need to become a member of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society for $65.
30. Wings Financial Credit Union
Wings Financial Credit Union was founded in 1938 by seven employees from Northwest Airlines. To date, it serves more than 320,000 members with more than $7.5 billion in assets. You can join if you donate $5 to the Wings Financial Foundation, even if you don’t work in the aviation industry.
There are no fees on its basic banking accounts, including its checking and savings accounts, a money market account, and CDs. Its high yield savings and checking accounts offer competitive rates to help you grow your money.
31. Skyward Credit Union
Skyward Credit Union was chartered in 1941. It offers a share savings account with competitive rates, an aim higher checking account with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements, affordable mortgage and home equity loans.
It also offers online banking, a variety of insurance products, and access to over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Like most credit unions require membership, so does this one. To become a member, join the Kansas Aviation Museum.
32. San Diego County Credit Union
San Diego County Credit Union has been around since 1938 and has over 430,000 credit union members. It’s considered the largest locally owned financial intuition in San Diego.
As a member, you can enjoy a free checking account, secured and unsecured credit cards, a wide range of account options with no service fees, and access to over 30,000 ATMs without ATM fees. To join San Diego County Credit Union, become a member of the Financial Fitness Association.
33. Bellco Credit Union
Bellco Credit Union is a Denver-based credit union that opened its doors in 1936. You can join it even if you don’t live in Colorado as long as you donate at least $10 to the Bellco Foundation, pay a one-time $5 membership fee, and deposit at least $25 in a savings account.
Once you do, you’ll have access to several noteworthy products, like the Boost Interest Checking account, which offers a competitive interest rate, the Premier Money Market Account, and two, no-fee credit cards.
34. Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union was founded in 1941 and currently has over 30 branches across Long Island and New York City. It has a reputation for competitive rates on it money market accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs).
The credit union also offers three checking accounts, a few savings accounts, retirement planning services, IRAs, insurance, and more. You don’t have to live in New York to join if you open a $5 savings account. As a member, you may meet with credit union staff virtually and bank on the go with a handy mobile app.
35. First South Financial Credit Union
First South Financial Credit Union opened its doors in 1957 to serve those on the Millington base. Since then, it has become of the safest financial institutions in the U.S., as stated by independent rating agencies. While the credit union has locations throughout Tennessee and Mississippi, its online banking services make it a suitable option if you live elsewhere.
Like other credit unions, it offers a full suite of checking, savings, CDs, and IRA accounts. To join, become a member of the Courage Thru Cancer Association, which supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
36. Dow Credit Union
Dow Credit Union was founded in 1937 in Midland, Michigan. It provides numerous products, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), HSAs, deposit trust accounts, and loans.
Fortunately, you don’t have to work at Dow Chemical to take advantage of them. To join, make a $10 donation to the Dow Chemical Employees’ Credit Union Endowed Scholarship Fund.
37. Blue Federal Credit Union
Blue Federal Credit Union was chartered in 1951 as Warren Federal Credit Union. If you’re looking for a high-yield checking account, you’ll appreciate its Blue Extreme Checking Account with no minimum opening deposit or monthly service fees.
Other perks include a tiered membership rewards program and round-the-clock customer service. The easiest way to become a member is to donate $5 to the Blue Foundation and open a Membership Share Savings Account with $5.
38. Digital Federal Credit Union
Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, was established in 1979. Today, it is known for its comprehensive range of financial products that includes checking and savings accounts, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans, credit cards, and wealth management services.
Perhaps one of DCU’s standout features is its commitment to digital banking, offering robust online and mobile platforms that compete with larger, nationwide banks. This makes DCU a fitting choice for those who prefer online banking, no matter where they live.
Membership is open to those who are a part of participating organizations or live, work, worship, or attend school in eligible communities. If you don’t fit those criteria, you can still join by becoming a member of a participating nonprofit organization, such as Reach Out for Schools, which requires a nominal donation.
See also: Best Nationwide Credit Unions of 2023
Bottom Line
Not all credit unions are created equal. Some have strict membership criteria, while others are more flexible. Before you join a credit union (or several credit unions) on this list, be sure to consider numerous factors.
You’ll want to look at eligibility requirements, branch location, monthly maintenance fees, accounts offered, interest rates, mobile banking, digital banking, reputation, and customer service. Best of luck as you explore the best credit unions and search for the perfect credit union.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can civilians join Navy Federal Credit Union?
Yes, civilians can join the Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU), the largest credit union in the U.S. However, this is limited to immediate family members of service members in all branches of the armed forces. This broad eligibility criteria is one of the reasons why NFCU has grown to be the largest credit union in the country.
Can anyone join American Airlines Credit Union?
No, not anyone can join the American Airlines Credit Union. Membership is limited to those who work in the air transportation industry, including airlines, airports, and related businesses, as well as their family members. While this broadens the scope beyond just American Airlines employees, it still doesn’t include everyone.
Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further
April is Financial Literacy Month, making it a great time to boost your money knowledge and take charge of your financial life. To celebrate, we’ll be providing you tips, tricks and insights throughout the month to help you manage your financial health. Be sure to check back in on the blog and join the conversation on Twitter & Facebook – we’ll be surprising some lucky followers with prizes throughout the month, so chime in to win!
Did you know that only one third of American households have a budget? Well, they say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so what are you waiting for? Kick off Financial Literacy Month and get your financial life in order. Here are a few ideas to help you get there:
Update your budget
Analyze your spending patterns over the last few months. If you’ve gone a little overboard on entertainment or dining out, it’s a good time to revisit your budget and adjust for any changes. Make sure your budget matches your actual spending and perhaps take a minute to remind yourself of your financial goals that will help you better stick to your financial plan.
Check your credit score
Your credit score is three little numbers that can have a big impact on your financial life. Get your free credit score from Mint.com so you know where you stand and look at ways to improve your score.
Automate everything
Use Financial Literacy Month as a motivator to finally automate all of your bills and savings. The more you can automate, the easier managing your finances will be the rest of the year. Download a free bill payment app like Mint Bills that will help you pay your bills on time (and on-the-go) and maintain a healthy credit rating.
Develop a debt payoff strategy
Take the time to review your balances. If you have extra cash in the bank, you might want to make a large payment toward cutting down your debt. If you can’t pay down a debt you’ve accumulated so far this year, create a payoff plan that will get it down by this time next year. You can pay down your debt from smallest to largest, or pay down the debt with the highest interest rate first. Either way, Financial Literacy Month is a perfect time to develop a strategy to become debt-free.
So happy spring! There’s no better time than now to hit the financial refresh button and be good with your money. Just think how much you’ll enjoy your summer vacation with your budget on track.
Do you have a personal finance success story you want to share? Or perhaps there is a financial stumbling block you’ve encountered, and want to share how you overcame it? If so, leave a comment below to help inspire other MintLife readers.
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Shortly after graduating from New York University with a Master’s degree, Melanie Lockert turned to food stamps, as she worked her way out of $81,000 in student loans.
“There were a lot of emotions around carrying that debt. It caused a lot of stress and depression and anxiety for a long time,” she shared with me recently during an interview on my podcast.
The student loan crisis in America has reached epidemic proportions. With households across the country carrying $1.26 trillion in student loans, it is the second largest category of debt following mortgage debt.
For the class of 2016, the average student loan balance is $37,172, up six percent from the previous year, according to a new analysis by student loan expert Mark Kantrowitz published in the Wall Street Journal.
If you’re struggling to make ends meet due to student loans or wondering how you’ll ever pay off the debt in a timely manner, here are some key steps to support you along the way.
Never Pay Late. Ever.
Whoever likes to call student loans “good debt,” has probably never faced a late payment. “Falling behind on payments can cause federal loans to enter default, triggering expensive fees and collections,” says Heather Jarvis, attorney and student loan expert.
If you miss several payments and are in default, federal loan borrowers may also seize your wages, tax refunds and possibly social security benefits. And you can only imagine how all this can damage your credit score. (Keep reading for advice on what to do if you’re already in default.)
To avoid ever paying late, sign up for automatic payments with your lender. Doing so could also earn you a reduced interest rate (usually 0.25%), which could save you hundreds of dollars, maybe more, over the life of your loan.
Extend the Term
Speaking of your loan’s life, extending the term from 10 to 15 or 20 years could provide you with some payment relief since when you extend the term, your monthly payments decrease.
Bear in mind that since your interest rate remains the same this strategy may mean you’ll end up paying more to pay off the loan over time.
One way to avoid paying too much more interest is to take advantage of the smaller monthly payments for only a window of time. As soon as your finances strengthen place more than the monthly minimum towards your balance to help you get out of debt closer to your original term. Be sure to place extra payments directly towards the principal to knock down the debt even faster.
Tap Government Assistance
If you have federal student loans you may qualify for Income-Based Repayment (IBR), a government program that helps qualifying borrowers cap loan payments to a percentage of income, typically 10% of their income. The program will also forgive any remaining student loan debt after 20 or 25 years of making payments.
The Department of Education also has a program called Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). If you work full-time for a “public service” employer such as not-for-profits, AmeriCorps or PeaceCorps, the military or a government agency, PLSF may forgive your remaining federal loan debt after 10 years of employment.
If You’re Already Behind…You Have Options
If you’re in default, Jay Fleischman, a student loan and bankruptcy attorney, says you may be able to consolidate your loans under the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Consolidation Loan Program, which is free and does not depend on creditworthiness. “You could also rehabilitate by making nine agreed-upon monthly payments over a 10-month period of time with the collector assigned to the account. Those payments may be adjusted based on your income, and payments can be as low as $5 per month,” he says.
For private student loan borrowers, “the situation is markedly different because there is no right to consolidate or rehabilitate unless the lender has a specific program to do so,” says Fleischman. Contact your loan servicer and learn about ways you may be able to reduce or eliminate payments until you get back on your feet, he says.
If your lender won’t budge, you may choose to remain in default until a settlement opportunity presents itself or until the statute of limitations for collection expires. As a last resort, you may also consider bankruptcy as a way to wipe out other debts and repay your student loans under court supervision. “Though bankruptcy may not wipe out your student loans except in limited circumstances, many people opt for bankruptcy as a way to get more control over the ways in which your loans get paid,” says Fleischman.
Tap Home Equity…With Caution
Homeowners may be eligible to use a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to pay off their remaining student loan balance. This allows them to pay off the student loan with the existing equity in their home and save money if the HELOC has a lower interest rate than the student loan.
There’s also a new program offered by online lender SoFi called the Student Loan Payoff ReFi that allows some homeowners to pay down student debt using their home’s equity. SoFi refinances the total amount of your student loans and existing mortgage at a lower rate. Through that process your student loan balance is paid off directly to the loan provider.
To qualify, SoFi says borrowers need healthy credit scores (check your free credit score to verify you qualify), a debt-to-income ratio that’s 45% or less (calculate debt-to-income ratio to see if you fall under this number) and a loan-to-value ratio that’s 80% or less (meaning you can’t be underwater on your mortgage). You can calculate your debt-to-income ratio with Turbo, and
Just keep in mind that when paying off your student loans with home equity – be it through SoFi or another lender – if you default on the consolidated loan the lender has the right to use your home as collateral and foreclose on the property. It’s a serious risk if you don’t have enough in savings or stable income to help you get by during tough times.
Remember to Deduct It
Student loans are no fun, but paying them can yield lower taxes. Each year the IRS lets borrowers deduct up to $2,500 in student loan interest from their taxable income.
Maybe Your Employer Can Help?
A growing number of companies are helping employees squash their student loans as an added perk like a 401(k) and health care.
Gradifi is a Boston-based start-up that’s working with over 200 employers to set up its student loan pay down plan, including PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
It’s a trend that’s likely to grow over the years with more than 50 percent of student loan borrowers saying they would rather receive student loan benefits than heath care from their employer.
Start a Side Hustle
While it’s important to cut back on spending to make room for paying down debt, that move alone isn’t always enough. “Pinching pennies and cutting back is really useful as an initial strategy, but at some point, there’s only so much you can cut back,” says Lockert, whose now chronicled her debt payoff strategies in the book Dear Debt: A Story About Breaking Up With Debt. Through a series of side hustles over the years, including housecleaning, event assisting and pet sitting, earning $10 to $50 per hour, Lockert managed to not only afford her living expenses, but also erase five figures worth of student loan debt.
Depending on your interests, you can find relatively easy gigs at sites like TaskRabbit, Tutor.com, GigWalk and Care.com.
Have a question for Farnoosh? You can submit your questions via Twitter @Farnoosh, Facebook or email at [email protected] (please note “Mint Blog” in the subject line).
Farnoosh Torabi is America’s leading personal finance authority hooked on helping Americans live their richest, happiest lives. From her early days reporting for Money Magazine to now hosting a primetime series on CNBC and writing monthly for O, The Oprah Magazine, she’s become our favorite go-to money expert and friend.
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Free money sounds too good to be true, but there are actually a number of different ways to get your hands on money with no cost and very low effort on your part.
Here, we’ll take a look at more than 20 free money apps that will put some extra money in your pocket with minimal time or effort.
While you’re not going to get rich or generate a full-time income from these apps, you will be able to get a little bit of extra money that you can spend, save, or invest. And best of all, anyone can do it.
Best Free Money Apps
1. Swagbucks
Best for: Earning easy money in lots of different ways during your spare time.
If you’re looking to make some extra money in your down time, you’ll definitely want to check out Swagbucks. This popular website and app gives you several different ways to make money including:
Taking short surveys
Watching videos
Playing games
Downloading and installing apps
Taking advantage of special offers
Cashback for your online purchases
Using the Swagbucks search engine
Most people know Swagbucks as a survey app, and while that’s true, you can make more money with Swagbucks than most other survey apps because there are so many different ways to earn.
Each task or activity will earn you a specified number of points (referred to as “Swagbucks” or SB). After you’ve accumulated some SB, they can be redeemed for your choice of rewards, including cash via PayPal or a wide variety of gift cards.
The best way to earn significant amounts of money with Swagbucks is to take advantage of special offers. When you’re logged in to the dashboard, click on “Discover” to see the offers that are currently available. You might be able to earn Swagbucks by creating an account at a website, opening a bank account, starting a free trial, or any number of other things. The offers change frequently and if you take advantage of the highest-paying offers while they’re available, you can do pretty well with Swagbucks.
One of the many reasons to love Swagbucks is that you can redeem your rewards very quickly. While some sites/apps don’t allow you to cash out until you’ve earned $20 – $30 in rewards, Swagbucks allows you to redeem your rewards for as little as $3. They also run a lot of sales, which allows you to get a higher value gift card for your points.
Get Swagbucks here|Read our Swagbucks review
2. InboxDollars
Best for: Supplementing Swagbucks as another way to make money with easy tasks.
InboxDollars is very similar to Swagbucks. As an InboxDollars user, you’ll be able to make money by:
Taking surveys
Watching videos
Playing games
Printing coupons
Shopping online
Claiming special offers
Like Swagbucks, the best way to earn money quickly with InboxDollars is through the special offers. The available offers will change periodically, but as an example of what you’ll find, right now here are a few of the offers that I see in my dashboard:
$10 to get a free insurance quote
$2 to enter a competition/giveaway
$1.50 to download an app and create a free account
$2 to get a free credit score and credit report analysis
Those are just a few examples of what’s available. If you take advantage of these easy offers, you can earn a decent amount of money with very little effort.
Unlike Swagbucks and many other similar sites, InboxDollars doesn’t work on a point system. Instead of earning points that will be redeemed for prizes, you’ll earn real cash. Each task or offer has an assigned dollar amount that you’ll earn.
InboxDollars requires you to have a balance of at least $10 in order to redeem your cash.
Get InboxDollars here| Read our InboxDollars review
3. Survey Junkie
Best for: Making money with simple online surveys.
While you can make money by taking surveys with both Swagbucks and InboxDollars, Survey Junkie is a bit different. Instead of offering surveys plus several other ways to make money, Survey Junkie focuses exclusively on surveys.
If you want to earn cash through online surveys, the best approach is to use a few different websites and apps. If you’re really active, you may run out of available surveys from a particular app, until new surveys are added. Using a few different sites or apps gives you more possibilities. Plus, you can pick and choose the surveys you take since you’ll have more selection. You can opt to take only the surveys that allow you to earn the most money for your time.
Since Survey Junkie focuses exclusively on surveys, most people are able to make more at other sites like Swagbucks that have more options. However, if you’re looking specifically for surveys, there’s no better place to find them than Survey Junkie.
When you create an account and login to the dashboard, you’ll need to take a brief profile survey with some details about yourself so you can be matched up to the right surveys (you’ll also earn a little money for completing this intro survey).
Then you’ll see a list of the available surveys. Each one will list the amount that you’ll earn for completing it, as well as the estimated amount of time it will take to complete the survey.
Get Survey Junkie here.
4. Vindale Research
Best for: Supplementing Survey Junkie as a source of paid surveys.
Vindale Research is another survey website/app that allows you to earn money by:
Completing short surveys
Watching videos
Opening promotional emails
Referring your friends
Although Vindale offers a few different ways to make money, taking surveys is the primary offer here. You’ll earn real cash that can be redeemed by PayPal.
Vindale Research is a good option for anyone who wants to make money with online surveys. The income potential is not as high as Swagbucks or InboxDollars, but Vindale is worth including in your collection of sites/apps that you use for surveys.
Get Vindale Research here
5. Rakuten
Best for: Easy cashback for online purchases at thousands of websites.
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is the most popular cashback website/app and you can save money on many of the purchases that you would be making anyway.
With a free Rakuten account, you’ll earn cash back at thousands of their partner stores and websites. While there are some options for cashback on in-store purchases, the majority of the offers are for online purchases.
Thankfully, using Rakuten is extremely simple. They offer a convenient browser extension you can install, and then whenever you visit a website that offers cashback through Rakuten, you’ll see a notice in your browser. All you need to do is click on that notification and Rakuten will track any purchases that you make and credit your count with the appropriate amount of cashback.
If you do any shopping online, using Rakuten is a no-brainer. It takes no extra effort and you can save money on a lot of the things you need to buy. The browser extension is awesome because you don’t even have to remember, it will notify you of opportunities. The browser extension will also automatically search for and apply coupon codes when you’re checking out, which will also save you a lot of money.
The amount of cashback you’ll earn will vary depending on the store and the specific purchase. It can range from 1% up to 50%.
One of my favorite things about Rakuten is the fact that you can stack these rewards on top of credit card rewards and other loyalty rewards to save even more.
Get Rakuten here | Read our Rakuten review
6. Ibotta
Best for: Cash back on grocery shopping.
Ibotta is another must-have cashback app. Unlike Rakuten, Ibotta is great for in-store purchase, as well as online shopping.
There are a few different ways you can use Ibotta:
Claim offers in the app and then scan your receipt after purchasing.
Link your store loyalty accounts from your favorite retailers to earn cashback faster.
Buy gift cards for your favorite stores and restaurants to earn cash back on the entire amount.
Earn cash back for online purchases that originate through the app or website.
With the help of Ibotta, you can save money on groceries, clothing, home goods, and more. Ibotta is easily one of the best ways to save money on groceries since they are partnered with many leading grocery stores and there are always a lot of offers available.
Before you go shopping, you’ll simply browse the current offers in the Ibotta app and claim the items that you want to purchase. After the purchase, you’ll scan the receipt using the Ibotta app and you’ll be credited for the offered items that you purchased. Alternatively, you can link your store loyalty account to Ibotta so you won’t need to scan receipts.
And just like Rakuten, Ibotta is great for stacking rewards on multiple levels. If you’re shopping for groceries, you can earn cashback through Ibotta, earn cashback or rewards through your credit card, and rack up loyalty points through the store’s program.
Get Ibotta here | Read our Ibotta review
7. Fetch Rewards
Best for: Supplementing Ibotta to save more money on groceries.
Fetch Rewards is another cashback app, but it was created specifically for grocery shopping. It works a little bit differently than Ibotta. You don’t need to claim offers ahead of time. You’ll simply do your shopping and then scan the receipt with your phone or submit the digital receipt for your online grocery shopping.
The best thing about Fetch Rewards is that it’s very easy to use since you don’t need to browse and claim offers before you go shopping. You’ll simply open the app and scan your receipts. At any time, you can browse the app to see the available offers and see what purchases will earn you money, but you don’t need to claim anything. The cashback will be automatically added when your receipt is scanned.
In general, most people earn more cashback with Ibotta, but Fetch Rewards is great to use in addition.
Once you’ve accumulated some rewards, you’ll be able redeem them for your choice of gift cards.
Get Fetch Rewards here | Read our Fetch Rewards review
8. MyPoints
Best for: Alternative to Rakuten, plus surveys and other ways to make money.
MyPoints has a cashback component that is similar to Rakuten. You’ll earn cashback for your purchases at all of their partner websites. MyPoints also has a browser extension you can install that will notify you of money-saving opportunities while you’re browsing.
In addition, you can also earn money in a few other ways like taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, and printing coupons. Like Swagbucks and InboxDollars, there are also special offers available through the dashboard that allow you to earn points quickly.
MyPoints uses a points system and then those points can be redeemed for gift cards or your choice of rewards. However, the conversion of points to dollars is not as straightforward as Swagbucks, so MyPoints can be a little confusing. For example, a $10 gift card might cost you 1,590 points. The fact that it’s not a round number makes it a little more challenging to know how much your points are worth.
If you’re looking to make money with surveys, special offers, or cashback, MyPoints is definitely and app that you should be using.
Get MyPoints here
9. TopCashback
Best for: Maximizing your cashback for online purchases (offers are sometimes better than Rakuten).
TopCashback is very similar to Rakuten and it’s one of the best ways to get easy cash back for your online purchases. They have a huge collection of more than 4,000 partner retailers offering cash back through their platform.
Rakuten is the most-well-known cashback program and probably the easiest to use, but TopCashback actually offers higher amounts of cashback in many cases. Of course, the details vary from one retailer to the next, but TopCashback has done a really great job of providing users with the best offers possible.
If you’re looking to maximize the cashback you earn, you should be using TopCashback in addition to Rakuten. Like Rakuten, TopCashback also offers a browser extension and mobile app that provide easy and convenient ways to save on many of the purchases you need to make anyway.
Get TopCashback here
10. Dosh
Best for: Automated cashback from participating merchants, including local retailers and restuarants.
Dosh is a cashback app that provides automatic cashback. When you download and install the app, you’ll link it to your credit cards or debit cards and then whenever you make a purchase at a participating retailer, you’ll automatically earn the cashback for your purchase.
When you’re in the Dosh app, you can view the offers from retailers and restaurants that are near you. You can also shop online through the app and earn cashback.
One of the nice things about Dosh is that you’ll find cashback offers from many smaller businesses and local restaurants, not just the major retailers and chains.
After you’ve earned some cashback, you can redeem it by having it transferred directly to your bank account.
Get Dosh here | Read our Dosh review
11. Pei
Best for: Automated cashback, plus savings through the app/website.
Pei is another cashback app that allows you to link a credit or debit card to earn automatic cashback. You’ll earn cashback automatically from purchases made in-store at participating retailers, and you can also browse the app or website to find offers for shopping online.
You can even use Pei as a search engine to search for merchants or products and see if there are any current offers.
Pei is a great app for earning cashback on in-store purchases because it’s so simple to use and there’s really nothing you need to do after linking your cards.
One of the most interesting things about Pei is that you can claim your rewards in Bitcoin instead of cash, if you prefer.
12. Lucktastic
Best for: A chance at winning large prizes by playing games.
Lucktastic is a free app that allows you to earn money and rewards by playing games. You can win expensive trips and huge cash prizes (up to $1 million) with Lucktastic.
If you’re not lucky enough to win one of the big prizes, you can still earn tokens as you play and redeem those tokens for your choice of gift cards.
While hitting it big with Lucktastic certainly isn’t something that everyone is going to do, it can still be a fun way to try and make some money while playing games in your spare time. If you’re looking for something that gives you a more predictable way to earn money, the options covered earlier in the article would be more appropriate for you.
Get Lucktastic here
13. Mistplay
Best for: Earning smaller rewards, like gift cards, for playing games.
Mistplay is another app (available only for Android) that pays users for playing games. You can find and discover new games, earn units based on how long you play, and redeem those units for your choice of rewards.
As you use the app, you’ll be able to unlock different achievement badges and earn more units.
To date, Mistplay has paid out more than $13 million in rewards. Try another app that pays you to game here: Gamehag
Get Mistplay here
14. Zap Surveys
Best for: A good source for surveys that actually pay out.
Zap Surveys is the #1 survey app, and by using the app you can get paid to share your opinion on a variety of topics. To date they’ve paid out over $30 million dollars in rewards to Zap Surveys members, and when you sign up with our link you’ll earn $6.25 on your first survey.
Types of surveys they have include:
High paying surveys where you will not only be rewarded, but we will also donate to child starvation every completed survey!
Logo polling – get paid to tell companies what design they should use for their next logo!
Surveys that appear based on your location!
There is no limit to the number of times you can cash out, but the minimum cash out is $25.00. Cash out with PayPal, Amazon gift cards or Visa gift cards!
Get Zap Surveys here
15. Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel
Best for: A chance at monthly prizes, in exchange for your browsing data.
Nielsen is a data research company that’s willing to pay for your browsing data. Nielsen can be used on laptops in addition to mobile devices.
You’ll simply download it to your computer or device and let it run in the background. In exchange, you’ll be rewarded for leaving it active and have a chance to win the $10,000 that Nielsen gives away each month.
Get Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel here
16. Embee Meter CX
Best for: Passive rewards for your mobile browsing data.
Embee Meter CX is another mobile data research app (Android only) that rewards you for providing access to your device. Simply install the app on your device and you’ll earn “meter points” for leaving it active.
You can redeem the meter points for cash through PayPal or your choice of gift cards. Like Nielsen and MobileXpression, Embee Meter CX is an easy way to earn a little something extra.
Get Embee Meter CX here
17. UpVoice
Best for: Passive rewards for visiting websites you probably already visit.
UpVoice is another easy way to earn something for the things you’re already doing. You probably already visit websites like Amazon, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter on a daily basis, so why not get some rewards for it?
All you need to do is download UpVoice to your computer and let it run in the background. You’ll earn tokens whenever you visit these sites. After you’ve earned enough tokens, they can be redeemed for your choice of gift cards.
UpVoice obviously monitors your browsing, however, it’s anonymous and no personal data is tracked.
Get UpVoice here
18. Honeygain
Best for: Payment for sharing your internet access.
Honeygain is another option for earning money passively, but you don’t have to provide access to your data in order to do it. Instead, you’ll install Honeygain and it will allow users to access the internet from your location. There are a number of reasons why a business would want to do this, including testing to see what ads are being shown to a user at your location.
Other users don’t get any access to your data through Honeygain, and you’ll earn money for providing the internet access.
Like the other passive apps, you’re not going to get rich with Honeygain, but it does present an easy way to make a little bit of extra money.
Get Honeygain here
19. Rocket Money
Best for: Bill negotiation services to lower your monthly payments.
Rocket Money helps you to manage your finances in a few different ways, but the most significant is by reducing your monthly bills through negotiation. You can allow Rocket Money’s professional negotiators to work on your behalf to get you the best deal cable TV, internet access, mobile phone service, and more.
If Rocket Money isn’t able to save you any money, you’ll be charged nothing. If they are able to lower your bills, they’ll keep 40% of the savings.
Get Rocket Money here
20. Trim
Best for: Bill negotiation services to lower your monthly payments.
Trim is another bill negotiation service that’s similar to Rocket Money. Both companies offer some additional features and services as well, but the bill negotiation is the easiest way to save money.
Trim’s rates for bill negotiation are actually a little lower than Rocket Money. Just like Rocket Money, they won’t charge anything if they can’t save you any money, but they’ll take 33% of any savings.
Get Trim here
21. Paribus
Best for: Monitoring price changes for low-price guarantees and monitoring shipments from Amazon.
*Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up for Capital One Shopping using the links below.
Paribus from Capital One helps you to get easy money that is owed to you. You’ll sign up for free and link it to the email account you use for online shopping. Whenever Paribus sees a receipt it will automatically go to work.
After you’ve made a purchase, Paribus will monitor price changes and notifies you if the price has dropped on a purchase from a retailer with a price-match guarantee. They’ll tell you exactly what to do in order to get the refund that is owed to you.
Paribus also monitors shipments from retailers like Amazon and helps you to get compensation when a shipment is late.
Get Capital One’s other shopping tool, Capital One Shopping, to save money when you’re shopping online. The browser extenstion will tell you if you’re getting a good price, help you comparison shop and more. Read a full Capital One Shopping review here.
Get Paribus here | Get Capital One Shopping
22. Upside
Best for: Saving money on your gas.
Upside is a savings app that helps you to find the best prices on gas, and also get additional cash back savings once you find the best price.
Not only can you get cash back on gas, but many local restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores have cash back offers available as well.
Upside works with major gas stations like Shell, BP, Exxon, Speedway, Holiday Stations and more. See gas prices near you at 9000+ stations and earn fuel rewards with real cash back every time you fuel up.
I’ve found that the stations near me typically advertise around $0.25 cents/gallon savings on their gas prices. You can also save additional money on the price by referring other users to the app.
We’ve been using the app quite a bit for Burger King and Wendy’s restaurants in our area as they give anywhere from 25-40% cash back on your order. That’s pretty awesome, and it usually stacks with cash back from other services like Dosh or Pei!
In checking our cash back history just now I realized we’ve earned over $1210 in cash back using Upside. I’ll take that!
You can cash out whenever you want in the app, and they pay cash back via PayPal, check, or gift card.
Sign up for the app through our link below, and use promo code: AFF25 to get an extra 0.25 cents/gal cash back on gas on your first fill-up.
Get Upside here
23. ReceiptPal
Best for: Making money on all of your receipts, no matter where they come from.
ReceiptPal is a receipt scanning app, similar to Fetch Rewards mentioned above. Often you can use multiple apps like this to earn rewards at more than one service. I personally use ReceiptPal and Fetch Rewards for most of my grocery receipts.
With ReceiptPal you earn rewards points simply for scanning all of your paper receipts, along with getting points for linked Amazon or email accounts where additional receipts can be counted.
For every 4 receipts you can you’ll get 100 points that you can use towards a reward. You can redeem your points with as little as 2200 points for a $5 Amazon gift card, or a Target, Lowe’s Best Buy or Visa gift card, among a few others. You can also refer other users and earn 250 points per user.
While it takes a while to earn rewards with ReceiptPal, I like it because it’s easy, and you’re taking something that wouldn’t otherwise earn rewards, scanning receipts, and monetizing it.
I just started using it a few months ago and so far I’ve been able to cash in my points for several $5 and $10 Amazon gift cards.
Get ReceiptPal here
Make Money With Apps In Your Free Time
While these apps may not make you rich, even a small amount of extra money is a good thing.
These free money apps work in various ways, but they all help you to make or save money with little-to-no effort needed.
Have your own favorite apps that you’ve used to make money? Tell us what they are in the comments!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there apps that pay you cash?
Yes, there are countless apps that will pay you in cash, bitcoin and gift cards. I’ve earned thousands of dollars myself by using many of these apps, and you can too. Check out our full list of apps at Bible Money Matters for more information.
What apps pay you instantly?
Most apps allow you to earn points until you reach a certain payout threshold. Some secret shopper and gig apps like Field Agent, Gigwalk or Mobee will give you an instant payout. Uber and lyft will also allow you to do a same day cashout, although there are some limitations. Other services like DoorDash will offer an immediate payout once you’ve been with them for a while, but not before.
What cash back apps are the best?
My favorite cash back apps are Upside, Drop, Ibotta, Fetch Rewards and Dosh. Apps like Dosh, Drop, and Upside even work automatically with no receipt scanning or anything else, once you link a credit card. I use them the most becaause they’re the easiest to use.
What apps pay you money to play games?
There are a lot of apps and websites that pay you to play games. Some of the more popular ones include Swagbucks, Mistplay, Gamehag, Inbox Dollars, Lucktastic, MyPoints, and Bananatic.
Can you make money from apps?
Yes, you can make money from apps. Some apps will pay you for doing your online shopping using their app. Others will pay you to fill out surveys, or to scan your receipts from your in-store purchases. Others will pay you to perform small tasks, or to partake in the gig economy (dog walking, ridesharing, etc). Others you can use to sell your stuff, and then get a payout when it sells. It just comes down to deciding how much time you have to invest, and how much you want to make.
Which apps pay the most?
The highest paying apps are probably going to be the ones where you’re actually engaging in a side hustle to earn income. Apps like Uber, Lyft, Rover and other gig economy apps can help you to earn close to a full time income. Other apps will have good sign up bonuses that it pays to take advantage of. Empower has a $20 Amazon gift card to sign up, Ibotta has a $10 sign-up bonus. Otherwise, other apps may take a while to earn as much as you want.
Home mortgage rates are lower than they’ve ever been right now.
A lot of people are thinking about refinancing their home in hopes of dropping their rate and payment significantly.
I’m one of those people.
If you’re in the middle of the process of trying to find a good rate on a mortgage, one thing you’re probably doing is staying on top of your credit score. If you want to get the best rate possible it’s important to keep tabs on your credit score and make sure that it’s as high as possible because if it’s not, it can cost you thousands of dollars in interest via a higher rate.
Not sure what a good credit score is?
To get the best possible rate you’ll most likely need somewhere in the range of a 750-850 credit score.
Use The Credit Sesame App To Check Your Credit Score
There are several ways to check your credit score for free right now, and one of my favorites is Credit Sesame.
I wrote a review of Credit Sesame a while back where I gave several reasons why I like using their site, including:
Free credit score! You can get your Experian credit score for free once a month. Better than paying to get your FICO score!
You can check your score regularly: Since they update your score every month, you can check it every month and see how your credit trends using their pretty graphs.
Better mortgage options: Credit Sesame will look at your loans and search for better deals. You can apply for a new mortgage or a refinance right through their site.
Now with the new Android credit score app from Credit Sesame, it’s easier than ever to stay on top of your credit score.
Credit Sesame Mobile Credit Score App
The new Android Credit Sesame credit score app is a great way to stay on top of your credit while on the go (The iOS version has been released for a while).
If you’re in the middle of trying to refinance like we are, it’s an easy 2-3 click process to check your credit score before you send in a mortgage application. Here’s a quick look at the app itself on my Android phone:
So what are some things you can do within the app? Let’s take a look.
Check Your Credit Score On The Go
The first and main thing you can do with the app is check your credit score on the go.
You just open the app, login with your 4 digit pin or fingerprint login, and then click on the “credit score” button.
Within the app you’ll see what your credit score is, the last time your credit score was updated (it updates once per month), and then it will show you a trending graph showing you how your credit score has trended the last few months.
If you’ve been making changes to try and improve your score, this would be a good place to go and see if the changes are having an effect.
The credit score section will also show you how much of your credit you’re utilizing, and show you the trend on that as well so you know how much you’ve used over time.
Check Your Credit And Total Debt
The second page in the app is the “Analysis” section where you can view your “My Credit” tab, or your “My Debt” tab.
In the “My Credit” section you’ll see your credit history, and a credit score breakdown.
The “My Debt” tab will show all your loans and debt that you currently have. It will show your credit cards, your home loans and any other debt that you’ve incurred.
In addition to the total debt number shown it will also give you an indication if your debt is going up or down.
Within the total debt section there is also a “total monthly payment” screen where it will show you your total monthly minimum payments on your debt. For me that mainly just includes our home mortgage. For others that have credit card debt, student loans and more it will show one large number for all of those, and then break it down by the individual debts. Nice way to keep track of your debts and stay on top of them.
Home Value And Equity
The third tab in the app is for the “home value” section. When you click into that screen it will show you the value of your home, based on an automated valuation pulled from DataQuick.com. If you’ve entered your own manual home value within the Credit Sesame website (or from within the app) that will show here as well. I entered my own value as I felt the estimate was off by a good $30,000. You can then also see the trend of your home’s value over time. Ours unfortunately has gone down quite a bit.
In the second section of the home value tab you’ll find the “home equity” area. This will show you how much equity you’ve built up in your home since you bought it. Our number is pretty low since values in our area have dropped significantly since we bought.
Offers & Savings Advice
The last section in the app that we’ll mention is the “savings advice” tab. While I think you’re better suited to check out this information on the full website, it’s pretty simple to see here in the app as well.
Credit Sesame will look at your current financial situation and find ways for you to optimize and save money. If you have a home loan it will give you refinance offers that you can take advantage of, and you can even apply for the loans from the app. Simple.
Conclusion
I love Credit Sesame’s website and service because they make it free and accessible for most people to get a peak at their TransUnion credit score. That makes the process of searching out and finding a home mortgage or refinance that much less stressful.
Now that they’ve also got a mobile app for Android in addition to their iOS apps, it’s that much easier.
I’d highly recommend everyone to check it out, especially since it’s free. Sign up through the link below!
Get Your Free Credit Sesame Account And Mobile Credit Score App!
What are your thoughts on the app? Have you tried it, and did you like it? What things could they add to it?
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The following credit resource question was submitted by a Minter on Mint’s Facebook page.
Question: “Why is it incredibly cumbersome to get your credit report and FICO score? There are so many detours, traps, and dead-ends! Where can I go to go to get trustworthy information about my credit history and credit score?”
Answer: This question exposes what many of us in the credit space already know…it’s a jungle out there!
Smart consumers understand that it’s important to have good credit. The first step to maintaining a good credit score is to get your credit reports from time to time so you can see what the credit bureaus are saying about you. T
his process is supposed to be easy enough so claiming your credit reports doesn’t become burdensome to the point you do it once, and never again.
SmartMoney published an article a little over a year ago identifying the significant growth of websites that sell credit-related products and services. At publication time, the number was “more than 20 websites,” which was up from five a decade prior.
Multiple destinations offering similar credit-related products and services can sometimes leave the consumer feeling confused as to which are the most appropriate and reputable.
So, in an effort to help out the Minter who asked the question, and anyone else who finds the online credit landscape a little confusing, I’ve come up with reputable outlets you can use to stay engaged with your credit and credit-related rights.
Getting Free Credit Reports
You have the right under Federal law to claim your free credit reports once every 12 months. In order to leverage these rights, you have to go to www.annualcreditreport.com. This is the only website where you can claim your legitimately free credit reports provided for under Federal law.
If you live in Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Puerto Rico or Vermont, you’re entitled to one additional free credit report per year (either calendar year or every 12 months, depending on the state). Georgia residents get two free reports per calendar year.
In order to claim your state law freebie, you have to go directly to the credit bureaus’ websites, which are www.Equifax.com, www.Experian.com and www.TransUnion.com. You cannot claim your free credit report per state law via the annualcreditreport.com website.
I’ve said this over and over, but it’s worth repeating: the credit reporting agencies are not going to sneak up behind you and stick a credit report in your pocket because they’re not obligated to do so. You have to ask for them.
Getting Free Credit Scores or Buying FICO Scores
You do NOT have the right under any law for free annual credit scores, although a provision in Dodd-Frank requires that if your credit score was used to make an adverse decision in response to a credit application, then the lender has to give you your score for free.
There are a variety of outlets that will give you a score if you sign up for a credit monitoring service trial subscription. Opinions vary on whether or not that’s “free” or “conditionally free.”
I’m not here to have that argument. I’m here to show you where you can get free credit scores without a chance of being charged anything.
www.CreditSesame.com will give you a free credit score from Experian called the “Experian National Risk Model.” It’s a legit credit score that’s available for sale to lenders.
It’s not a FICO score, but it will give you a very good idea of what kind of credit risk you pose to lenders. No credit card is required for claim your free score.
www.CreditKarma.com will give you a free TransRisk credit score from TransUnion, which is also commercially available to lenders. Again, it’s not a FICO score, but it will give you an idea of your credit risk.
You can also get your VantageScore credit score from the site. VantageScore is also a credit score available to lenders. No credit card is required to claim your free score.
www.myFICO.com will sell you your FICO scores based on Equifax and/or TransUnion data. myFICO is the consumer division of FICO (formerly known as Fair, Isaac) and these are the guys that invented the ubiquitous FICO credit score. The cost is $19.95 per credit report and score.
www.Equifax.com will sell you your FICO score based only on Equifax data. Be aware that they also sell a non-FICO score. Point being, if you want to get your FICO score, then be sure it says “FICO score” and not simply “credit score.” The cost is $19.95.
Freezing Your Credit Reports
In my mind, the credit freeze is infinitely more effective at protecting you from identity theft than simply monitoring your credit reports. Freezing your credit reports is proactive and locks out any lender trying to process new credit applications.
Monitoring your credit reports is reactive and tells you after something bad has already happened. The good news is that freezing your credit reports is much less expensive than paying monthly subscriptions to monitor your credit report.
To freeze your credit reports you can go to…
Stopping or Minimizing Credit Card Offers
Under Federal law, you have the right to prevent the credit reporting agencies from selling your name to creditors who want to offer you preapproved offers of credit. This is often called “Opting Out.”
If you’re not opted out, then your name can be sold, normally to credit card issuers, who will take a first pass at screening your credit reports and FICO score. If you meet or surpass their criteria you may get a firm offer of credit in the mail.
If you want to ensure that your name is never screened like this again, you can opt out for free here. This is 100% free and you can always opt back in if you want to start getting preapproved credit card offers in the mail again. After a few months you’ll be surprised just how empty your mailbox is.
Do you have a credit question for John Ulzheimer? Visit Mint’s Facebook page and ask away!
John Ulzheimer is the President of Consumer Education at SmartCredit.com, the credit blogger for Mint.com, and a contributor for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. He is an expert on credit reporting, credit scoring and identity theft. Formerly of FICO, Equifax and Credit.com, John is the only recognized credit expert who actually comes from the credit industry. The opinions expressed in his articles are his and not of Mint.com or Intuit. Follow John on Twitter.
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A photo of the homepage of Facebook.com in Firefox. Note: Shallow focus on the ‘eb’ in ‘facebook’.
Sacramento, California, USA – February 25, 2011: Facebook.com’s homepage displayed in a Firefox browser on a computer monitor. Facebook is the world’s most popular social networking website.
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In an ideal world, your monthly cash flow would cover all your expenses — both expected and unexpected — and enable you to reach your financial goals. But financial situations are rarely ever that simple and straightforward.
What happens if something comes up in your life and your monthly budget nor your cash savings can handle the expense? There’s always the option to borrow, and while being in debt isn’t ideal, there are situations where it may make sense.
Before you take out your credit card and rack up a balance, look into other options. A personal loan might be a better financial bet.
What Is a Personal Loan (and Why Get One)?
A personal loan is a type of unsecured loan. “Unsecured” means you don’t put up collateral against the loan. When you take out a personal loan, you’ll typically receive the amount borrowed in a lump sum with fixed payment terms and a set interest rate.
Personal loans may be better options than credit cards because they offer better interest rates. Costing you less can be the biggest benefit, but a personal loan is also a different kind of credit account than a credit card. Managing various types of credit is one small action you can take to improve your credit score.
Keep in mind this is only true if you manage accounts and loans wisely. Here’s how to do so.
How to Manage Your Personal Loan Responsibly
Again, in an ideal world, you wouldn’t need to borrow money or wait a very long period of time to save up to buy what you want. But in real life, things happen and timelines shift. Taking out a personal loan can be an option. You just need to plan and act responsibly with the sum you borrow.
Don’t request more than you can reasonably afford to repay — and don’t take out a loan for a greater amount that what you truly need the money for. Not only do you need to pay that money back, but you’ll need to pay loan origination fees and whatever the interest rate on, making this option more expensive in the long run than simply using cash.
Create a repayment plan and stick to it. Know how much you need to allocate toward repaying your personal loan each month, and make it a priority in your budget. You may need to cut back on some discretionary spending, like meals out and shopping trips, in order to knock that loan out on time.
And before you take out any loan, make sure you fully understand the terms. Understand all the fees associated with the loan, and ask the lender if there are penalties for repaying the loan early.
What About Consolidating Debt with a Personal Loan?
Remember how it may make sense to take a personal loan over racking up credit card debt, thanks to a potentially lower interest rate? If you already have credit card debt across multiple cards and a high debt-to-income ratio, it may make sense to consolidate that debt with a personal loan.
This might be beneficial if you can get a lower interest rate on the personal loan than what you’re paying on your credit cards, and if you could afford the monthly repayment on the personal loan.
Like most other financial products, personal loans can be useful tools — but only if you wield them wisely and responsibly. Before applying for a personal loan, consider your overall financial health with a free credit score and report and consider if this is the right move for you.
Kali Hawlk is a freelance writer and the co-founder of Off The Rails, a free mentorship platform for creative women. She’s passionate about helping others do more with their money, their work, and their lives. Get in touch by tweeting @KaliHawlk.
From the Mint team: Everyone has different needs and desires as it relates to their financial situation. Mint’s new Loan Center has select personal loan and student refinancing options that may suit your needs (and have passed our sniff test!).
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