1. YOU SAVE MONEY! Credit Unions save American Consumers more than $13 Billion a year, roughly $170 per household!*

2. Credit Unions support their communities in MANY ways. From financial literacy initiatives to community service, from outreach and social initiatives to scholarship programs, credit unions are dedicated to making communities happier and financially healthier. Read more about our efforts.

3. Strength in numbers. Credit Unions stick together. By joining forces, we are able to compete with large financial institutions and offer a comparable level of convenience in services, technology, support, and resources. Our Shared Branching network ranks fourth in the nation (among the biggest banks) for branch locations. Think we're not convenient? Think again.

4. Superior service from helpful staff. Credit Unions pride themselves on treating members with respect and offering products and services that provide the most benefit to the member, not based on what makes the most money for the credit union. Ongoing training, supportive working conditions, community involvement and other incentives lead to an informed, loyal workforce. And members reap the rewards. They get friendly appreciation, knowledgeable assistance and, best of all, a warm welcome.

5. Your credit union is where you are. With convenient locations, free ATM networks, online and mobile account access, your credit union is convenient, and accessible to you (the member). The Shared Branching network offers many credit union members with access to more than 4,000 branches nationwide, making credit unions MORE convenient than most banks.

6. You can be involved at a credit union. Did you know that the Board of Directors at a credit union is comprised of members who volunteer their time, are unpaid, and elected by the credit union membership? If you want to step up and help determine your credit union's focus, direction, and array of products and services it offers, join the Board! Plus, when you open an account, you are technically a partial owner of the credit union.

7. Special discounts from many retailers. Many retail companies are jumping on board and giving credit union members special discounts on their products and services. The Invest in America program is continually adding new partners to their network. Learn more at www.lovemycreditunion.org . Dell has also partnered with credit unions to provide members with exclusive savings. Learn more at www.dell.com/cuprogram.

8. The best in credit cards. You'll find some of the lowest credit card rates in the industry at credit unions. In addition, you'll find some of the lowest fees. All while still offering rewards programs and cash back options.

9. Credit unions are not for profit, financial cooperatives. Credit unions care for the financial well-being of their members and offer real solutions to everyday problems. We offer a hand up, not a hand out, and are there for our members in good times and in bad. Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions and return any money made after operational costs back to the members in the form of lower interest rates on loans, higher rates on savings, and lower fees on products and services. So we truly are a better place for your hard-earned money.

10. The financial products you want from someone you can trust. Credit unions offer checking and savings accounts, mortgage and auto loans, and other financial services that benefit their members often at better rates and with lower fees than most financial institutions because our members own us. Credit unions are safe, sound financial institutions that are strongly regulated like other insitutions. All credit union accounts are insured up to $250,000, and in many cases more.