And my CU Stats...
NFCU - Membership: about 18 months (25% of my direct deposit goes here)
Eligible through father. Joined online, instant approval. Gave me a LOT of credit when compared to my finances. Secured Visa for a few hundred $. CLOC - $3500 start CLI to $15k after several months. Cash Rewards - $500, recon to $1000, CLI to $5000 (in one month), CLI to $8k, CLI to $14k, Auto CLI to $16.1k at 1 year mark. Flagship SL of $11k, CLI to $14k at 3 months. $45.1K total credit lines.
PenFed - Joined 18 months ago. (25% of my direct deposit goes here).
Had to recon through SM membership/savings account after second denial Would only open savings. Waited 6+ months, then opened Checking Account and accepted $500 Thrifty Credit Service. Have not been approved for a CC (6 attempts) or tried for PLOC (yet). I need to age out my inquiries.
Andigo (formerly MECU) -
Joined a Septmeber of '16. Opened Savings and Checking accounts. Applied for CC - denied. Got a call from their "pre-approval drive for Personal Loans" to refi debt. Was completely declined after lengthy process of going through all my cards and explaining how much I wanted to pay off from each (closure was not a condition). Most of my cards carry $0 balance, but I have a few that do have balances from recent home purchase (furnishings... why are window shades so expensive?) Declined, and have not attempted recon. Everyone was SUPER nice and very responsive. Rates are good. Will wait and try again in early 2017.
They seem to count available credit in DTI calculations. Current have over 3:1 Credit Limit:Income ratio.
RBFCU -
Former member from childhood. Opened account about 12 months ago. Approved for low rate card for $1000 @ 9.x% - tried to CLI last month - no dice. Too many new accounts, and debt vs. income.
SDFCU - 20 months.
Opened savings and secured card for $250 at 5.99% simultaneously. Currently trying to get unsecured card. Have closed secured card as I don't want to add any more to it. They accidently increased my limit to $20,000 at 1 month. I balance transferred a Personal loan and some CC debt to the card for $11k. They called 3 months later when they figured it out, we worked out a plan that they would lock the card, but not decrease the limit as I paid it down. When I got to $5k balance, they tried to CLD back to the $250, and after some emails, they CLI'd to $10k, but I just paid it off at that point. Then CLD back to $250.
Currently have open app for Unsecured card, and trying to get them to say Yes to that for any amount. If no, will probably close account, or at least the Checking and will stop adding savings.
DCU - Joined Summer of '15
Was trying to get a CC from them, but ended up refinancing my car at an awesome rate instead. Friendly, and they will tell you what score you need to qualify for best rates (675 I think). Discount on Auto Loan if you Direct Deposit with them.
ALLIANT - Joined Fall of '15
Have a savings account. Declined for CC... Too many INQ's / New Accounts. Will try again next year.
UNIFY (formerly Western) - Joined Spring of '16
Have a savings account. Declined for CC. Will try again Summer of '17
Non-Credit Union No Fee Banking
USAA - Joined 26 years ago. (Currently my main direct deposit.)
Burned them with Charge Off during financial difficulties in '11 for $1500 (on $2k limit). Settled Charge Off in June of '15, approved for Classic Visa two weeks later at $1500, auto CLI to $2500 June of '16. Approved for Amex Rewards Plus at $5k in November '15, CLI to $14k in September of '16. Approved for Visa Rewards Sig in May '16 for $5k. May try for CLI in December '16. Currently at $21.5k in credit, also have a used auto loan, auto insurance, and valuable property insurance with them. WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS BANK.
They are SUPER FAST at available funds from Mobile Deposit. I think I'm good for up to $10k instantly available.
SIMPLE - Joined Spring '15 (I think, maybe Summer).
NO FEES and I use this bank as a transfer station for no-fee no-bs transfers between several other banks. They take a few days in either direction, but that's fine. NO CC, but does come with a debit card. No fees (I don't use ATM's with them) so I'll keep it until something better comes along.
DISCOVER - Opened Checking Spring '16
Was looking for a personal loan for debt consolidation for after house/furnishings purchase. Declined. Leaving it open, because there are no fees. Discover debit card that looks nice, but no DD.
I think those are all the no fee banks I currently belong to. I have tried to join NASA several times, but they are always a pain in the tuchus. They approved my app once, but wanted SS card, Driver's License, Utility Bill, First Born Child, and Left Arm so I declined to send the docs and flesh. I do REALLY want the Space Shuttle CC... so, here's to early 2018 for trying again.
@baller4life wrote:That very well may be the case Irish! gibeon is gp'ing just that. Hopefully he doesn't have to join Longhorn Foundation. One less step.
I'm very interested in their 1.50% apr auto loans. I will probably give them my auto refi instead of DCU.
CURRENT RESULT: REFERRED TO BRANCH FOR OUT OF STATE ID (this MIGHT be because I called in and they're worried about fraud - my suspicion)
So I just got off the phone with a CSR who spoke with the New Accounts folks while I waited on Hold. They are referring me to a Branch, which I won't be able to visit - which should be in a couple months to visit my sister in Austin and Mother in SA. She said they don't HP for membership, but that they do run CHEX.
I'm going to wait for the official response email/mail, then try calling again. They did not accept my offer of faxing over documents, but I was talking to front-line, not the new accounts folks directly.
@baller4life wrote:
Ok thanks gibeon for confirming the sp for membership and that they run Chex. Any mention of needing the Longhorn Foundation proof of membership?
Oops... I forgot the most important part! Great question!
I tried to ask about that. I explained to the CSR that I was expecting the app to ask me about joining the association, and wanted to make sure that the hold-up wasn't for that issue. I didn't want to push, so I left it alone until I get an official letter/email, or I may call back if I get impatient tomorrow. (Particularly as I do have a pending charge for the $31 to open the accounts.)
The CSR stuck to the out-of-state ID as the only issue, and reiterated that they (New Accounts) were curious as to why someone who was out of state wanted to join, and were wondering if I was moving there soon.
I will definitely update when I find out more (and if I DO end up seeing an HP for membership, as their system definitely looked at a Credit Report to pull the verification questions.
Decided to test Irish's theory that the Longhorn Foundation donation wasn't needed. Joined online. Chose "None of the above but still want to join" for membership eligibility. Failed first time due to "security freeze". Well, EX was thawed. So that meant they tried to sp EQ which was locked. Opened my EQ monitoring app,unlocked it and re-submitted app. Instantly approved membership! Thanks Irish! Hook Em Horns!!! 😄😄😆
@baller4life wrote:
Joined online. Chose "None of the above but still want to join" for membership eligibility. Failed first time due to "security freeze". Well, EX was thawed. So that meant they tried to sp EQ which was locked. Opened my EQ monitoring app,unlocked it and re-submitted app. Instantly approved membership! Hook Em Horns!!! 😄😄😆
Congrats! Do you live locally? (or have Texas ID)
I'm now wondering if there are "other" reasons for my not instant approval...
@baller4life wrote:
Decided to test Irish's theory that the Longhorn Foundation donation wasn't needed. Joined online. Chose "None of the above but still want to join" for membership eligibility. Failed first time due to "security freeze". Well, EX was thawed. So that meant they tried to sp EQ which was locked. Opened my EQ monitoring app,unlocked it and re-submitted app. Instantly approved membership! Thanks Irish! Hook Em Horns!!! 😄😄😆
Glad you got in. Are you planning on applying for one of their credit products? What method(s) do they have for funding the accounts?