Banking with DCU instead of Wells Fargo

[KLEXH25]

Has anyone successfully done a majority of their banking with DCU, without being local to them in MA/NH? I live in another state, and last October I opened a checking, savings, & credit card when I applied for an auto loan with them. I’ve been meaning to change my direct deposit over to DCU and close my Wells Fargo, but I hesitate to make the complete change over because there aren’t any local DCU branches here. There is, however, a nearby CO-OP Shared Branch Location – does anyone know how that works? Should I just take the plunge, or should I maybe look into another large bank that is local (PNC, BoA, TD Bank, Chase)? I do also have accounts with Capital One (checking, savings, & CC) as well as Discover (savings & CC), but those are just online banks. I don't think I can juggle anymore accounts though!

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

[Anonymous]

I like DCU a lot and if they had Zelle instead of People Pay, I would have already made the switch. 

You get your direct deposit up to two days early; the relationship benefits mean lower rates on their other products and free checks; they have comprehensive control of what transactions, if any, are allowed on your debit card; they have pre-approvals for other products after 6 months of membership; they have excellent customer service; and just about anything can be done through the app or over the phone. 

CO-OP branches allow you to make deposits and withdrawals, check account balances, pay on loans, etc. You can’t open new accounts but you can do most things, including transfers between existing accounts. 

[DaveInAZ]

Yes, I'm in southern Arizona and have had checking, savings & car loan with DCU since Oct. 2017. The CO-OP Shared Branch works just fine, there's a local credit union nearby that belongs to the shared branch and I can make cash deposits or withdrawals just as if it was a DCU branch, you just need your DCU member #, photo ID, and tell them the last 4 of your social security. And with a direct deposit with DCU you get 'special relationship' status that includes free checks, ATM fee reimbursement, and 1/2% discount on loans.

I don't care for the large banks - Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo - because there so fee happy. I especially don't like Wells Fargo as I banked with them for 10 years and wonder now how I put up with them so long.

[jetsfan2013]

Cant speak for DCU - but have banked with credit unions for nearly a decade that weren't local to me. Love the service offered and would never go back to a big bank.

[SouthJamaica]

---

@KLEXH25 wrote:

Has anyone successfully done a majority of their banking with DCU, without being local to them in MA/NH? I live in another state, and last October I opened a checking, savings, & credit card when I applied for an auto loan with them. I’ve been meaning to change my direct deposit over to DCU and close my Wells Fargo, but I hesitate to make the complete change over because there aren’t any local DCU branches here. There is, however, a nearby CO-OP Shared Branch Location – does anyone know how that works? Should I just take the plunge, or should I maybe look into another large bank that is local (PNC, BoA, TD Bank, Chase)? I do also have accounts with Capital One (checking, savings, & CC) as well as Discover (savings & CC), but those are just online banks. I don't think I can juggle anymore accounts though!

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

---

DCU is great. I do almost all my banking online, but I do feel I need one with a nearby branch that I can walk into.

[KLEXH25]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I like DCU a lot and if they had Zelle instead of People Pay, I would have already made the switch. 

You get your direct deposit up to two days early; the relationship benefits mean lower rates on their other products and free checks; they have comprehensive control of what transactions, if any, are allowed on your debit card; they have pre-approvals for other products after 6 months of membership; they have excellent customer service; and just about anything can be done through the app or over the phone. 

---

What do you mean by that?

[KLEXH25]

---

@DaveInAZ wrote:

Yes, I'm in southern Arizona and have had checking, savings & car loan with DCU since Oct. 2017. The CO-OP Shared Branch works just fine, there's a local credit union nearby that belongs to the shared branch and I can make cash deposits or withdrawals just as if it was a DCU branch, you just need your DCU member #, photo ID, and tell them the last 4 of your social security. And with a direct deposit with DCU you get 'special relationship' status that includes free checks, ATM fee reimbursement, and 1/2% discount on loans.

I don't care for the large banks - Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo - because there so fee happy. I especially don't like Wells Fargo as I banked with them for 10 years and wonder now how I put up with them so long.

---

Thanks! That's really helpful. I agree about the large banks - their behavior is appalling. I guess I just like being able to access a branch wherever I go, but if I really think about it, that is a really small need, given how much we can do from our phones & computers now.

[Anonymous]

You can enable and disable things on the fly; I have tested it, it takes less than a minute to go into effect after setting. I leave my debit card off unless I am using Zelle or loading my Cash App debit. 

Same controls for their credit cards. 

[KLEXH25]

Ohhhhhhhh! The wording made me think that DCU could control what you could or couldn’t use your debit card for. I was worried there for a second lol. Definitely a great feature, thanks!

[iced]

---

@KLEXH25 wrote:

---

@DaveInAZ wrote:

Yes, I'm in southern Arizona and have had checking, savings & car loan with DCU since Oct. 2017. The CO-OP Shared Branch works just fine, there's a local credit union nearby that belongs to the shared branch and I can make cash deposits or withdrawals just as if it was a DCU branch, you just need your DCU member #, photo ID, and tell them the last 4 of your social security. And with a direct deposit with DCU you get 'special relationship' status that includes free checks, ATM fee reimbursement, and 1/2% discount on loans.

I don't care for the large banks - Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo - because there so fee happy. I especially don't like Wells Fargo as I banked with them for 10 years and wonder now how I put up with them so long.

---

Thanks! That's really helpful. I agree about the large banks - their behavior is appalling. I guess I just like being able to access a branch wherever I go, but if I really think about it, that is a really small need, given how much we can do from our phones & computers now.

---

My residence is in MA so I'm technically local (though not really - the nearest branch is 45 minutes by car), but I'm out of town 100+ days a year and have never had a problem getting things done with them, either in the US or abroad.

Honestly, the only benefit of theirs I've needed a local branch for was the free coinstar conversion, and that's something I do maybe once every 2-3 years. Everything else is via their mobile app. If I lived remote, I would either plan a trip to Boston every year or so and take care of coin deposits then or just eat the marginal cash cost to do it at a grocery store.