We tried to get a loan for a new garage two years ago from a “big” bank with no success. Now after saving for the last two years we are trying again. Are hometown credit unions a little easier to deal with? We can afford it, just neeed a lender.
Thanks Dream’n
RCU has been a lot easyer to deal with than anyone I have dealt with, credit unions are made by people for people from what I’ve seen,they are member organizations.
Stan 
Affinity Plus federal credit union has been great to me. I dumped the big banks 15 years ago and I haven’t looked back.
Spire Federal Credit Union, has been the easiest credit union I have ever dealt with. The are very fair. This credit union is in the Anoka Minnesota area. Send me a PM if you want further information.
Credit Union ALL THE WAY !!!!!!
Big banks are a joke 
I agree ….Spire Credit Union has been great to bank with for the last 25 years for me. Great loan rates…
Credit Union no other way to go in my opinion.
They are member owned and only charge rates and fees to keep the doors open and to pay staff. Banks operate to make a profit. Very different strategies.
A real life example for you to see.
After My wife and I got married we opened up joint accounts with a big bank in Cedar Rapids where we lived. I wanted to buy a truck. I was looking at a used truck less than $18,000. We had great credit and we both had full time jobs. She is an executive for a major company in our city. I work in the school district. Both of us have college degrees etc…
I have borrowed money since I was 16 years old for various expenses and have never been turned down for a loan by a credit union. We were not approved for a loan at the new bank. They said we were too new of customers and did not have enough accounts with their bank to qualify us for a loan. We had checking, savings, debit and credit cards. The last time I will ever us a bank for any business. We went to a credit union and opened up new accounts with the minimal amount in each account and was apporved for a loan before we left the credit union that day. By the way my wife now sits on the board of the Credit union we started to use. We have since put our mortgage and several vehicle loans through them. It has been 10 years now and I will never look at a bank again.
Obviously, the key factor here is why did you get turned down? Going to a differeent lender may or may not produce a different result, so the big question has to be asked.
A credit union, for most people, will be better than MegaBanks because credit unions make their own decisions. MegaBanks just feed the numbers into the computer and then the “banker” you’re talking to is simply the spokesperson for the computer’s answer.
One thing that does help, though, is to have your accounts at the credit union and have an existing relationship with them. Then the know you AND they know your finances and how you manage money over the long haul.
My wife and I are greeted with extreme suspician by commercial lenders because we have a rare combination of very high credit score, yet we carry $0 debt. No car loans, no credit cards, no student loans, no boat loans, etc.
Now setting aside the fact that I’m probably NOT having enough fun, this sets off all kinds of alarm bells with most lenders because they are over-reliant on recent payment history to determine how worthy you are of yet more credit. So it helps tremendously on the rare occasions when we want a loan to be able to just walk into the credit union where they understand WHY this fact that we have no recent payment history is a good thing, not a bad thing.
Bottom line is if you haven’t ditched your MegaBank, do so today.
Grouse
Credit union without a doubt. I use a “big bank” for my business accounts & a credit union for personal accounts. It’s apples to oranges. Everything is better and easier at the credit union. With the CU interest rates are always lower, loans are easier to get, penalties/fees are lower, service is faster, when you call you talk to an actual person without having to go through the whole “Press 1 for English” BS – they even call me if any questionable transactions are occurring on my VISA. Credit unions all the way.
I’m a Westconsin Credit Union guy and will never look back as Long as I don’t have to.
They re did my Mortage, kept it in house, and I can say I haven’t been happier.
Big Banks make me 
Another vote for credit unions. Been a member of one for almost 30 years now. About 12 years ago, out of curiosity, I shopped around for vehicle loan with two banks in town. They were almost twice the interest rate of my credit union and that’s with an excelent credit rating. The one bank even told me it was a no brainer going with the CU loan. LOL I’ve recieved a few dividend (not interest) checks from my CU over the years. They were not huge,about 30 bucks or so but it was a nice surprise.
I’m a CU guy too. There are lot’s of options in town. I’m with Wings Financial and they have been very easy to work with IMO.
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Credit Union ALL THE WAY !!!!!!
Big banks are a joke
Ditto that!!!
This topic has come up a few times over last few years. I’ve come close to jumping ship, but for various reasons, haven’t. Well, I’ve had a couple recent, we’ll just say, less than good customer service experiences lately (both tcf and usbank).
I’m glad the subject came up again and after reading a few of the pro- CU posts, I said it’s time…Set up savings and checking acct and got the ball rolling on a HELOC with Affinity Plus. Similar feel and level customer service I had growing up in rural MN. While I waited to be helped, no less than 6 people walked in and were greated by their first name….kinda reminded me of SBC. 
Anyone have any tips / “do & don’ts” for switching autopayments / autowithdrawls?? It’s a straightforward process I think, just gonna take some patience and careful watching, I guess. Thanks again to the OP for bringing this up again. 
Kinda feel stupidfor waiting this long to pull the trigger. 
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Can anyone join I use to belong to one but moved
Most credit unions will allow anyone to join.
I belong to a credit union that used to be for Federal Government employees, but it’s been open to anyone for at least the 25 years I’ve been a member.
I must say that I love the personal attention and relationship where I’m not just a number. Years ago when my wife and I first got married one of our cars died and we needed a quick replacement. I called on a Friday and of course the loan officer had left, but I spoke to the manager and he said, “How much are you going to spend? OK, I’ll leave a post-it on Bob’s desk telling him to approve you for that. Go ahead and buy whenever.”
You won’t get that from MegaBank.
Grouse
Thanks everyone, we will be hitting up Wakota Federal Credit Union next week. Only a few blocks from my house and open to Dakota county residents.
Dream’n
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