(no subject)

[arethinn]

question for Californians (and ex-Californians):

Does anyone have any experience with Provident credit union? I currently belong to Commonwealth but they are transferring some of their northern Santa Clara county branches to ownership by Provident as of Dec 1st. I can either stick with Commonwealth but have to drive all the way down to Union Ave in San Jose if I need in-branch service, or allow them to transfer my deposits, or I can say "screw you guys, I'm pooling it all at Wells Fargo until I figure out something else" (since I don't want to have all my money there for a variety of reasons). Any good stories or horror stories I ought to be aware of?

Comments

[feedle.livejournal.com]

I have had an account at Provident CU ever since I lived in the Bay Area ten+ years ago. I cannot speak more highly of their professionalism, courtesy, and responsible management.

They gave me an account when nobody else would (because of a "disagreement" I had with Wells Fargo regarding a closed account that wound up on ChexSystems). They figured a geek with a $2,600 paycheck was a manageable risk.

They've treated me with dignity and respect ever since.

[arethinn]

Awesome. Good to hear.

[feedle.livejournal.com]

Oh, and since Provident is a CU Service Center member branch, you can bank at hundreds of other Credit Unions around the country.

Why people still deal with 'banks' is beyond me, personally.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

What this said. I don't know Provident, but every CU Service Center member branch I've used in SF has been good to me. My CU also reimburses me any ATM charges that other places charge me, so even if I can't find a CU ATM I don't pay the stinking fees.

I might get a 'bank' account just to add diversity to my portfolio or get fancy grownup investment services (since Wells Fargo owns the mortgage on my condo, it might make sense to exist with them). But I'm happy with my CUs. (I have one on the East Coast, because I figure San Francisco Fire CU *might* have a bit of trouble if the Big One hits, and this way I have an emergency backup.)

[ungarsfragile.livejournal.com]

If you've got an Alliant (http://www.alliantcreditunion.org/about/contact/locations/) nearby, I highly recommend them. Been using them for years. Absurdly high interest rates on savings and checking accounts, too.

[arethinn]

Looks like the closest is about half an hour away from me, which is too far to be convenient, but thanks anyway.

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

My parents had a Providian account for years. May still. Be happy to inquire further if you'd like.

[arethinn]

Providian? or Provident? Providian is a different company (says 30 seconds' worth of googling)...

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

My bad - i saw Provident and read Providian, probably because my parents had been customers of theirs for years. Sorry!

[dionysusdevotee.livejournal.com]

I don't but I would take being screwed over by a credit union over being screwed over by a bank anytime. Especially Wells...I hate them forever.

[arethinn]

Eh, they're not my favourite people in the world, but I'm well-entrenched (they're physically the closest bank to my house, and I've had accounts in my name there literally since I was 6 years old, when my mother set up a "in care of [her name]" kind of savings for me) and I imagine I'm shielded from a good deal of their fuckery by the amount of money I have on deposit. My main gripe with them is the fee for use of a non-bank ATM ($5, which is steep even as these things go). When the other bank, logically enough, usually also charges me a fee to use their ATM, it can add up quickly. (I think i wind up paying close to $10 a pop if I use a TD Canada Trust ABM where enotsola lives. But the alternative is to pre-order the foreign currency and that's got its own pains in the patoot.)