Conference 7.286::dcu

    
    Gee, sounds like they train the tellers in Colorado the same way
    they train them back here in Mass.!  They have made it obvious how
    much they valued you as a customer and it appears that many of your
    needs aren't being met.  Why do you want to stay with DCU?  Is it
    the same reason many back here stay with DCU?


    


    The teller abuse, low savings rates, high loan rates, late statements,
    misinformation, wrong information, ridiculous check holds etc. just
    doesn't out weigh the convenience of having a bank at the job site.
    

    While the DCU can be frustrating to work with I think I've found a good
    use for services. A few months ago I opened a checking account at a
    local savings bank that pays interest and has an ATM card with free
    transactions from all ATMs (and they are on a lot of systems; certainly
    as many as the DCU).
    
    After opening this second checking account I changed my DCU auto
    deposits from my paycheck to put enough of my pay into the DCU checking
    account each week so that I can pay all my monthly bills. Then I had
    payroll deposit my net pay into this second checking account and I use
    that account for getting cash and for "entertainment" expenses (book
    clubs, audio/video toys, etc.). The past few months this has worked
    great. Without the DCU auto deposits this wouldn't be possible with two
    conventional banks -- payroll will only route your net pay to one bank,
    not two. I also have the DCU auto deposit $x into my RSVP and Christmas
    club accounts. It makes for real easy money management: any money in my
    local banks checking account I can spend any way I want without having
    to figure out if I have to leave some there to pay bills.
    
    And not to mention that my DCU statement each month has a *lot* fewer
    tansactions on it. I used to spend $20 to $30 per month for those damn
    ATM expenses. Now my statement just has a record of the bills I pay and
    my ATM transactions for cash are free through my local bank.
    
    Maybe others might want to try something like this (although a lot of
    you probably have similar situations already). I was ready to drop the
    DCU completely until I tried this set up. Seems to be a way to actual
    live with all the DCUs inadequacies (sp?).
    
    -Glenn-
    
    P.S.: Forget about DCUs VISA card, it ain't worth the hassle. Just get
    one somewhere else.

    Re .2:
    
    I've been doing essentially the same thing for two years.  A fixed
    portion of each paycheck is deposited into my DCU sharedraft account
    (it's not really "checking") to cover budgeted expenses.  The net
    deposit is to my BayBank account (of which my wife takes the lion's
    share for food and other frivolities).  Pocket money is withdrawn
    from the nearest BayBank XPress-24 machine at no cost.
    
    To simplify things even further, my mortgage payment is made  
    automatically from the DCU account on the first of each month.
    So far, I've had no problems whatsoever with this arrangement.
    The only problems I DO have are related to a second stream of income
    that feeds the same sharedraft account.  I receive checks from two
    tax-free unit trusts (used to offset my mortgage payments) that are
    administered by a New York bank.  DCU insists on holding these deposits
    for 5 business days, which REALLY ticks me off. 

    
    	I called DCU at Parker St and asked to have an application sent
    	to me. I got it in about a week, filled it out and got the card
    	about 3 weeks ago.

    
    Back to Colo Sprgs issues....
    
    CXN now has a ATM, buuuuut it has restricted hours of operations
    and is normaly down whenever the CX03 ATM is down. Must be running
    over the same set of Comm circuts.
    
    Phil

    
    	re .2
    
    	What bank is that?
    
    	re .0
    
    	Having just transferred from Mass, I have to say that I find
    	the service better here at CXO than I did anywhere else I used.
    	I also have to say that while I did find the service less
    	acceptable than I did at my old bank, BayBanks, it was never
    	intolerable.  Still, I have found the service out here better
    	than back east.  One special feature I enjoy here is the special
    	DCU 15-minute parking spaces near the entrance.
    
    	Joe Oppelt

>    	What bank is that?

I do the same thing that .2 does.  I suppose this is off the track of
this conference, but since you asked...

I use Otero Savings which provides free checking, free ATM, and treats
me like a valued customer. 

- Jeff

    	What about "First Bank" (T-gap & Academy), they were the DEC
    bank.  Do they share with the DCU now?
    
    Keith