Credit unions are centered around the members (customers) and big banks are all about the shareholders. The board of directors at a credit union are voluntary and voted on by the members unlike the banks. Interest rates are better at credit unions, there aren’t fees for everything under the sun, and the few fees they do charges are usually less than the banks’. They’re insured by the NCUA which is the credit union version of the FDIC. What you can do at a bank you can do at a credit union—the one I’m a member of even has a member investment service that you can consult with for free. Before I became a stay-at-home mom I worked in the training department and marketing department of the credit union I’m still a member of, so I can tell you more than you could ever want to know about them! 😆