After years of working on membership marketing campaigns for credit unions all over the country, I finally took some of our own advice and made the switch to a credit union a few weeks ago. All my accounts are at a credit union where I have direct deposit, online bill pay and a fee-less debit card (yeah!).

I’m enjoying my new FI, especially the online banking and bill pay. It truly offers more convenience and time-saving features than my big bank does.

But my life has been affected in other ways too, all of which are undoubtedly due to me being a credit union member. I thought I’d share a few of them with you. Since I joined my CU, the following has happened:

• I’ve saved $7.75 in debit card fees.
• My cable company generously offered me a free DVR.
• My daughter came home from college to visit me.
• I lost 3 pounds.
• AT&T gave me 1000 rollover minutes.
• I spent 3 fabulous days in Lake Tahoe, hiking, kayaking and picture-taking.
• I won $140 in a slot machine.

So the next time a prospective member asks why they should join your credit union, feel free to use me as an example. My life couldn’t be better. And I attribute it all to my credit union membership and my disassociation with big banks.