Why I switched to a Credit Union Current Account

Following the announcement of the departure of Ulster Bank and KBC from the Irish market, more and more people are choosing to switch to a credit union current account. Emmet Cullen, a Sales Manager from Portlaoise, talked about his experience switching from a current account with Ulster bank, to People First Credit union.

The credit union, unlike other current account providers, is a not-for-profit, community-owned and customer-focused financial institution. Our current account has very competitive fees, as well as overdrafts and a globally accepted debit card with contactless and mobile payment functionality. With current accounts offered in more than 60 credit unions in over 220 locations across Ireland, and friendly staff to give expert, face-to-face support – why not read more about opening a credit union current account here.

Name: Emmet Cullen
Occupation: Sales Manager
Name of Credit Union: People First CU, Portlaoise

Is this your first current account or have you switched current account?

My first current account was with Ulster Bank. When they said they were leaving Ireland, I decided I was going to switch to a credit union current account.

What made you choose a credit union current account?

I’ve been a member of People First credit union since I moved there 10 years ago. I used to use the credit union mainly for our family savings and I opened savings accounts for my kids as well. We would deposit money for their communions and birthdays, that type of thing.

Although there’s a few banks in Portlaoise I decided to open a credit union current account because the fees seemed good and I’d always had a good experience of them.

What was your experience of switching/signing up? 

I was already registered for online banking, so I applied for a current account through the credit union app, then I got a phone call from the credit union and I popped into the branch to complete the forms. In fairness it was pretty straightforward.

Have you found yourself moving away from using cash to pay for day to day transactions or do you still use cash to pay in shops, restaurants etc?

At the moment I’m mainly using my debit card to pay for things, but I’m trying to use cash a little bit more, as I wouldn’t want to see cash eventually disappear. I think that would be a bad thing for society.

What’s been your experience using the CU current account so far?

As I said I use it for daily transactions and it’s good, it works well and I’m able to transfer money and do all the same things as I could with my old current account.

I’ve already recommended the current account to some family and friends because I found the fees good, and I’ve always liked the thought of using a community bank over a regular bank.

You can read more about opening a credit union current account here.