Meet the easiest checking account ever

At Westerra Credit Union, having a personal spending account is just like a personal checking account, which is an account where you deposit money, can withdraw it or deposit more, make transactions such as purchases, and can access your money through ATMs, checks, electronic debits using your debit card, make payments, and other payment methods like Pay People through Westerra’s Digital Banking, and external transfers.

Spending, or checking accounts, are usually a person’s primary or daily resource of funds.

For the Everyday Money Account, there is no minimum balance required, and thus, no monthly fees.

If you’re a new member at Westerra Credit Union, you can open an Everyday Money Account online here.

If you’re already a member and would like to add another account, such as a new Everyday Money Account, to your accounts at Westerra Credit Union, please give us a call at 303-321-4209 or 1-800-858-7212 or visit us at any of our branches.

No, you need at least $5 to fund your account to be able to open a spending or checking account online or at a branch.

Checking or spending accounts are a great option when you need or want an account to deposit your employer paycheck into a bank account and have those funds available to you. Other benefits of a spending or checking account at Westerra Credit Union are:

• Get paid up to two days early with direct deposit - All payments get to your checking or spending account the day they arrive.

• Protect transactions with WeGotYa (Courtesy Pay) up to $200 - You have tools to monitor your account to cover transactions, or default to denying them when you don’t have the funds.

• Access to 30,000 ATMs - You can access your funds any time at any of Westerra Credit Union’s ATMs or the over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide through the CO-OP Network, including 5,500 ATMs at 7-Eleven® locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

• Debit card rewards - Earn 1 point for every $3.00 you spend when you sign for your purchase. Redeem your points for cash back, gift cards, travel, experiences, fuel, merchandise or charitable donations. Visit the Westerra Rewards website and register to access your rewards account by using your name as it appears on your account and the last 6 digits of either your Westerra Visa® debit card, Platinum card or Signature Card. For more information on how to redeem rewards points, go here.

• Fast and easy electronic payments - You can make electronic funds transfers (known as EFT or “wire transfers”) to pay bills, internal and external transfers, without having to issue a check that might take longer to be sent, received and accredited to the account via regular mail.

• Debit card purchases – Earn 1 point for every $3.00 you spend when you sign for your purchase.

• Bonus points – Earn bonus points when you use the ShoppingFLING feature on Westerra Rewards.

If you already have a Westerra debit card, you are already part of the rewards program. Reward points will automatically be combined in your rewards account for your Westerra cards based on your primary account information. Personal and business reward points will not be combined.

Access and redeem your rewards points through Westerra Digital Banking:

• For personal accounts: Log in to Digital Banking on your browser, look for "Card Rewards" in the "Quick Actions" menu on the right.

If you prefer, you can access your rewards account online at Westerra Rewards and register using your name exactly as it appears on your Westerra account and the last six digits of your Westerra Signature debit card.

Points can be redeemed at any time through Westerra Rewards.

• Cash Back – You have the option to redeem rewards points for cash to be applied directly to your account.

• Gift Cards – Redeem for gift cards to your favorite places to shop and dine. There are even electronic gift cards you can use instantly online or at the store.

• Travel – Westerra Rewards offers the largest selection of travel rewards in the market today. Choose from flights, cars, hotels, cruises, vacations and experiences.

• Experiences – Redeem your points for experiences, theme parks and events, concerts, sports and event tickets.

• Merchandise – Redeem points for home appliances, sports items, computers, electronics, gourmet foods and more.

• Charitable Donations – You also have the option to donate your points.

• Fuel

One of the many differences between spending or checking accounts and savings accounts is that savings accounts are generally meant for a specific goals or as emergency funds, goal planning and interest bearing, and not meant to be used frequently, while checking or spending accounts are used more for every day purchases.

With a personal spending or checking account, you can withdraw or deposit funds at any time. However, depending on the spending or checking account, you might or might not accrue interest based on maintaining a minimum balance.

At Westerra, the Everyday Money Account does not accrue interest, but the Interest Checking account does. If you're interested in opening a personal savings account that accrues interest, check them out here.

Credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives that exist to serve members, not to make a profit.

Unlike other financial institutions, credit unions do not issue stock or pay dividends to outside stockholders. Instead, earnings are returned to members (or all those who have accounts at the credit union) in the form of competitive loan rates, lower fees, enhanced technology and convenience. Each credit union member has equal ownership and one vote.

At a credit union, every customer is both a member and an owner.

By federal statute, credit unions cannot serve the general public. However, some credit unions, like Westerra, have been granted state or federal charters to serve specific geographic areas. People qualify for a credit union membership through their employer, organizational affiliations like churches or social groups, or by living in a specific geographic area or community.

At Westerra Credit Union, anyone who lives or works in the 7-county Denver metro area, including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties, qualifies to become a member. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to choose a not-for-profit credit union as an alternative to the for-profit banking system.