[Select CA areas only] 1st United Credit Union $100 Checking Bonus – Direct Deposit Not Required

Update 3/5/22: Deal is back. Has been as high as $200 in the past.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $100
• Availability: Must Work in / resident of Alameda, Contra Costa, Kings, San Joaquin, Solano or Stanislaus Counties CA, or have family member with account there
• Direct deposit required: No
• Additional requirements: Use promo code and make 15 debit card transactions
• Hard/soft pull: Soft
• ChexSystems: Unknown
• Credit card funding: $2,000
• Monthly fees: None
• Early account termination fee: $25, six months
• Household limit: None listed
• Expiration date: March 31, 2022

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• 1st United Credit Union is offering a bonus of $100 when you open a new Rewards Checking Account and complete the following requirements:
  • Use promo code CAKE!
  • Use your debit card 15 times within sixty days of account opening

The Fine Print

•  Open a new checking account using promotional code CAKE! by September 30, 2020 and use your debit card to make a purchase 15 times within the first 60 days of account opening.
• Incentive will be credited by the 10th of the following month after requirements are fulfilled.
• Members who currently have a 1st United checking account and upgrade to Rewards Checking are not eligible for the $100 incentive. All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

This account has no monthly fees to worry about

Early Account Termination Fee

There is an early account termination fee of $25 if closed within 6 months of account opening.

Our Verdict

1st United has had a $100 bonus for a long time, but previously it has required a direct deposit and a debit card transaction. Now it just requires 15 debit card transactions so should be much easy to meet the requirements. There is also a nice bit of credit card funding allowed. Because of all this I’ll add this to our best checking bonus page.

Hat tip to reader EW

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

• A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
• Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
• PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
• Introduction To ChexSystems
• Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
• What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
• How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
• Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
• How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
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