Cooperatives are the last refuges for holiday loans and Christmas club accounts, but members can find skip-a-payment, credit card rewards deals, and post-holiday debt consolidation programs there, too.

This Valentine’s Day, see how credit unions share the love via rewards programs and other givebacks.

Everence FCU lives out the principle of stewardship through loan, investment, and deposit products.

Three percent cash back and $59 a year are among the terms of Alliant Credit Union’s new credit card offering.

Credit unions are employing different strategies to ensure they offer the right credit card rewards.

Need-to-know information for any credit union launching this card product.

Five can't-miss data points featured this week on CreditUnions.com.

Five can't-miss data points featured this week on CreditUnions.com.

Community Choice has given back more than $6 million in credits and rebates in four years and is the primary financial institution for nearly 70% of members.

If one area of credit card product design has changed more than any other over the past few years, it is most certainly the structure and value of loyalty and rewards programs.

An account that pays members up to $200 a year in merchant rebates plus unlimited cash back rewards on signature-based debit card transactions has helped members at One Nevada ease into new checking options.

Greater Nevada shares seven changes it has made over the past decade that have helped it succeed, no matter how the dice roll.

With more than 7 million potential members to reach and nearly 887,000 current members to stay connected to, BECU isn’t just building a brand, it’s building a beacon.

Explore the many ways to run a successful card program. Credit, debit, prepaids, rewards, segmentation, industry data, and more — this week on CreditUnions.com.

A single checking account with automatically applied tiered benefits helps San Francisco Federal Credit Union reach 1,000 new account holders.

Callahan & Associates analyzes checking account penetration data as a part of Trendwatch 4Q 2014.

Representatives from Purdue Federal Credit Union describe their innovative My Member Perks rewards program.

Purdue Federal Credit Union describes its successful member rewards program.

Merchant discounts helped this Oregon credit union turn its cards into a must-have shopping accessory for state consumers.

A lower rate for in-state credit card purchases helps VSECU boost its product usage and gives members a grassroots outlet for activism.

This week, CreditUnions.com spotlights payments strategies designed to reward loyal and community-minded members.

A review of practices that show how and why credit unions are boosting their visibility and viability.

Leading vendor execs in the credit union space say economic growth and growing competition will make for an interesting next year.

Purdue Federal’s new rewards program has brought with it an unexpected windfall in deposits.

As of the third quarter, the Starbucks payment app has nearly 12 million active monthly users.

Advice from two executives on making a card portfolio part of your core business.

First Capital Federal’s rewards program increases loyalty, deepens relationships, and gives back to members who bank with the credit union.

The Pennsylvania institution has struck a balance between growth and stability.

Credit unions can fuel growth by leveraging these key fundamentals.

Grow Financial invests in employee well-being with a smoke-free campus, monetary rewards, and a host of wellness resources.

Paid options can appeal to members if they’re bundled with personalized rewards.

A Southwestern credit union’s long-term wellness program revitalizes employees and contributes dollars to the balance sheet.

The credit card market has returned to stability, but that’s not necessarily a good thing for credit unions’ growth.

Here are six reasons reloadable cards are going mainstream.

Consumer spending is showing signs of rebounding and credit cards are re-emerging as one of the payment vehicles of choice.

Credit unions can expect credit cards to remain a crucial piece of their portfolio in the year ahead, but they must be ready to manage them properly.

Scrutinize the different credit card behaviors in your members to better manage your credit card portfolio risk.

Randolph-Brooks gives its members 15 reasons to make the credit union their primary financial institution.

Randolph-Brooks gives its members 15 reasons to make the credit union their primary financial institution this holiday season.

Credit unions are turning single-product users into robust cooperative members.

A Minnesota credit union goes against the grain in offering free checking and rewards points.

Look for shared values and a commitment to advocacy when selecting affinity card partnerships.

Are two brands better than one?

Credit unions can find a “tremendous pricing opportunity” under the proposed Durbin Amendment, says one industry expert.

Credit unions can find a “tremendous pricing opportunity” under the proposed Durbin Amendment, says one industry expert.

A Washington credit union brings the appeal of mobile-based promotions to financial education.

Purdue Federal procures longer lasting financial relationships with its affinity card product.

Credit cards are missing the mark in loyalty and rewards.

From deciding to re-enter the market, realistically evaluating the profitability of your portfolio or considering offering rewards there’s something here for nearly every card program.

It might be tempting to view profitability reporting as something that only the CFO and CEO need to care about, but reliable profitability measurement benefits the entire member base.

Growing a credit card program is easy in this environment; implementing a program scorecard allows for prudent and profitable growth.

A practical approach to increasing checking account and debit card profitability in a rebounding economy.

Affinity programs offer another way for credit unions to connect with the market.

Affinity programs appeal to a target audience, but even focused audiences have differing financial preferences. The success of any affinity program is determined as much by what the product is as who the audience is.

APL found that focusing on a very straightforward, basic card offering can pay big dividends in this type of economic environment.

Beyond standard debit and credit rewards, Envision Credit Union has seen success by allowing members to aggregate rewards points throughout their household.

What Gen Y wants in a credit union credit card program?

Average credit card penetration at credit union through the end of 2008 was 14.3%. This means that the vast majority of creidt union members are not using their credit union's credit card.

No longer just a tool for accessing cash at an ATM, the debit card, especially for younger members, is one of the most frequently used connections a member has with their credit union.

Envision Credit Union introduced a unique card reward program to demonstrate the tangible benefits of belonging to the credit union.

As decoupled debit cards become more popular, your members will likely have questions. What do you need to know to respond to their questions?

A credit union with experience in a troubled region knows how to manage difficulty and is taking advantage of opportunities.

The Millennials (Gen Y) are here – all 83 million of them – and they have the purchasing power and influence to change the world. Will your credit union have what it takes to acquire them?

Contactless cards are the way of the future. What are the advantages of offering these cards and what does their future look like?

Similar to the strong real estate lending activity, credit cards are benefiting from their position as balance sheet lenders.

Many credit unions have added a rewards structure to their credit card program as a way to remain competitive with other large financial institutions. Although credit card rewards programs are becoming more common, a much smaller number of credit unions have implemented similar rewards strategies for their debit card program. For those that have however, the results speak for themselves.

Revitalizing a static card portfolio requires careful due diligence to achieve success. Competing with the massive marketing budgets of large financial institutions, credit union must clearly understand their membership and respond promptly to member needs.

The current economic environment is affecting the credit card market in a unique way. With a declining rate environment and increasing concerns about asset quality, credit unions have an opportunity to demonstrate the value of their credit card.

Capital One’s new debit card can link to accounts at any bank or credit union, bringing new competition to the debit card market.

Low share growth across the industry was one of the top concerns facing credit unions in 2005. In 2006, credit unions will be challenged to find new deposit strategies.

Developing an effective personnel strategy is a key way to enhance productivity at the branch.

In the competitive credit card market, creating the right incentives to become the preferred top of wallet card for your members is critical

Credit unions are receiving national recognition as attractive places to work. Incentive programs to motivate and reward staff are a big reason why.

After discussing Neighborhood CU's community charter strategy, Mark Arnold, SVP, discusses the tactics used to grow members in this Part Two article.

Here are three ways your credit union can generate word of mouth campaigns to encourage and promote member referrals.

Many credit unions just issue a debit card to their members with a checking account. Learn how Patriot FCU, University FCU and Citibank structure their programs.

The profitability issue is still contentious for credit unions. As part of this, some consider relationship-based pricing (RBP) contrary to the democratic spirit of credit unions, but for others it a natural part of a cooperative. Digital Federal Credit Union's RBP program demonstrates how to create value without penalizing or segmenting the overall membership.

Between common-interest affinity programs, low rates, and monthly cash back rewards, Pentagon has clearly put the member first in credit card lending.

There are three primary RBP program structures. To determine the most appropriate for your credit union you need to have set objectives.

Two years ago, when SELCO ($516M OR) decided to increase their efforts to communicate with members using email, they discovered that they only had about 200 email member addresses, gathered mostly through their branches. Now their email list has grown exponentially to more than 10,000 names, primarily due to various contests and promotions that they’ve used to convince more members to sign up.