- We’re standing for you. Bank On Boulder County is made up of a growing group of local human service organizations. The people we help each day deserve to feel secure and have every chance at meeting their life goals and many are related to money. We invited banks and credit unions to the table to talk about why people do not have a bank account or are not using their account and instead paying high fees to cash checks, pay bills, borrow money and more. Some of the banks and credit unions that joined the discussion have already come up with accounts that meet the national standards {link to NAS} we stand by.
- We’ve done the searching for you. Bank On Boulder County actively looks for banks and credit unions that accept alternate ID’s, offer ‘Welcome Back Accounts’ for those that have tried banking before; ensure things like no ability to get caught up in a snowball of overdraft fees by spending more than is in your account; no-or-low cost monthly fees, mobile features, and more. So far, we found five such accounts and more are coming – so stay tuned!
- We’re part of a movement. Live in metro Denver but bank in Boulder County? Bank On Boulder and Bank On Denver are here to serve you as part of a growing regional effort. We are both part of a national network of over 55 local Bank On groups. The central group, Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund provides us with standards and tools that we can use to guide our local efforts.
You Can Trust Us
Your $42,000. Our Mission.
Did you know? $42,000 is the average of what an unbanked person will spend in fees over a lifetime? That’s a lot of money! We see the hard times that people in our county go through to just keep up with housing, electric, heat and groceries. Paying lots of little fees add up (think check-cashing, money orders, pawn shop fees, high interest loans and other costs of not banking). Those fees take away from money we could put toward family needs. Our mission is to make sure that no or very low cost banking options and personal finance advice is available to under-served residents.
- Banking can be a maze. We understand that it can be confusing and scary to use a bank. Maybe you have had a negative experience in the past; or you don’t know where to find a bank or credit union that will not charge high or unexpected fees, or you have never learned how to use an account. We’ve got your back!
- Banking can be amazing! We know that it is important to have an account to keep money safe, to start down the path toward building credit to buy a home or get a good interest rate on a car. That’s why we’re focused on finding partners and accounts that offer accounts to get you on the right foot and positive experiences.
- You’re Not Alone. Bank On Boulder County has trained Champions in many social service agencies and organizations. Ask to speak to one where you go or where you are. They can help you figure out what you are trying to do with a bank account, and walk through the five Bank On accounts to see which might be the best choice. Not sure if banking is your next step? Boulder County has a bilingual team of Personal Finance Guides that offer free, private, personal help with banking and other money matters. You can expect honest help since Champions and Personal Finance Guides are not associated with any bank or credit union.
You Spoke. We Listened.
- You Spoke. We used national survey reports and surveyed Boulder County residents to find out why some people are without a bank account and why some have a bank account but choose more costly options. We’re keeping the Bank On Boulder County Survey going! Let us hear from you – it takes about 10 minutes.
- We Reasons for not banking or using other money services included “I don’t have enough money,” “I don’t trust banks,” “I don’t have the right ID,” and “I had an account before and now I owe money.” We used this to shape the accounts which banks and credit unions have to provide to be included in our Menu. We draw attention to five specific accounts that will not overdraft, have no-to-low monthly fees, allow you to open even if have an alternative ID like a Mexican Matricular card or if you have had a poor experience in the past.
- Some Want Personal Help. Many answered our Boulder County surveys saying that they would like to visit with a Personal Finance Specialist about banking options or other money topics, so we made this part of the Bank On Boulder County program. The number you call with questions about Bank On Boulder will These accounts do not allow you to over-draw and rack up lots of fees, have no-to-low monthly fees ($0 to $4.99), low opening deposits ($0 to $25); online and mobile banking (including making deposits, paying bills, and e-statements), and more.