Update 3/24/24: Deal is back. Hat tip to ShawntheShawn
Update 3/4/23: Deal is back and valid until March 31, 2023. Requires direct deposit now.
Update 1/4/22: Deal is back and valid until 3/31/2023. Hat tip to RobertL
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $200
- 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 complete debit card transaction
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: $2,000
- Monthly fees: None
- Early account termination fee: $25, 6 months
- Expiration date: Valid until
December 31st, 2017 December 31st, 2018 December 31st, 2019March 31st, 2020September 30th, 2020 - Household limit: None mentioned
The Offer
- 1st United Credit Union are offering a bonus of $200 when you open a new checking account with them when you complete the following requirements:
- Use promo code SANLEANDRO
- establish a qualifying monthly direct deposit of $500 or more within 60 days of account opening;
- make five (5) signature or PIN purchases of at least $10 each with debit card within 60 days of account opening.
The Fine Print
- Offer not available to existing 1st United checking accounts.
- Checking account and debit card establishment are subject to credit approval.
- Members age 12-15 require an adult joint owner.
- To receive $100 incentive: 1) open new checking account using promotional code CKG2019; 2) establish a qualifying direct deposit of $500 or more within 60 days of account opening; 3) activate and make a signature or PIN purchase with debit card within 60 days of account opening.
- A qualifying direct deposit needs to be an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer or the government. Bonus is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT.
- Offer expires December 31, 2017 and is subject to change or withdrawal at any time.
- Incentive will be credited after all requirements are fulfilled, beginning April 10, 2017.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
There is an early account termination fee of $25 if closed within 6 months of account opening. This account does not have any monthly fees
Our Verdict
Soft pull and a nice amount of credit card funding makes this a good deal. I’d like to see another report of it being a soft pull before adding it to our best checking & savings bonuses list.
Big thanks to reader, Curmudgeon who let us know. Please consider sharing bank bonuses with this site so we can make it even better.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- 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?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
Post history:
- Update 10/25/21: Deal is back with promo code Frosting.
- Update 7/14/20: There is now a bonus for $200 with the same requirements as before. It looks like this bonus won’t stack with the referral bonus. Hat tip to reader Jim
- Update 6/30/20: Deal is back and valid until September 30th, 2020. Direct deposit not required
- Update 4/14/20: Deal has been extended until June 30th, 2020. Hat tip to reader EW
- Update 1/5/2020: Deal has been extended until March 31st, 2020.
- Update 11/16/19: Deal is abck and valid until December 31st, 2019. Hat tip to reader Adam
- Update 8/10/19: Deal is back and valid until September 30th, 2019.
- Update 01/27/18: Deal is back for 2018. Thanks to reader eric for sending this through.
I joined and opened a certificate last month using a referral and received $50 on 7/9.
I can refer you if you send an email to gademe[at]protonmail.com. I need your first and last name and the email you want to open an account with. If you reply this message with that info and tag me I can send it too. Thank you!
sent!
I made 10 payments for my phone bill as the debit card payments. It was coded as a bill payment and not purchase, and didn’t qualify for the bonus.
Would like a referral if possible. I need name and account number. Please send to gademe[at]protonmail.com. Thank you!
hey..check email
check email
For anybody still working on the SANLEANDRO version, it was TEN transactions, not Five like indicated above. Don’t make the same mistake I did (and I even live in San Leandro).
How do you refer? Davis because I cannot see any referral options after I login
https://www.1stunitedcu.org/newmemberrefer
Will you email me the info so I can join?
Surgicaljb at yahoo dot com
sent
Was I just supposed to leave acct# blank? I suppose manual review is normal for this?
I had to verify identity in branch. I asked if my $1999 credit card funding would still apply and they said yes. I looked online and they had 2 charges of $1999 for funding. Both posted, so I didn’t complain.
03/27: Opened savings and 6 month CD through referral with $2k credit card funding on Chase Freedom Unlimited ($250 in CD)
04/09: $50 referral credit
03/28: Opened checking account with $2k credit card funding on Chase Freedom Unlimited
04/09-04/18: (10) $10 Hotels.com online gift cards
05/10: $200 checking credit
Is it really possible to go through application with referral but without account number?
Yes just follow the instructions in the referral link
Can you give me a referral? I was given a referral here but it is incomplete because I don’t know the account number. What you have to do is email me first with your account number and then do the official referral. [email protected]. thanks.
what did online gift card purchase showed up as?
I did legitimate purchases at grocery and gas stations and it showed up as “withdrawal POS” and CSR is not considering that as a debit purchase!
DEBIT CS HOTELS.COM GIFT CA 866-578-8637 ME
kindly send me a family member referral code please. [email protected]. thank you!
Could someone please send me a referral as well? Much appreciated!!
clipper-dabbler04 at icloud.com
sent
I need a referral. but you have to send me your account number. the way it works is you have to email my personal email [email protected] to give the account number. the referral email I get will have everything else except the account number. Thank you.
Could someone please send me a referral? need the name and account number of the person who referred me. thanks
chang525chang (at) gmail (dot) com
sent
Sponsoring new members now? You said you weren’t before.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/1st-united-credit-union-100-checking-bonus-select-ca-areas/#comment-1822190
I’m game.
Not people explicitly asking me to post as a family member
Would it be possible to please send me a referral too? I also need the name and account number of the person who referred me. Thank you!
ochoa95 (at) sbcglobal (dot) net
Sent
Could I also please get a referral? With the name and accouint number of the referrer? Thank you!
jpaykel (at) hotmail (dot) com
sent
Hey Davis, would it be possible for you to send me a referral as well? Thank you!
designerfelixwong at gmail
sent
Davis Could you send me a referral too? gademe [at] protonmail.com
Thank you!
sent
Can you send me a referral as well, please? ram.nam.email[at]gmail.com
sent
Davis , could I get a referral? loerac2591[at]gmail.com
sent