Update 3/15/25: Available again. Hat tip to ShawntheShawn
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount:Â $250
- Availability:Â Must be a resident of Tulare, San Joaquin and Solano Counties
- Direct deposit required: Optional
- Additional requirements:Â See below
- Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
- ChexSystems:Â Unknown
- Credit card funding:Â Can fund up to $150 with a credit card
- Monthly fees:Â None
- Early account termination fee:Â Unknown
- Household limit:Â None listed
- Expiration date:Â None listed
Contents
The Offer
- Valley Strong Credit Union is offering a $250 checking bonus when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
- Open a new checking account (with a starting amount of $25).
- Direct deposit to your Valley Strong account OR an average of 12 credit and/or debit transactions per month for 90 days.
- A Valley Strong debit card.
The Fine Print
- New accounts must be open and in good standing for 90 calendar days.
- Payment will be made automatically to the qualifying account by direct deposit on or around the 91st day after the new account is opened.
- Taxes due are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Valley Strong Credit Union will report to state and federal agencies as required by applicable law.
- This offer cannot be combined with other offers.
- Must be a resident of Tulare, San Joaquin and Solano Counties.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
They offer a free checking account with no monthly fees.
Early Account Termination Fee
I wasn’t able to find a fee schedule so unsure if there is any EATF.
Our Verdict
Shame it’s restricted to so few counties, this is a fantastic bonus that is worth doing and we will add it to our best bank account bonuses.
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?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
