ABNB Credit Union

In Hampton Roads, It's One Of The Best
- SkyDancer59 - Monday, December 5, 2011 - 7:14 AM

I wish I'd never left Hampton Roads.  I've had an account with ABNB Federal Credit Union for years.  The staff at all of the locations I've been to are the friendliest and kindest people I've ever met.  When you screw up on your account they are incredibly helpful at getting things put back together again.  I have a medium FICO score, so I've never tried to get a credit card or until recently a loan.  I didn't expect to get the loan with $200 in PLUS loans for my son's college tuition, but their loan department was very helpful when I inquired.  

ABNB has the newest technology in ATMs so you can deposit a check or cash at their ATMs.  You can also go paperless and pay bills through their online facility for free if you request that type of account and qualify (at this writing 12 debit card purchases and a monthly direct deposit).  

The only possible negatives are I have to use a check register now.  I was used to Bank of America keeping my balance online pretty true to real time.  With ABNB sometimes it looks like a check has been processed, but in fact it is still in process.  This can lead to all kinds of overdraft horrors.  If you keep a good check register every time you purchase something you won't have a problem though.  

I moved to Florida about a year ago.  Of course I moved to what appears to be BF West Coast Florida.  Because ABNB is part of a group of Credit Unions, I am able to make withdrawls and deposits at the ATMs of local banks within that reciprocal network fee free.  Unfortunately, because I don't live in a big city, the closest ATM for a deposit is about a half hour away, the closest branch services through a reciprocal credit union are an hour away. This is causing a bit of a problem for me.  Some of the ATMs in the network are causing $1.25 fee because they haven't been added into ABNB's software.  If you call ABNB up, however, they not only refund the fee, but add it into their data base so you aren't charged again.  Be warned, if you are using a reciprocal bank for deposits and they don't have the newer type of ATM that reads checks and cash (i.e. you have to put a deposit slip in an envelope with your deposit), you will not have access to your deposited funds until a full week later unless you call ABNB and get them to verify the deposit.

ABNB has been rated 5-star, so I can't really complain about the lack of "real-time" balance authenticity or the drive.  After all, I moved to Florida to help keep an eye on my mother.  If I'd thought about it, I would have moved to a bigger city where it would be easier to find a reciprocal service branch. 

If you ARE in Hampton Roads, be warned that currently ABNB does not have a branch in the Virginia Beach resort area.  You have to drive to Red Mill or Wishart Road for branch service.  The closest surcharge-free ATM to the resort area is at the Kangaroo gas station Near the Food Lion on Laskin.  It would probably be much easier to go to the Harris Teeter at the oceanfront, buy something small and just ask for cash back.