Joining first credit union pays off for new member

AUBURN, Iowa—As the years passed, Brian Lappe grew less happy with his longtime bank. So when he needed to refinance his auto loan earlier this year, Lappe wanted to explore other options, including his first credit union.

At the encouragement of his nephew, the Auburn resident stopped by Dupaco’s Carroll branch.

While meeting with Dupaco’s Jamie Svoboda, Lappe realized he had found his new financial home—a cooperative community that could not only help him with his auto loan, but support his dreams for the future.

“I had never been to a credit union before,” he said. “Jamie was very helpful and gave me all of the information I needed. It was not even a question what needed to happen then.”

Cooperative has his back

That same day, Lappe decided to move his entire financial relationship to the credit union.

Lappe opened a checking and savings account. He started a You-Name-It Savings account. He got approved for a Dupaco Visa credit card. And he moved both his auto loan and a personal loan to the credit union.

Doing so shaved two years of payments off his personal loan, took a year off his auto loan and saved him a combined $225 in monthly payments.

But Lappe’s decision to cut ties with his bank went far beyond the loan savings.

Svoboda took the time to answer all of his questions. And she coached him on how he could continue building his credit to help him achieve his goals.

“The people you talk to at Dupaco, on the phone and in the actual branch, are personable. They get to know you. And they’re willing to go out of their way to help you instead of walk away from you,” Lappe said. “That’s a breath of fresh air.”

Lappe recently purchased his parents’ home. The house is on a large acreage that his extended family has long enjoyed using to ride ATVs, hunt and spend time together.

Lappe’s working to build his credit—using Dupaco’s free Bright Track credit monitoring service to keep tabs on it—so he can eventually renovate the home and add a hobby shop to the property.

“I will be taking care of the loans I have right now and make sure they go onward and upward to help my credit,” he said. “Being at a place like Dupaco, I feel more confident. It’s always good when somebody has your back.”