Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount:Â $500
- Availability:Â If you live or work in our geographic reach, we want YOU with us. Geographic Reach: Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Solano, Yuba, Sutter, Butte, Nevada, Alameda, and Amador Counties.
- Direct deposit required:Â Yes, $1,000+
- Additional requirements:Â See below
- Hard/soft pull:Â Hard pull (report of soft pull)
- ChexSystems:Â Unknown, sensitive
- Credit card funding: Up to $250
- Monthly fees:Â $5, avoidable
- Early account termination fee:Â None
- Household limit:Â None listed
- Expiration date: None
Contents
The Offer
- Safe Credit Union is offering a bonus of $500 when you open a new Perfect Cents Checking and complete the following requirements within 60 days:
- enroll in eStatements
- receive $1,000+ in direct deposits
- complete 30 debit card purchase transactions.
- Open a Level Up Money Market account and earn $50. Within 30 days of account opening, have a minimum of $5,000 in your account.
The Fine Print
- You can’t have a current or recently closed (past 12 months) SAFE checking account.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
To avoid the $5 monthly service fee, you must be enrolled in eStatements and you must have a minimum of 10 or more debit (and/or credit) card purchase transactions post each month or direct deposits totaling $500 or more per month.
Early Account Termination Fee
I wasn’t able to find any early account termination fee in the fee schedule.
Our Verdict
Better than the $400 bonus that was previously offered. Hopefully it’s a soft pull now but even if it’s a hard pull I think it’s worth doing and will add it to the best bank bonuses.
Hat tip to reader Ryan H
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
Check your email for a $50 gift card offer for completing a survey. The survey took about 2 minutes and was mostly bland questions about nothing. Supposedly tangocard.com is going to send $50 to my email.
When applying online, do they ask for member eligibility at any point?
I wasn’t asked. I live in Solano county, so I think that made me eligible. Here’s my referral link if you don’t mind using it. Thanks!
https://share.safecu.org/anthonymanrique79!91bc2acb40!a
Hi Gandalf, I will be more than happy to use your SAFE Refer Your Friend referral, if you would be so kind and send me information for family relationship type to enter during my SAFE acct signup, b/c I plan to use family relationship type for membership eligibility, and I want to enter the correct family relationship type during my SAFE application signup? Please send the family relationship type answer to: [email protected]
Thanks in advance,
Lee
Yes, they ask about eligibility after you verify identity in application which seemed to cause a chex pull. If you are out-of-state and choose the Museum, they will ask you to upload proof. So don’t waste a chex pull unless you are eligible.
AlBundysBigguns
Previous customer, closed in 2022. I applied and was instantly approved. Few days later referred to P2 and also approved. Seems to be tracking, they send you an email confirming the referral. Both apps did not ask anything about member eligibility, probably due to previously being a member.
Hi Andrew, can you be so kind as to send me your SAFE Refer Your Friend referral. Please send your referral to: [email protected], and also, in your email you send to me, can you provide the information for family relationship type b/c I hope to use family relationship for my membership eligibility. I want to be sure to enter the correct family relationship type during my SAFE application signup? Thanks in advance. Lee
fee schedule is her e
William Charles Fee Schedule (safecu.org)
Referral: https://share.safecu.org/zhykoties!c2652b2107!a
Leave your contact info and I will send you the info you need
Hi Jim, I will use your SAFE Refer Your Friend Referral if you will provide me the information for family relationship type under membership eligibility, which is what I want to select for my membership eligibility. I want to be sure to enter the right family relationship type during my SAFE application signup? (email me the requested information to [email protected])
Thanks
Hi Jim, I will use your reference through a family/friend relationship. Could you please send your information to [email protected]. Thank you. Hui
Hi Jim, could you please send the information for family relationship type under membership eligibility? email me please to yimincuiuc AT gmail.com . I will use your reference link. Appreciate that!
Just wanted to share that I completed 2 deposit transactions into SAFE, a transfer from my Ally HYSA ($1010) and Venmo Cash Out ($9). I was informed via secured chat that both were categorized as direct deposits. SAFE rep further noted that once I complete the 30 debit transactions, I will have satisfied the sign-up bonus.
PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
Not sure why you’d do that. Sure, terms don’t specify “employer” or other qualifier on direct deposits, but it’s often the intent.
Hi All,
Can I get a SAFE Refer Your Friend Referral (email 2: [email protected]) and also, in4 on the family relationship type under membership eligibility that I will need to enter during the application signup?
Thanks
Instant denial. address is within their footprint, but applying from overseas. first a page came up blocking me. then tried using windscribe vpn and completed application. then immediate email denying me. that’s a bummer, man.
Referral link if anyone needs: https://share.safecu.org/kevin_nguyen_12!1eb025ce8b!a
Hi Kevin, do I need to mention our family (you and me) relationship type anywhere in the SAFE’s “Refer Your Friend” online application signup? TIA, Lee S.
Hi Kevin, what do I need to enter for family relationship type under eligibility in my SAFE’s Refer Your Friend app signup? TIA, Lee S.
Hi Kevin, I used your link as a reference. Could you please kindly send your full name and other application-needed information to huipeng2017 at gmail? Thank you.
Worth mentioning that the terms state: “Bonuses will be disbursed in the form of a Visa® Prepaid Card emailed by a third party, tangocard.com, to the SAFE member’s email within ten (10) business days after individual product criteria is met.”
So that may help with testing out DD methods before running out of time, if you get other requirements knocked out early.