Update 8/17/23: Deal is back and no direct deposit required now.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $100
- Availability: Must live or work in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam or St. Johns counties in Florida
- Direct deposit required: None
- Additional requirements: None
- Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: Unknown
- Monthly fees: None
- Early account termination fee: $10 if closed within 6 months
- Household limit: None listed
- Expiration date: None listed
The Offer
- Community First Credit Union of Florida is offering a bonus of $200 when you open a new UNF free checking account. Requirements are as follows:
- Open your first consumer checking account.
- Make 10 debit transactions in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Make deposits totaling $1,000 or more in the first 90 days of account opening.
The Fine Print
- There is a joining free of $5 which will be held in your community first share account
- Minimum opening deposit of $25
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
This account has no monthly fees, but you do need to keep the account open for six months otherwise an early account termination fee of $10 will be charged. You also need to pay a $5 joining fee that is held in your share account.
Our Verdict
This bonus doesn’t have any requirements, so seems like a great deal to me as it’s a soft pull as well. I’ll add this to the best bank bonuses. If anybody goes for it, please share your experiences in the comments below.
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
Post history:
- Update 9/10/22: There is a $175 version, but it requires a direct deposit. Original version no longer works.
Anyone tried to churn this one after previously closing a checking account?
You cannot churn C1CU. They recently changed the wording in the Terms & Conditions:
“Special offer – Earn $200 for opening your first Community First checking account.
…
Promotion is only applicable once per checking account and per member. Members with an existing personal checking account with Community First Credit Union or who have closed a checking account with Community First Credit Union previously are not eligible to participate.“
Tried opening an account with them and was told too many inquiries. Most were for additional accounts (CDs) at the same banks, and was told maybe she could ask for an exception. Three weeks later, I called and was told not approved for those same inquiries and that I should wait 3 months with no inquiries before reapplying.
The $200 can be stacked with a referral bonus of $25. It’s not much but it doesn’t require direct deposit. Just needs 1k in deposits + 10 Debit Card purchases. If anyone wants to use my link, I would really appreciate it
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Thanks in advance
Definitely Chex sensitive (atleast for me). Applied online and immediately got a call from them 5 minutes later, they started by asking me why I have so many applications on my credit profile (I’m LOL/24). I made up some bs story (she specifically asked about the banks i’ve opened by name), and told me she will notate my account. 10 minutes later got another call saying they are unable to approve me, and if I want to wait 60 days I can try and apply again.
So customers with closed accounts do not qualify then? “Open your first consumer checking account” according to the terms.
Two very similar posts exist on this C1CU bonus. Here’s the other one:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/fl-only-community-first-credit-union-160-amazon-checking-bonus/
This offer has returned to the $200 bonus with no DD required
https://www.communityfirstfl.org/offers/get-$200-with-free-checking
Opened 2/8
$25 “New Acct Promo” deposited in share account 2/8
Real DD $501.02 posted 2/22
Real DD $501.02 posted 3/8
$150 “Deposit Direct Dep Promo” deposited in checking 5/10
New link can be found here: https://www.communityfirstfl.org/offers/free-checking
New offer code is CHK2023.
Interestingly I don’t see any language about prior bonuses or closing an account or anything in the terms. Maybe there’s something deeper in the application that shows those terms?