Affinity Implements Fee Reductions and Removals for Debit Card Courtesy Pay

Date: February 4, 2022

Have you ever been checking out at the store, a line growing behind you, only for the cashier to tell you that your debit card has been declined? Maybe you forgot that your internet bill had been deducted from your account or you slightly overestimated the balance for any number of other reasons. Do you try to move money between your accounts at the register? Do you ask to put something back on the rack?.

Having your card declined can not only be humiliating, but also prevent you from purchasing things you need. In our hectic daily lives, it’s easy to lose track of an account balance and go a little over budget at the store. At Affinity Federal Credit Union, we save our members that embarrassment by offering Debit Card Courtesy Pay,¹ a discretionary service that authorizes Affinity to automatically cover a transaction that exceeds your statement balance.

This helps ensure our members are never caught in that awkward situation where they don’t have the funds in their account to purchase needed items. Debit Card Courtesy Pay will cover you in the moment and you can worry later about putting money back into your overdrafted account.

The word “overdraft” is scary to many consumers, since it normally comes with hidden fees and penalties. But overdrafting an account can happen to the best of us, and no one should get penalized for spending a little bit more than their balance.

This is why Affinity has either eliminated or reduced our Debit Card Courtesy Pay fees for 2022. Starting this year, there are no overdraft fees for debit card transactions under $75, and the fee has been reduced to $15 for transactions of $75 or greater. The Debit Card Courtesy Pay program was designed to enhance the financial wellbeing of our members, and now you don’t have to worry about paying costly fees when utilizing this service.

At Affinity, our main priority is helping our members reach their financial goals and achieve financial wellbeing. Hidden or unnecessarily fees can throw off the budgets that members have worked so hard to create, while taking money away from the things that really matter.

In addition to the Debit Card Courtesy Pay feature, we offer an Overdraft Protection Plan, which links to your Affinity checking account so funds can be automatically transferred to cover the overdraft amount at no cost to the member.

You need to focus on setting healthy financial goals and working toward them, not worry about where there may be hidden fees. Because Affinity takes pride in encouraging your financial growth, we’re striving to lower fees and even remove them entirely in some cases. That money belongs in your account, to pay bills or build your savings.

To sign up for Debit Card Courtesy Pay, go to your My Affinity Toolkit on the online banking homepage or the Self Service page on the mobile app.

This information is for informational purposes only and is intended to provide general guidance and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Each person’s circumstances are different and may not apply to the specific information provided. You should seek the advice of a financial professional, tax consultant, and/or legal counsel to discuss your specific needs before making any financial or other commitments.

1. Retrieved from: https://www.affinityfcu.com/banking/checking/overdraft-protection.aspx