For most of us, fees are just another part of life – like breathing, drinking and brushing your teeth (please). Whenever we get charged a fee for something we have to use, we let out a groan, then pay it.

What else are you going to do? Not use your smartphone or go to that concert?


Who are the biggest fee offenders?

  • Cable companies: You need access to the internet in your home, but try to change your plan, cancel or move and you’re looking at some added, unexpected costs.
  • Phone companies: Are data plans still a thing? Want to get out of your contract? Expect to pay.
  • Airlines: Better make sure your bag is exactly 50 pounds and 27” x 21” x 14” or you’re going to pay extra. Want a window seat? Some airlines even charge you for this.
  • Ticketmaster: Won’t even get started with this one.
  • Banks: Want to access your money using a checking account and debit card? The money you earn? You better be ready to pay a monthly maintenance fee or keep a high amount of cash in your account every day.

Another month, another fee for your checking account…

Not so fast.

At Arsenal, our Totally Free Checking account comes with no monthly maintenance fee – without a minimum balance or other requirements. It’s the perfect, basic checking account for paying bills, buying groceries, filling up your gas tank and everything else you need.


Let’s take a minute to compare fees

Here’s Arsenal’s Totally Free Checking account compared to the basic checking accounts of some of the biggest banks serving the St. Louis area.

Arsenal Credit Union: Totally Free Checking

$0.00 monthly fee, plus no minimum balance or other requirements

U.S. Bank: Easy Checking

$6.95 per month

Bank of America: Advantage SafeBalance Checking

$4.95 per month (with limited access to features)

Regions Bank: LifeGreen Checking

$8.00 per month

First Bank: First Choice Checking

$9.95 per month

You could avoid some of these banking fees by meeting minimum balance or direct deposit requirements, but why jump through hoops just to access your money?

Keep your life and your everyday transactions simple. Open a Totally Free Checking account today and avoid those monthly service fees! Visit one of our branches or start a live video chat to get started. You can even get started online right now.

Open a Totally Free Checking account


What about statement fees?

We recently learned that a major financial institution will start charging an $8.00 fee for paper statements. To avoid it, a customer has to have at least $500 in direct deposit each month. Why go through the hassle? 


Earn interest with your checking account

Need a little more out of your checking account? Our Value and Advantage Plus Checking accounts put your money to work without high minimum balances or other requirements.

  • Our Value Checking account earns interest, and there is no fee if you maintain an average daily balance of $500 or more.
  • Our Advantage Plus Checking account has a low monthly fee of $4.00 with no minimum balance or other requirements.

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