Credit s provide the same kinds of services that banks do. You can open a checking account, buy a certificate of deposit and get a loan. Some will even sell you stocks, and offer you a safe-deposit box.

Generally, if it carries National Credit Administration insurance, a credit is a good place to take your business. For-profit banks are in the business of making money for their shareholders. Credit s are not-for-profit organizations that are supposed to focus on service and savings for their members.

Take your business to a credit instead of a bank and expect to receive a higher interest rate on your savings and pay a lower rate on your credit cards and other loans. Bankrate.com's "Compare credit , bank and thrift rates" compares the interest rates on five of the most common financial products: a new car loan, 1-year certificate of deposit, money market accounts, credit cards and 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Credit s win every time.

But don't get fooled by statistics. The averages come a survey of the top 50 credit s, banks and thrifts in the top U.S. markets. Your particular credit may not match these averages. And you may need other services, such as ATM transactions, that a credit may charge more for than a bank.

When it comes down to picking a financial institution for yourself, visit or call the banks and credit s you are interested in doing business with, and have them quote rates on the products you need. Compare the service you receive as well as the rates: you don't want to put your money in a place that's going to give you grief every time you do business with it.