Here’s How MetrumCU Makes It Simple.
Let’s be honest — “switching banks” sounds about as fun as untangling a drawer full of charging cables. You picture forgotten bills, a direct deposit that vanishes into the void, and a stack of paperwork with your name on it.
Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be that complicated. With a little planning (and a checklist), moving your checking account — or as we like to call it, your spending account— from your old bank or credit union to Metrum Community Credit Union can be done without missing a single payment or getting caught short. Here’s how to make it painless.
Timing Is Everything
Before you switch anything, open your new MetrumCU spending account first and keep your old checking account open and active in the background. Think of it as a bridge, not a cliff — you want both accounts running side by side for a month or two while everything transfers over, not a hard cutoff on day one.
A good rule of thumb: avoid switching right before a big bill is due or right after payday hits your old account. Give yourself a full billing cycle of overlap so you can watch both accounts and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
What Actually Needs to Change?
This is the part people dread, but it’s really just three categories:
- Direct deposit — your paycheck (and any other recurring deposits)
- Automatic payments — think loan payments, subscriptions, insurance, utilities
- Bill Payments — anything you’ve set up to pay automatically through your old bank’s website
Pull up your last two or three bank statements and highlight anything that debits or credits your account automatically. That list is your roadmap. MetrumCU’s Switch Kit includes ready-to-use letters for each of these — direct deposit, automatic deposits, and automatic payments — so you’re not starting from a blank page, plus an organizer to track what’s been switched and when.
Your Safety Net While You Switch
Even with careful planning, transition periods can be unpredictable — maybe a payment switches over a few days earlier than expected, or a deposit takes one extra cycle to land. That’s exactly what an Overdraft Line-of-Credit is for. If an item comes through before funds are there to cover it, an approved line-of-credit automatically transfers just enough to cover it — no scrambling, no high NSF fees. It’s a nice option to have in your back pocket during the switch (and honestly, anytime after), and it can help build your credit along the way. Members who are working on building or rebuilding credit can also ask about a Share-Secured Loan option.
Bill Pay: Set It and Forget It
Once your spending account is open, MetrumCU’s Express Online Bill Payment makes it easy to leave the checkbook and stamps behind for good. Log into Online Banking, head to Payments and Transfers, and set up your recurring bills in a few clicks — no more juggling logins for every company you pay. It’s one dashboard, one login, and one less thing to remember every month.
And here’s another benefit worth knowing: Bill Pay payments come out on business days, so you don’t have to wait for ACH payments to clear. That can make it easier to know when money is leaving your account and plan your budget accordingly.
A Couple of Perks Worth Knowing
If you open your account in person at our Centennial, CO branch, you can walk out with a debit card the same day, instead of waiting the usual 7–10 business days for one to arrive in the mail. And unlike some larger banks where you might spend twenty minutes on hold just to ask a question, MetrumCU’s Member Service Representatives are there throughout the whole process — happy to walk you through each step, answer questions, or help you fill out a form.
The Bottom Line
Switching your checking account isn’t the headache it’s made out to be — it just takes a checklist and a little overlap between old and new. Open your account, move your deposits and payments over one at a time, lean on the Overdraft Line-of-Credit if you need a cushion during the transition, and set up bill pay so you never think about it again.
Ready to make the move to a MetrumCU Spending Account? Stop by or give us a call at 303-770-4468 — our Member Service Representatives can walk you through the whole process, start to finish.