Ouachita Valley FCU Perks You Didn’t Know Could Save You Money

save money with credit union perks

Most people join a credit union for lower rates on loans and better service, but Ouachita Valley FCU also helps members save in smaller, everyday ways. From debit card rewards to cash back on online shopping, the credit union’s member programs add up to real value year-round.

Earn Rewards Every Time You Use Your Debit Card

Every purchase you make with your Ouachita Valley FCU debit card helps you earn reward points automatically through the Member Perks program. Those points can be redeemed for merchandise, travel, or popular gift cards from top brands. There’s no separate enrollment or monthly fee. Just use your debit card like normal, and your rewards balance grows as you spend.

You can even earn extra rewards by referring family or friends through the official Invite a Friend page on our website. Once your referral joins, both of you earn bonus points as a “thank you” for supporting the Ouachita Valley FCU community.

Whether you’re paying for groceries, gas, or your morning coffee, you’re earning points that can be redeemed for something you actually want.

Get Cash Back When You Shop Online

The Member Perks merchant portal turns online shopping into another way to earn money back. By visiting ouachitavalleyfcuperks.org and shopping through partner links, members can earn bonus points or cash back with hundreds of participating retailers.

Here’s how it works:

  • Purchases made through the Perks portal automatically earn cash back or points, credited around the 15th of the following month.

  • Rewards are based on a percentage of your total purchase, excluding tax and shipping.

  • Members can adjust their preferences to earn more points or more cash back depending on their goals.

Examples of available rewards:

  • Expedia: up to 125 points or $12.50 cash back per booking

  • Walmart.com: up to 20 points or $2 cash back per $100 spent

  • Sally Beauty Supply: up to 50 points or $5 cash back per $100 spent

  • Verizon: up to 375 points or $37.50 cash back per purchase

  • Canon, Office Depot, and Belk: up to $3 cash back per $100 spent

From travel and tech to fashion and home goods, these partnerships cover hundreds of popular stores, including Hotels.com, Staples, Hanes, TJ Maxx, and Tractor Supply.

The key is for members to shop directly through the portal’s links. Purchases made outside it, or with merchant coupons not listed on the site, don’t qualify. But when you follow the steps, every eligible purchase automatically earns rewards or cash back, which then deposits straight into your account.

Credit Sense: Free Credit Monitoring and Score Insights

Another powerful perk for members is Credit Sense, a free credit monitoring and education tool built right into online and mobile banking.

Credit Sense gives you:

  • Unlimited access to your credit score

  • Monthly credit reports and alerts for suspicious activity

  • Personalized tips to help raise your score

  • Educational tools explaining how credit is calculated

Credit checks through the app are soft inquiries, so checking your score won’t affect your credit. Over time, using Credit Sense helps you build stronger credit, which often means lower rates on auto loans, mortgages, and credit cards.

With free insights and security alerts in one place, you can improve your financial health without paying for a third-party credit app.

Member-Only Rates and Local Loan Decisions

Unlike large national banks, Ouachita Valley FCU returns profits to its members through lower loan rates, fewer fees, and more flexible terms.

Auto loans, mortgages, and HELOCs all feature competitive, transparent rates. Because all approvals and underwriting happen locally, members often get faster decisions and personal guidance rather than automated responses or strict algorithms.

This structure helps members save money over time through lower interest and a more human approach to lending. The credit union’s fixed-rate products also make budgeting easier, with no surprise adjustments down the road.

Even More Ways for Louisiana Residents to Join and Save

With Ouachita Valley FCU’s expanded field of membership, anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in one of the following parishes can become a member:

  • Bienville

  • Caldwell

  • Catahoula

  • Claiborne

  • East Carroll

  • Franklin

  • Jackson

  • LaSalle

  • Lincoln

  • Madison

  • Morehouse

  • Ouachita

  • Richland

  • Tensas

  • Union

  • West Carroll

  • Winn

Employees of participating sponsor companies, and their families, are also eligible, with the option to make saving even easier through free payroll deduction directly into their accounts.

Combine these membership benefits with tools like Credit Sense, cash-back shopping rewards, and lower loan rates, and the savings add up quickly. Call 318.387.4592 or apply online to become a member and start taking advantage of your perks today.

Brenda McMullen