Where do Alaskans stash their money?

• Position: Banks or credit unions

With credit unions offering banking services and banks tailoring their services because of competition from credit unions, we at Alaska Business Monthly decided a modest, if informal survey was in order.

We interviewed 10 people at random from various income levels, specifically asking whether each used a bank or a credit union for various transactions. The results pretty much parallel the facts and figures given in our story.

Our 10 respondents had a total of 13 checking accounts, 10 at banks and three at credit unions. Six savings accounts broke down as two at banks and four in credit unions. Seven car loans were split four from banks and three from credit unions.

One person used only a credit union for all financial transactions, and three people kept all their accounts in banks. One person had accounts at two different banks and one credit union, another had a bank account and belonged to two different credit unions. A third respondent kept his personal account...