CHICAGO—Credit unions used to sit on the sidelines while big-box stores and card-issuing banks turned Black Friday into a marketing Super Bowl. Not this year. In 2025, more credit unions are treating Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a full-on member-engagement season—rolling out 0% holiday loans, sweepstakes tied to card usage, and even “everyone wins” prize boards that look more like a game show than a rate sheet.
At Utah Community Credit Union, Black Friday has turned into a full-blown “Money Deals” event. Members who opt in unlock an “everyone wins” package—special deals on auto and RV loans, home equity lines, and credit cards—plus weekly drawings for bigger prizes. Those include chances to cut an auto loan rate in half, snag 0.25% off select loans, boost savings certificate yields, or get a $150 cash bonus for new direct deposit. UCCU even throws in a robot vacuum for certain new mortgages.
Atlantic FCU in Maine goes for a simple headline-grabber: a Black Friday Loan Special that advertises 0% APR—with a twist. Members can choose either a $3,299 loan or a $5,499 loan over 18 months, paying a one-time prepaid finance charge ($299 or $499, respectively). The marketing is all about predictability and relief: fixed payments, quick decisions, and a message that this is a safer alternative to running up high-interest store and bank credit cards during the holidays.
Southeastern Ohio Credit Union leans into scarcity with its “Pre-Black Friday Loans,” available for one week only—from Monday, Nov. 24 through Friday, Nov. 28. Members can grab a $1,200 loan for 12 months at 5.99% APR, with a $30 application fee. The pitch is straightforward: get shopping cash in hand before the crowds hit, and lock in a modest, predictable payment for the year ahead.
'Save Hundreds Or Even Thousands'
Minnesota-based Wakota Federal Credit Union brands its campaign simply as “The Black Friday Loan Sale,” but the details are anything but generic. The sale covers a wide swath of needs: vehicle, boat, ATV and RV loans with rates as low as 3.99% APR, plus unsecured loans starting at 9.99% APR for holiday spending or debt consolidation. Applications submitted throughout November qualify, giving members a full month to position themselves before the holiday bills hit.
In Illinois, Midwest Members Credit Union narrows its focus to the car lot. Its Black Friday Sale offers auto rates as low as 3.99% APR on new purchases or external refinances, valid Nov. 19 through Dec. 1. The marketing emphasizes preapproval, “shop with confidence,” and the potential to “save hundreds or even thousands” over the life of the loan—essentially turning Black Friday into a strategic refinance window instead of just another spending spree.
Some of the Black Friday buzz is coming from outside CU websites, too. Granite Credit Union in Utah earned TV airtime with a segment touting its “exciting Black Friday loan deals,” including a 3.99% APR promotional home equity loan for holiday expenses or debt consolidation and a 4.99% auto loan for up to 72 months. The credit union pairs those rates with its everyday 1.5% cash-back Visa card, but the on-air message is clear: in an inflationary year, lower loan rates beat flashy rewards to keep holiday spending from blowing up the budget.
Not every promotion is a broad “Black Friday” label. Bay Atlantic Federal Credit Union in New Jersey is running a Black Friday Loan Special that spans mid-November through Dec. 19, marketed prominently on its homepage as seasonal borrowing help for members. The specifics are tucked into the application flow, but the branding mirrors big-box doorbusters—short window, holiday graphics, and a heavy emphasis on limited-time availability.
Santa Fe Federal Credit Union takes a more playful route with “Wish List Wednesday,” explicitly tied to Black Friday shopping. Members who apply by noon on Wednesday, Nov. 27, can get a special-rate personal loan funded that afternoon—timed so they have cash in hand for Black Friday deals. To qualify, members need a Santa Fe FCU checking account, debit card, and payroll deduction, turning the promo into both a shopping lifeline and a relationship-deepening tool.
Franklin Trust Federal Credit Union in Connecticut markets its Black Friday Loan as a “holiday helper” with almost instant gratification. Using QCash in mobile or online banking, members can apply for $500 to $3,000 with no credit report required, receive a decision in seconds, and repay over 12 months. The offer runs all November, with the first payment not due until Jan. 31, 2026—essentially shifting the financial impact of Black Friday out of the immediate post-holiday crunch.
Payments-Based Sweepstakes
Wyoming’s Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union turns Black Friday into a payments-based sweepstakes instead of a loan sale. Its 2025 Black Friday Sweepstakes gives members an entry into a $1,000 drawing for every debit or credit card purchase of $25 or more made on Friday, Nov. 28. Credit card purchases get an extra twist: if the winning transaction is on a Meridian Trust Visa Rewards credit card, the member not only wins $1,000, but also a 5% bonus on that purchase (up to $2,000). It’s a classic “top-of-wallet” play—and it turns holiday shopping into a one-day, high-energy card-usage event.
Commonwealth Credit Union in Kentucky wraps education and rewards into a Black Friday Shopping Guide and Cyber Monday blog. Alongside tips on budgeting and avoiding impulse buys, CCU nudges members toward its MY Card: normally a 1.5-points-per-dollar rewards card, but during its Holiday Celebration members earn three points per $1 spent through Dec. 31. The credit union explicitly frames the promotion as a way to turn Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases into extra cash back—without encouraging overspending.
And at Fort Worth City Credit Union in Texas, Black Friday extends into a full “Cyber Week Special.” FWCCU pairs smart-shopping tips with a holiday loan promotion: loans from $1,000 to $10,000 at rates starting at 8.69% APR, flexible terms up to 36 months, a 1% rate discount during Cyber Week (Dec. 1–5), and $50 in spending cash when members are approved for $1,000 or more. The message is part financial wellness, part “treat yourself”—borrow smart, keep payments manageable, and still enjoy a bit of seasonal fun.