Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state before you talk to any lender. Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state.
Credit Unions vs Payday Loans in Fond Du Lac, WI
2 credit unions are headquartered in Fond Du Lac, with 6,898 members in total. Credit unions are member-owned and often offer small personal loans and payday alternative loans (PALs) at far lower rates than payday lenders.
- Credit unions
- 2
- Members
- 6,898
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 2
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Fond Du Lac
Fond Du Lac has 7 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 2 credit unions headquartered here — about 3.5 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 6,898 members — roughly 11 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
2
3.2 per 100k residents
6,898 members
Payday & loan stores
7
11.0 per 100k residents
6 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Fond Du Lac: Dollar Loan Center (2), Advance America (1), Check 'n Go (1), Check Into Cash (1), Mariner Finance (1).
What a $500 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~574%+ APR) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $450.00 |
| Credit union PAL, 3 monthly payments (28% APR + $20 fee) | $174.50 a month | $43.51 |
- You keep with a credit union PAL over 3 months
- $406.49 payday costs 10× more
Payday: a typical fee of $75 on a $500 loan for 2 weeks (WI limits are not set in dollars), paid 6 times in 3 months. PAL: payday alternative loan from a federal credit union, capped at 28% APR with an application fee of up to $20.
What it means for a household in Fond Du Lac
- Median household income
- $68,638
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 2.8%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 3.8 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 3.1%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.1 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 14.3%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 10.3%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Fond Du Lac are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Wisconsin
| Payday loan in WI | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | No state limit | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | No strict state limit (N/A) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~574%+ | Up to 28% |
| Term | Usually 2–4 weeks, due in one payment | 1 to 12 months, in installments |
| Credit check | Usually none; a bank account and income are required | Membership required; payments can be reported to credit bureaus |
Payday rules: Wisconsin law as summarized on our Wisconsin payday page. PAL rules: National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) rules for federal credit unions (PAL I and PAL II); state-chartered credit unions may offer similar small loans.
Credit unions headquartered in Fond Du Lac
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fond Du Lac Credit UnionState-chartered | 91 N Pioneer Rd Fond Du Lac, WI 54935 | 5,834 | fdlcu.com |
| Compassionate Care Credit UnionState-chartered | 430 E Division St, P O Box 1474 Fond Du Lac, WI 54936 | 1,064 | compassionatecarecu.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Fond Du Lac
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Fond Du Lac with addresses, phone numbers and hours. Check a credit union first — a PAL or small personal loan usually costs far less.
| Address | Phone | Hours | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 245 N Peters Ave Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 581-8450 | — | 4.7 |
| 928 S Main St Ste 600 Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 581-8452 | — | 4.7 |
| 87 N. Pioneer Road Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 926-0721 | Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM Sat–Sun closed |
— |
| 951 E Johnson St Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 922-8888 | — | 4.9 |
| 484 N Rolling Meadows Dr Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 924-7700 | — | 4.7 |
| 459 W Johnson St Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 933-6250 | — | 4.8 |
| 976 E Johnson St Ste 600 Fond du Lac, WI 54935 | (920) 929-7343 | — | 4.8 |
More about Fond Du Lac
Only credit union headquarters are listed, with the address on file with the NCUA; phone numbers and branch locations are on each credit union’s website. Many credit unions also have branches in Fond Du Lac and nearby — check membership requirements, as some are open to anyone who lives or works in the area. Loan stores: storefront locations of major payday, installment and title lenders; call ahead to confirm hours.