Most modern credit unions represent specialized consumer cooperatives of citizens associated by the principle of social community: place of work, place of residence, profession, or any other shared interest. Some credit unions are closed, serving only their members. However, the more and more popularitywin cooperatives of open type. Principles of cooperative democracy and interaction were adequate to the purposes for which people joined credit unions. In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others. Credit unions base their activities on savings of shareholders, their shares and savings contributions, which make up the fund of mutual financial assistance - a source of cash loans to shareholders. The specifics of credit unions and, in some sense, their uniqueness lies in the fact that they work not for profit and do not appropriate profit. Credit union as a consumer cooperative operates on the principles of equality of all its members. A potential new member of a credit union must submit a recommendation of shareholders in which the referee becomes a warrant of a future member of the credit union.