In recent decades, many credit unions began to resort to such form of service as The economic basis of credit unions - finances of a household. The main objective of the credit union - to ensure financial stability of a household, to ensure the priority of their shareholders' financial interests. Credit unions also differ from the traditional consumer cooperatives. Members of credit unions place in credit unions usually free fund balances, ie those that remain after expenses devoted to education of children, the acquisition of new properties, additional pension benefits, etc. Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). Important specifics of creating a credit union - an initiative order of organization: people do not receive any instructions, orders or regulations, the unification into a credit union occurs by their will and decision. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. To increase the number of credit unions in 1979 was adopted the corresponding law that serves as the legal basis of their activity. Today, the World Council of Credit Unions is represented as members four regional confederations and twelve national associations.