With a niche field of membership, Honda Federal Credit Union is always looking for ways to create and expand opportunities that will not only meet members' needs but bring in additional income.

One such product that has proven to be a boon is reloadable, prepaid cards, said Jim Updike, CEO of the $538 million credit union in Torrance, Calif. The cards are provided to salespersons at approximately 1,300 Honda and Acura dealerships as incentives for meeting performance goals. Since it first started offering the cards in 2009, the cooperative has earned $22,000 each month in interchange income through the program.

The card program is run by The Members Group, a card processing and payment solution provider. HFCU has issued roughly 13,000 cards. Updike said it has saved dealerships $2 million because it was able to offer a better deal than the one previously in place with a bank. In the past, salesmen would be rewarded with merchandise and checks.