Here are a few ways financial institutions are giving this year:

• City National Bank has partnered with 15 Barnes & Noble locations to run a Holiday Book Drive through 01.01.2011. Customers can purchase and donate a book at the Barnes & Noble location and City National Bank will match the donations up to $50,000. Click here for more information.

• California Coast Credit Union is rewarding their members who sign up for their free Bill Pay service. Customers who use Bill Pay to pay 3 bills from 11.09.2010 through 12.31.2010 will be entered into the "Dreamin' of a Playstation®3 Bill Pay Sweepstakes" for a chance to win a Playstation® 3 Move Bundle, Smart Phone, or $100. Click here for more information.

• Wells Fargo and Wachovia personal and business customers who sign up for online banking, sign into their online banking session, or switch their statement delivery from paper to online only will be automatically entered into the "Wells Fargo Online Banking/Online Statements Sweepstakes." The prizes include one $50,000 grand prize and 50 $1,000 prizes. This offer ends 12.15.2010. Click here for more information.

PNC Bank customers who make eligible Visa credit card purchases between 11.01.2010 and 12.26.2010 will be automatically entered into the "Win Big 2010 Sweepstakes." There will be five prizes awarded each week and one grand prize of $20,000. Click here for more information.

Visions FCU will be announcing special loan rates on 11.26.2010 and 11.27.2010 as part of their Loan Rate Madness campaign. Members who apply for a loan on Black Friday, 11.26.2010, will receive a $25 Walmart Gift Card. Loans of $5,000 or greater must be approved and funded by 12.15.2010. Click here for more information.

Metlife Home Loans is currently offering a purchase special which gives borrowers a credit of 0.75% of their loan amount. Borrowers can then choose to use the credit towards their closing costs or to buy down their interest rate. The special is currently available on all new purchase loans nationwide.

UMB Bank signed a multi-year contract with ACH Alert, a third party fraud detection service, to provide commercial accounts with actionable alerts when an ACH debit is presented for payment. Clients can be notified by text or email to log into UMB’s web portal to complete pay or no-pay decisions on ACH transactions, eliminating the need for ACH blocks and filters. Click here for more information.

Service Credit Union is offering deal-seeking customers a way to save rather than spend their money this Black Friday, 11.26.2010. From 6 A.M. to noon, branches will be offering customers a chance to open a 3-month “Super High Savings Certificate” at 10.00% APY. The minimum deposit amount is $350 and the maximum deposit amount is $1,000. Click here for more information.