Articles Tagged ‘Checking’
How to Make the Most of Your Checking Account
Sunday, February 13th, 2011
For many of us, the basic checking account is the backbone of our personal financial system. We generally deposit our paychecks into our checking accounts, pay our bills from the checking account and use our checking accounts as a short term (and sometimes not so short term) place to safely store our money.
Getting the most of your checking account can help you avoid unnecessary fees, unexpected expenses and help you manage your daily finances better.
Making the best of your checking account also means you’ll have a better grasp of your finances and will be able to respond quickly and...
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Tags: ATM, Banking Advice, Checking, checking account, Online Banking
Posted in Checking | No Comments »
How do Free Checking Offers Work?
Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
You’ve probably seen TV commercials from banks that offer “100% Free” checking accounts. Perhaps you’ve even received a free checking account application or brochure in the mail from a large national bank, or saw an online banner ad.
The offers might not have struck you as odd, but when you think about it you might start to wonder – how do these free checking offers work? How can the bank afford to give away free checking services when it costs them time and money to maintain those accounts?
The truth is that banks are often willing to offer free checking...
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Tags: Banking Advice, Checking, checking offer, free checking
Posted in Checking | 1 Comment »
Big Banks and Bigger Fees
Monday, January 3rd, 2011
The federal government stepped in to protect consumers from the fees being charged by big banks. The changes implemented appear to have made life easier and more affordable, but that is only a superficial view. Big banks are finding ways to fight back against the many government regulations.
Consumers should understand the regulations and what the banks are doing in response to better manage their own accounts. Big banks are in business to make money and they are learning that fighting government regulations may be one of the only ways to keep their own balances in the black.
Here is some...
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Tags: Banking Advice, Checking, checking accounts, checking fees
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Tips for Making Online Banking Work for You
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Chances are you’ve seen advertisements in magazines or on the internet for online banks, touting the high rates that they pay on savings accounts and perhaps also the low rates they charge for mortgage loans along with the convenience and time savings associated with paying your bills online.
Many people have found that online banking can be an important part of their financial strategy. If you haven’t set up an account with an online bank, there are several points that you should consider to make sure that you find the best bank for your needs and goals. If...
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Tags: Banking Advice, Checking, Online Banking
Posted in Online Banking | No Comments »
Finding the Hidden Fees in Checking Accounts
Friday, November 12th, 2010
Many of us have our checking account in order to make our lives more convenient. For some transactions, writing a check is still preferable to pulling out our credit or debit card. Because our checking accounts are so utilitarian in nature, we probably don’t expect to earn much (or perhaps earn any) interest on our account balances. But we also don’t expect to pay much in fees, either.
As part of your diligence in maintaining control over your financial situation, you should always be fully aware of all the fees and charges you’re paying (not just on...
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Tags: atm fees, Banking Advice, Checking, checking fees
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Banking Fees
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
Like any other business, banks are out to make money. Traditionally, they have accomplished this by lending money that's on deposit and collecting interest on it. But as you probably know if you have any type of bank account, banks also make a significant amount of money by charging their customers fees.
Many customers sign up for free checking accounts in an effort to avoid fees. These accounts do not pay any interest, but there are no monthly maintenance fees and usually no minimum balances. But few “free checking” customers actually get by without ever paying any type of fee....
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Tags: Banking Advice, banking fees, Checking, checking fees
Posted in Checking | 3 Comments »
Watch Out for Banking Fees
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
As we all know banks have been hit very hard with the economic downturn and they are searching for more and more “nickel and dime” charges to pass along to consumers to increase their earnings.
Here are some suggestions for avoiding two of the more common fees that banks assess:
Don't use another bank's ATM. Over 99% of ATM's now impose a surcharge that now averages almost $2.00 on cash withdrawals if you are not a customer of theirs. To avoid these ever-growing fees, use your debit card to make a purchase, and just ask for cash back.
Keep your check book...
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Tags: atm fees, Banking Advice, banking fees, Checking, checking fees, overdraft fees
Posted in Checking | 1 Comment »
Checkbook Balancing Tips
Monday, December 22nd, 2008
It is one of our least favorite things to do. No one wants to think about tracking their finances, but it is the only way to make sure that we are keeping up with and not exceeding our available funds. Here are five tips for balancing that dreaded checkbook that, once started, will become second nature every month.
Your main tool in the war on checkbooks is the ledger. You get one with each box of checks that you order. It is where we write our beginning balance for that book of checks and the number and...
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Tags: balance checkbook, checkbook, Checking
Posted in Checking | 1 Comment »
Free Checking Accounts
Monday, December 22nd, 2008
If you have a checking account wherein you can write as many checks per month as you like, there are no fees associated with writing the checks, you receive interest, and there is no minimum required to open an account – this is the best free checking account you can have, right?
The only downside to a free checking account is that if a check bounces, you have to pay the fee. You may be able to avail yourself of such an account at your local Savings and Loan or at a commercial bank.
These days, most commercial banks offer incentives...
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Tags: Checking, checking account, free checking
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