How to Choose Your Bank
There are a lot of options to consider when choosing a bank. Now days, there are more options, services and accounts than ever to choose from. It can be confusing when deciding where to start. If you do a little research and possibly a little visiting, you can find a bank that fits your needs and goals. If you find yourself in a financial binds pretty often, then you may want to choose a bank that offers something like a payday loan or a cash advance. These can be helpful if you're finding yourself making late payments on loans or credit cards. They can help you out of a financial bind and help you to avoid late fees and bad hits on your credit. Just be aware of the terms and try to make all of your...
How to Get Overdraft Fees Taken Off
We've all done it at least once - opened up our online banking portal on the Web and spotted an overdraft fee on our statement. Whether it's $20, $30 or more, an overdraft fee showing up on the online statement is never a welcome sight. An overdraft is charged anytime you make transactions against your account in an amount that exceeds your current balance. Obviously, in order to pay the merchant or individual to whom you authorized the payment via your debit card, credit card, or personal check, your bank needs to be able to withdraw those funds from your account. When the funds aren't there, they are not happy. If you are enrolled in an overdraft protection program - and chances are good that you...
What Does NSF Stand For? 3 Points About NSF Fees
You may have heard the term "NSF" floating around lately. If so, you likely read or heard it in the news, at work, or maybe from a friend. This is a personal finance term that has a direct impact on how much of your own money you actually get to keep at the end of the day. If you are wondering, "What does NSF stand for?," here is a definition, along with some important points you should know about personal finance that could save you hundreds of dollars or more a year. NSF simply means "non-sufficient funds." Usually, the term is used to refer to the situation whereby you make a charge to your checking account - usually a debit, credit, or check charge - for an amount that exceeds the balance of...
Low Overdraft Fees Banks - 3 Things to Look For
Overdraft fees have become a necessary evil for many people. On the one hand, overdraft protection sounds like a pretty good deal. Essentially, it means that your bank is protecting you from having to face a bounced check or be denied debit charge at the register. At the same time, however, the service results in huge charges to your account every time they are made. A typical overdraft charge is $25 to $35, depending upon the bank. And, banks are making a killing on overdraft fees, to the tune of about $30 billion per year. In fact, these fees - also known as NSF fees - have become a significant source of income for banks. Luckily, there is an excellent alternative to your paying heavy overdraft...
In these troubled times many people are facing such serious financial difficulties that the government has finally stepped in to help out. It i time to become educated so that you are a forewarned and forearmed consumer. Before I go into opt-in overdraft and over the limit coverage regarding banking and credit cards, it is a good idea to get a clear understanding of the new laws that will be enforced as of August 15, 2010. During this time of a recession in which everyone around the world is having difficulties with their finances most people are looking for ways that we can save money. One of the ways we can save money is by paying attention to what we truly can't afford. The fact is having...
Tricks For Improving Your Credit Score
When you bring your accounts current or the bankruptcy is discharged, you can start re-establishing your credit score. Here are three tips to help get you going: Credit Insuring Consider insuring your credit so you can get finance when you need to buy a car. No matter how bad your credit is, automobile dealerships can arrange financing by selling you repossession insurance. It works just like any other vehicle purchase: You make a down payment and agree to make payments on the balance of the purchase price. In addition, you pay premiums to an insurance company that will cover the lender's loss if the car is repossessed. Repossession insurance is expensive, but it is one sure way to obtain a vehicle...
No Overdraft Checking - Alternatives to Unreasonable Fees
The rancor surrounding overdraft fees is growing. The media is filled with horror stories and public message of disgust. Now congress is even proposing the creation of an entirely new federal agency that could limit banks' practices in this area. But what options exist now for hurting customers? The answer: plenty. Here are five basic alternatives to paying large and unreasonable bank fees. 1. Use your PIN number It is not uncommon for people to check their account balances, spend money that they can see that they have in their account, and then be charged an overdraft fee. Many times, this is not due to a bank error, but by selecting "credit" instead of "debit" when making a purchase. By running a...
Friendly Bankers And Sugar Highs
One fine day a couple of years ago, I went to set up a bank account for my fine art business. I brought three children along for the auspicious event: Joseph (six years old), Michael (four years old) and Christopher (eight months old). I thought I could just add a DBA (Doing Business As) to my personal account, but it was far more complicated than that. The options that the banker offered were mind-numbing: "Do you want a low-activity account, a high-activity account, a no fee account, a debit card, a credit card, overdraft protection, a retail merchant account, an internet merchant account or a combination of any of the above?" "Plus," she explained off-handedly, "if you do a merchant account, a...
Non-Chex Systems Banks - Introducing Second Chance Checking
Banking shouldn't be a mystery, but for most of us, it is. Locating a good bank, applying, getting approved, and using a bank on a daily basis should be a piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, the reality of banking today is far from being easy for most people. More Complicated than It Needs to Be In theory, banking is a pretty simple concept. You have some money or you get paid and you want somewhere to keep it safe and sound. You need to be able to access your money when you need it, either in the form of paying bills, making charges, or withdrawing cash directly from your account. And, you don't mind earning some interest on your balance. The reality is quite different. It can be hard to get your...
Checking Accounts With Bounce Protection
Having a checking account is a necessary requirement for anyone who wants to live a normal life in this shopping-oriented society of ours. Who doesn't think that life would be a bit easier with a checking account? After all, with an account, you have the ability to write checks and to use a debit and credit card linked to your account. You can also gain access to a nationwide network of ATM machines, giving you access to your cash no matter where you go. One reason that some people put off opening a checking account is that they are concerned about having a check or debit card transaction bounce. And, this concern is justified. After all, overdraft fees are a big business for banks. In 2006, banks...
Bounce Protection Fee - Is it Really Necessary?
A person is at the checkout counter paying for a $2 soda when he realizes he has insufficient funds on his debit card. Will he pay an extra $30 bounce fee and save face or turn and walk away? Bounce fees are the charges slapped on customers' faces by their banks in cases they have exceeded the amount left in their debit cards. It is a bit too much to carry for the customers but as defended by banks, these fees are "courtesy" in tribute to their customers as they know people don't want to get embarrassed at a failed transaction. In 2006 alone, Americans paid an excess of $17 billion for bounce fees for $15.8 billion of overdrafts. But are excessive bounce fees really worth it? During this financial...
Overdraft Bank Fee Complaints - How To Lodge Them
Seeing an overdraft bank fee show up on your bank statement can be a rude awakening. Life these days is already pretty expensive, even for those who try to live frugally and within their means. But having your own bank, whom you were led to believe you should be able to trust, charge you overdraft bank fees is pretty unsettling. You are not alone. In fact, banks make billions of dollars per year in overdraft fees in the United States alone. Bank fees have become big business. And, as government regulations reign banks in on their often reckless (and some say abusive) practices around credit card issuance, banks are going to be looking even harder than ever for ways to recoup those lost profits by...
Find Banks Without Overdraft Fees - 3 Tips
Overdraft fees have become one of the top thorns in consumers' sides over the past few years, and their` anger is growing. Even Congress is taking notice and has enacted some legislation to reign in the proliferation of overdraft fees in the banking marketplace. What is an overdraft fee? This is a fee that a bank charges a consumer for the service of covering payments the consumer has promised to pay merchants or others when a check or debit transaction is made without there being sufficient funds in the account. Here's how it works: 1. A checking account owner writes a check or uses a debit card for an amount that exceeds the amount they have in their checking account at the moment. For example...
No Overdraft Fees Banking - A How-To Guide
We all daydream. And, when we do, we often imagine a life that is almost like this one, but with a few, special modifications that just make it that much more fun and rewarding. Cross-country travel without the long wait times. Hot fudge sundaes without the fat and calories. Relationships without fighting over the remote. Banking without overdraft fees. Well, those all sound like a pipe dream, don't they? And, frankly, they are. Except for the last one, that is. Yes, nowadays, you can find checking accounts from banks that will never charge you an overdraft fee - even if you overdraw your account. Why No-Overdraft Checking Matters If you are like most of us, your banking needs are pretty simple. You...
How Can You Fight Overdraft Fees?
Nobody is perfect. And for those operating on a tight budget, this could mean spending more than you actually have in your checking accounts at the moment. When this happens, your bank charges you a fee that usually costs much more than the actual purchase that caused it. But don't fret. There are ways to get the bank to overturn these fees. What are the rules about these situations, and how can you fight overdraft fees? Here are 7 steps towards getting your overdraft fees removed. 1) Just ask Human interaction is the most important part of trying to get overdraft fees refunded. Unlike a computer system, it is possible to make a human being understand your situation just by talking to them. Try to...
Modern banks have their roots in Western Europe. In the old coffeehouses of London of the 16th century, loosely-organized moneychangers did business with patrons. This went on until the London Royal Exchange was founded in 1565. Soon after, in the early 17th century, the center of trade (and therefore banking) moved to the Netherlands and evolved into what we know as banking today. Things have evolved quite a bit since those early days of banking. In the modern age, banks have come to represent something solid and dependable - institutions upon which the customer can depend. This is definitely the image that most banks' marketing staffs and architects want you to perceive. It is for this reason that...
Payday Lending vs. Bank Overdraft Fees
It is apparent from reading the newspapers and browsing the internet, that payday lending has a lot of critics, and receives quite a bit of negative publicity. The arguments they make against the industry are that the interest is outrageous, that they prey on the poor, uneducated masses, and that they trap people in a cycle of debt that they cannot get out of, except through bankruptcy. Let us examine these arguments a little closer. A common argument is that the interest rates on a payday loan are extremely high, usually around 500% - 600% APR. The first problem here is that while payday loan companies are required by law to disclose an annual percentage rate, they are also required by law not...
Finding Banks That Do Not Charge Overdraft Fees
Imagine having caused your account to overdraft by only 11 cents and yet you find out later that day that your bank has charged you a $34 fee to cover the charge. Ouch! And yet, this type of thing literally happens every day to millions of people. For some folks, $34 isn't much money, but for most of us, we'd rather not have to pay it as a fee to our bank, thank you very much. Overdraft fees have gone well beyond being just a penalty or slap on the wrist that a bank customer gets charged for not managing her checking account carefully enough. Rather, they have become a big source of revenue for banks in and of themselves - to the tune of over $25 billion per year across all banks in the U.S. alone...
3 Ways to Beat Bank Overdraft Fees
Did your bank auto-enroll you in their overdraft protection program? Maybe you weren't paying close attention to the bank representative and said, "Yeah, sure...whatever" when asked about overdraft protection? Then POW! You had to pay excessive bank overdraft fees. If you've ever paid overdraft fees this article applies to you! Here are three ways to "one up" the banks and avoid those pesky overdraft fees: Bank at a credit union or a small local. The smaller local banks make it much easier to decline auto-enrolling in overdraft protection. The credit unions are also really good about this too. Plus, local banks and credit unions generally allow customers to have lower balances and usually charge the...
The Magic of Abundance
"I worked for a menial's hire, only to learn dismayed, that any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid." - Jessie Belle Rittenhouse "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." This was Dorothy's famous line upon finding herself transported to the Land of Oz. I felt the same way when I discovered the Law of Attraction. I felt as if I had been transported to an entirely new Universe - a Magical Universe where dreams really do come true, where Life itself is a pure joy, and where, truly, All is Well. As magical as I originally perceived this new Universe to be, I am now even more amazed to find that it is a Universe of Absolute Abundance. Just when I thought it couldn't...
Find a Bank With No Overdraft Fees - What to Look For
"Another overdraft fee on my statement?!" The words echo across the house/office/coffee shop/airport lounge. "How could they do this to me?" Familiar words, aren't they? Of course, a purist will tell you that any overdraft fees that a banking customer has to pay is strictly their own fault. And, in a way that is true. However, it is an unarguable fact that since the widespread adoption of overdraft protection programs less than a decade ago, consumers on the whole are paying more in bank fees than they ever have. While most checking accounts are now "free," the actual cost of having a checking account runs into the hundreds of dollars annually for many, many bank customers. In fact, banks earn about...
Overdraft Item Reversal
Most bank customers sign up for new checking accounts without having a full and complete understanding of many of the account's terms and conditions (Ts&Cs). One of the most often misunderstood Ts&Cs is that of overdraft protection programs. In general, the function of an overdraft protection program is to allow the bank to cover (pay for) an outstanding debit charge, credit charge or check that is made against a checking account that has an insufficient balance to cover the charge. In return, the bank will charge the customer a fee for this service. The fee gets applied directly to the account balance at the time of the charge, adding to the already negative balance. One of the most...
Banking and Overdraft Rules - 5 Important Points
Banks provide us with a very useful service. In the very simplest terms, a bank offers us a safe place to keep and organize our money - and in some cases even let us earn interest on that money. Pretty good deal. But there is a catch, of course: bank fees. Bank fees are one of the two main ways banks make money. (The other way is by lending out our money to others at a profit). So, it makes sense that banks should charge some fees in order for them to stay in business. However, sometime during the past couple of decades, bank fees somehow went from being an extra income source for banks to becoming a primary income source. One of the biggest sources of fee-based income for banks is that of overdraft...
How to Remove Bank Overdrafts
Banking today seems to be a much more complicated affair than it was just 10 or 20 years ago. The advent of debit cards, online banking, the ability to link checking and savings accounts, and tons of banks competing actively for your business can be overwhelming for the average customer. After all, most of us just want a few simple things from our bank: a safe place to keep our money, access to our cash when we need it, and the ability to charge purchases or write checks to pay for things we need in a convenient fashion. However, banking is big business. And, where there's money, there's creativity. Banks are always looking for ways to make themselves more attractive. In the 1980s it was ATMs. In...
Free Overdraft Checking
The abusive bank overdraft is one of those hot-button items that people will bring up with friends and co-workers during casual conversation. You may frequently hear statements like, "I couldn't believe it - I checked my checking balance online on yesterday and it showed three overdrafts - even though I was only overdrawn by $8." Other people are afraid to bring up the issue for fear of coming across like an irresponsible consumer. After all, overdrafts only happen when the account owner is careless with his or her spending, right? Well, not necessarily. It is true on the one hand that big banks do not have the power to force someone to overdraw their checking account. But, at the same time, banks...
Overdraft fees have been a thorn in the side of bank customers for years, and the total amount of money that banks take in due to overdraft fee charges has been on the rise. This has been due mainly to the widespread implementation by banks of overdraft protection programs tied to checking accounts. The sheer amount of income due to overdraft fees that banks have been enjoying has been staggering - to the tune of over $25 billion (with a "b") per year for the past several years. At first glance, the concept of banks getting compensated to cover debit charges, credit card charges, and check charges that are made by their customers against an account with an insufficient account balance seems fair...
New Law on Overdraft Bank Fees
The Federal Reserve System - also called the Federal Reserve or the Fed - is the central banking system of the United States. It has a number of unique powers and abilities, including being the only governmental body to print and distribute U.S. paper currency into circulation. Originally founded in 1910 as a way to provide a system of checks and balances in the financial system and to prevent runs on banks, its roles and responsibilities have evolved over the years. In its current form, the Fed has the ability to influence monetary and credit conditions, regulate banking institutions, and provide financial services to depository institutions. As an institution that has the ability to regulate banks...
How to Get a Refund on an Overdraft Charge
Overdraft charges are a relatively modern phenomenon. Rewind to about a decade ago before the advent of overdraft protection programs. At that time, banks did not charge overdraft fees. Instead, if you wrote a check that was too big, it would just bounce. Sure, you would be charged a bounced check fee (which admittedly could be quite high) but you didn't have the frequency of overdraft fees that so many people see today showing up on their checking account statements Notably, it is not just the overdraft protection programs themselves that cause the problems we have with overdraft fees today: it is the combination of debit cards and overdraft protection programs that is the culprit in our collective...
Find a Bank With No Overdraft Fees
If you were a parched traveler in the middle of a hot desert looking for water, you can imagine what a welcome sight a lush oasis spotted in your path just up ahead would be. That is exactly how jaded bank customers who have been paying too much money in overdraft fees to their bank each month feel when they find a no-overdraft-fee bank: a sense of pure relief. Why We Pay Too Much in Overdraft Fees Banks bring in over $25 billion each year in overdraft fees alone. That is "billion" with a "b." Guess who is footing the bill? Average citizens just trying to scrape enough money together each month to pay bills and get by, that's who. If asked, most people would agree that they do not feel they need to...
Reversing Overdraft Fees - What You Need to Do
If you are paying at least one overdraft fee per month, you are probably feeling rather frustrated. The average bank overdraft fee these days is around $30, so just three overdrafts will cost you $90! And, that is pure profit for your bank. In fact, U.S. banks made about $28 billion last year in overdraft fee-based income alone. Having to pay overdraft fees seems like it would be purely the domain of the irresponsible banking customer. Not necessarily so! Even people who take constant pains to balance their checking accounts can find themselves coming up short. Common Pitfalls for Bank Customers Bank customers today face a number of potential pitfalls when as the navigate their banking life. Here...
How To Dispute Overdraft Fees And Win
The advent of personal banking represents a great modern convenience. One product of the personal banking concept is overdraft protection. Rather than protect customers, instead it often results in the charging of copious overdraft fees. Here is how to dispute overdraft fees and win. The advent of personal banking represents a great modern convenience. The idea of personal banking is that the customer is at the center of the action, as opposed to the bank itself. Free checking, online banking, linked savings and checking accounts, abundant ATM networks and overdraft protection are all bank offerings designed to make life easier for the average customer. At least, that's what their marketing...
No Overdraft Fees Banks - 3 Ways to Switch
Let me take you on a short (I promise!) guided tour of the history of the banking industry. I promise that this short tour will be worth your time, since at the end of the it you could save hundreds of dollars a year in overdraft fees. Banking in Old Europe The lending and borrowing of money has been in practice for at least a few millennia - probably ever since money was invented. However, banking really started taking its present form in the old coffeehouses of London, England a few hundred years ago. People would meet there to lend each other money. Soon, official banks were formed. The basic principle was simple: an average citizen would deposit his money into the bank and the bank would keep it...
Bank Overdraft Fees For Debit Cards See New Reforms
New Federal Reserve rules take effect July 1st to give consumers more protection against bank overdraft fees on debit cards. Up until now, many banks automatically offered overdraft "protection" for debit cardholders. That meant that if a debit cardholder had insufficient funds in his or her account to cover a purchase or ATM withdrawal, the bank would allow the transaction to go through, but then could charge an overdraft fee. A study of 462 banks by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. showed that overdraft fees range from $10 to $38, with a median average of $27. Overdraft fees on debit cards generated more than $20 billion for banks in 2009, according to the New York Times. Banks earned another...
Dad's Convictions
I have always considered a conviction to be a firmly held belief. I consider belief to be something one thinks is true in the absence of any corroborating fact. One of my dictionaries defines belief as "full acceptance of a thing as true." Convictions have seemed to me to be a lot like expectations. If you have a conviction that a certain result will come to pass, then it is very much like an expectation. If it is your firmly held belief that murder and thievery are wrong, then most people would agree that is a good conviction. If you expect to be punished for lying and cheating, then that is a good expectation. Generally speaking, I find it counterproductive to have too many expectations about the...
High-Interest Checking Accounts - What Are the Perks?
Aside from CD accounts, the latest financial accounts available are high-interest checking accounts. Deciding to open a high-interest checking account is a decision some are making in order to earn money while they're parking their money. But it may or may not be for you. There are some definite perks attached to opening this type of account. But before we look at those, let's take a look at the basics of these accounts. The Basics A high-interest checking account offers individuals who may not have money to invest an opportunity to make gains on the cash they're keeping in the bank. These accounts typically come with some stipulations that you must follow in order to receive all of the true...
Texas Invests In Its Future - The Young See Hope For Retirement
No wonder so many of us run from discussions on financial matters, ignore our bills, and spend too much money, as if in rebellion. It's scary out there. Last year, the Employee Benefits Research Institute released the results of a study concluding that the majority of Americans are unprepared for retirement, are not saving enough for it, and have unrealistic expectations about how much they will need to live comfortably in their golden years. Texas is no exception. With its high poverty rate, and even higher rate of those going without health insurance, it's lucky many can get through day-to-day life. Being one of the millions in debt myself, I can understand this. The rising cost of housing, food...
Bank Checking Accounts
Choosing a bank account according to one's needs is the call of the day. If someone plans to write several checks each month, a bank checking account is best for them. Different banks offer different services regarding the checking account to ease the use and convenience. With competition in the market, there are banks offering minimal fees and hassles to make checking accounts more simple and developed. If the account holder maintains a required minimum balance, their checking account will be free of charge. Checking accounts give people detailed monthly statements with checks returned and other important advantages. The charges and fees of these checking accounts vary from bank to bank, but all...
Free Checking
Free checking is a specialized account provided for the customers who do not prefer to keep a minimum balance in their checking account. Free checking accounts are scarcely available but a few banks do facilitate this kind of account. Surveys on checking accounts reveal that the number of banks offering this account is deteriorating. There are a few restrictions that apply to some accounts that are- the requirement for direct deposit and/or no return of canceled checks. However, it doesn't mean that the banks are ready to compromise on their NSF (non sufficient funds) charges and ATM fees on the pretext of free checking. Free checking has been proved as a boon to its customers as they are relieved...
Beginner's Guide to Credit
I remember back when I was 18 and completely oblivious to the concept of credit. It seems like eons ago! If only I had known then what I know now about credit. Hopefully, this short guide will be able to give you some ideas on how you can build a solid credit rating... even if you have to do it from scratch!! Everyone has to start somewhere, whether you are 18 like I was, or even 30, there is no better time than the present to start thinking about your financial future. Chances are, your credit score will come into to play during some point down your financial-life road. And when that time comes, you had better have some concept of credit and how it can help you, or else you might find yourself...
Imagine going to sleep each night and waking up in the morning to find a crisp, new, 100 dollar bill on your bed-stand. Multiple this by 365 days in the year and it will amount to $36,500. Multiple this by ten years and you will have $365,000. Few of us are positioned today to make $100 each day using the formula I describe below, but by understanding the formula, applying it, and staying true to it your money will grow - slowly at first and then quickly accelerating. A few notes: This is very basic information that we tend to forget about. We get so absorbed in the random nature of the stock market, the fleeting opportunity for a quick buck via the lottery, and reward-type credit cards, and free...
The Differences Between a Credit Union and a Bank
and Credit Unions are financial institutions that offer a number of services to their customers such as loans and money accounts. Many people do not realize that there are a number of differences between a bank and a credit union. When deciding if you should do your banking at a credit union or bank, it is important to understand the differences so that you can choose the financial institution that meets your needs. Credit Unions When credit unions were first established, they were cooperatives that helped workers with financial troubles. Now, credit unions are community based institutions which operate as a non profit institution. According to Bankrate.com, "Credit unions have topped the consumer...
Use Kaizen To Improve Problem Solving
What is Kaizen "Kaizen," a Japanese word meaning "continual improvement," is often heard in a professional context where it refers to a team-based project that is focused on swift, constant improvement. Kaizen Events Kaizen-focused events are a common part of lean production methods. They can occur in many ways, but typically begin with specific missions or objectives. For instance, in a store, "to make sure there are never more than 3 people in line at any one register," or "to increase sales of hair accessories by 10%" or other meaningful kaizen metrics. The objectives in these examples are clearly defined. Notice that they aren't things like, "reduce the amount of people standing in line" or...
Safe Credit Union - A Revealing Review of Safe Credit Union
If you are like many people nowadays, you are trying to decide if Safe credit union is a wise choice to entrust your money with? How do they compare with their local competition, such as banks, and financial companies? Read on to find out. Safe credit union helps people in the Sacramento area get better interest rates than they typically would with the local companies, and like every credit union, is run entirely by it's members. As long as you live or work in the Sacramento area and certain counties, you can join the union. Unlike other credit unions, you do not have to work for specific companies to join. This may or may not be wise from a customer service standpoint, but if you are looking to...
Amazing Benefits of the Navy Federal Credit Union
There are many amazing benefits to being a member of the Navy Federal Credit Union. The Navy Federal Credit Union, which has over 2.5 million members, is regulated by the largest credit union in United States - the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration). It has been helping many men and women for over 70 years. The membership of the Navy Federal Credit Union is limited to all Navy personnel including active duty marine and navy, reservists, civilian employees, retired or annuitant. The Union also caters to contractors assigned to U.S. government sites, all civilian and military members of the U.S. government, as well as the family members of the members. The Navy Federal Credit Union offers a...
Banking Basics For Newbies
For many people, opening their first bank account can be much more trying and frustrating than it really needs to be. This is because many people simply have not reviewed all of the options available to them and it is easy to become overwhelmed. Reviewing the various basic options available at most banks will help in making this experience much smoother and less problematic. The first thing you should decide upon is what type of bank account you will need. Are you looking for an account to use in order to pay your bills easier? Or might you be looking for an account to keep your extra cash in and hopefully watch it grow? Either way, most every bank you will come across will be able to fulfill your...
Physician loans, commonly called doctor loans, are programs developed by lenders to specifically target doctors only. They offer a great number of advantages to those who spent a significant amount of time and money to serve the society as a doctor. Very often such loans are the only option available to physicians to finance large purchases, such as a house or a car. While physician loans are mostly available to medical doctors, such as Doctor of Optometry, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, Doctor of Ophthalmology, Doctor of Dental Science, Doctor of Osteopathy, some of them are also geared towards students and residents in these programs as well. Doctor Loans Are Great When It Comes To Terms and Rates...
Checks and Identity Theft - How to Write Checks Safely
Nobody needs a formal training to write a check (if you don't, you can check out a lot of visual examples online or you can check out video instructions online). But the question should probably be: do you know how to write a check safely? Writing a check the proper and safe way will not only deter identity theft criminals from tapping into your account, but it can also lessen the chances of these criminals creating mayhem in your life. If you want to decrease your chances of being prey to scammers and identity thieves, follow the techniques below: 1. Capitalize. When you write your checks, try to use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Words written in all caps are harder to alter than lowercase letters and they...
Personal Financial Stimulus Package
According to the U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday, the personal savings rate surged to 5% in January. As consumers frantically try to save their money as the economic outlook continues to look bleak throughout much of the country, they could be making up to 6% APR on their checking account. A "personal financial stimulus package" starts with the basics—your banking relationship. Community banks are still offering the best interest rates on free checking accounts: First Robinson Savings Bank - Robinson, IL 6.01 Southern Missouri Bank & Trust 6.01 Bank of Ripley - Ripley, TN 5.26 Communication Federal Credit Union - OK 5.25 LA DOTD Federal Credit Union - Denham Spring, LA 5.25 Keystone Bank...
Interested in Opening a Checking Account? What to Consider
A large number of individuals have a checking account. There are even some who have more than one. A checking account is similar to a savings account, but the money is usually easier to access. If you do not already have a checking account, it is likely that you may be thinking about getting one. Before you decide to open a checking account, there are a number of important things that you should take into consideration. Perhaps, the greatest thing to consider is where you will obtain your checking account from. Many choose to do business with a local bank; however, a local bank is not your only option. If you have not already decided on a financial institution to do business with, you may want to...
Bad Credit Checking Accounts
For people who have been blacklisted by the backing world, there are checking accounts for people with bad credit that are available as a second option. Before you get one of these accounts though, realize that they should only be used as a last resort (and temporary) option. If you do a search for bad credit banking, you will no doubt see many sites offering you free checking accounts for bad credit. Don't believe it folks - there is nothing free about bad credit checking accounts. You may be lured into signing up for a "free" account, but you are going to pay more somewhere down the line. The same thing applies to bad credit loans - yes, some companies will offer you a loan if your credit is...
Bad Credit Checking Accounts - All You Need to Know
If you are looking around online for a good deal on a bad credit checking account, there are a few fee checking accounts for bad credit available online. Now, first a big buyer's beware. There is no such thing as "free", especially when it comes to the financial services offered by companies. There are plenty of scammers out there who will try and sell you "free" checking services. But always approach these companies with a wary eye. The legit sort of free checking accounts for people with bad credit are called "second chance accounts." Now these are the sort of accounts you only want to open as a last resort. Basically, if you have explored all other avenues of opening a bank account with bad...