HOT?: Interest Checking 2.5% Charter One

[crazyb0y]

I was thinking of giving this bank a try. Interest of 2.5% on checking, which seems to be hot.
ING is 2.3% for savings

2500 minimum to waive $12.00 monthly fee.

My personal checking is down to .05 % now.

Has anybody done any of thier banking with charter one?


http://www.ffom.com/pf/checking_energized.asp

Link

 

[hawkeye81x]

Never done my banking with them, but an interest checking account at 2.5% sound a little too good to be true or last for long.
The might pull a bait and switch (i.e. lower the rate significantly later).

 

[cnwk64]

that is the intro fee.
if you look at the fine print. it will change at 5/28/2003.

Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of 2/19/2003. After 5/28/2003, the interest rate may change at any time.

 

[puppyfriend]

I've been using Netbank for about a year. 1.5% interest checking and no minimums. They've been good to me. I've had to call the CSR a couple of times and they were great.

David

 

[BlueMysticWarrior]

Is this an online only bank? What are the cons w/ them?

 

[GPz1100]

Charterone is the real deal.

But as someone else pointed out, this rate is only good until 5/28/03. Then they'll be running some other (summer?) promo.

I've been with this bank before it was charterone in my area (st. paul federal). Never had any problems.

They do offer free bill payment, and online banking (transfer funds from acct to acct, etc....).

Also, if you sign up at a local branch, they may still have the $25 bonus signup credit.

that is, get $25 for opening a new energized checking actt.

Problem with this bank is, to take advantage of any promo, you need to open a new account.

How does opening up multiple checking accounts look on a credit report........?

 

[xarmian]

Originally posted by: puppyfriend
I've been using Netbank for about a year. 1.5% interest checking and no minimums. They've been good to me. I've had to call the CSR a couple of times and they were great.

David

I used to use Compubank, who allowed me to open a savings account in my name, unjoint, before I turned 18 (I was 16 or 17 when I opened it). Two months before my 18th birthday, Netbank bought out Compubank, and very kindly sent me a letter saying they were closing my account, just like that. Then it took another month or two to get my refund check of my account balance. I refuse to do business with them.

On the other hand, I have had an Ingdirect account for about a year and have had no problems whatsoever. I love the account, and I was very pleased to see that despite the drop in interest rate over the past few months, they actually brought it back up. It was refreshing.

This Charter One deal looks pretty good too. I also noticed their other checking account, the "Totally e Checking" isn't a bad deal either considering no minimum balance and interest over $1500. If you want to worry less about going under the minimum balance. Their fees are horendous though if you don't go exactly by their rules, but they do have a $6 rebate for ATM surcharges, it doesn't say if they charge you to use other bank's ATMs, but for "e" and Energized checking I don't think you do. I'd need more research before I committed to Charter One though, they have a bad reputation for hidden fees.

-Dave