How many bank accounts do you have; are there any good 'national' banks?

[Broohaha]

I have a really good regional bank here in the DC area (Chevy Chase) but I go to school in Philadelphia and it's a pain having to worry about how I'll deposit checks and withdraw money without being charged 4 dollars a pop. So I'm thinking about opening another bank account when I get to Philadelphia for school.

Anybody know of any good "nationwide" banks or, more specifically, good Philly banks?

 

[minendo]

I have a really good regional bank here in the DC area (Chevy Chase)

You bank with Clark W. Griswald?

 

[Broohaha]

?

 

[KingNothing]

It's Chase Manhattan, not Chevy Chase you goober.

I think Citibank is awesome, myself. I only had an account with them for three months so as to get the $150 signing bonus, but the customer service was great.

 

[Broohaha]

Originally posted by: minendo

I have a really good regional bank here in the DC area (Chevy Chase)

You bank with Clark W. Griswald?

OOOOOH i get it.......funny

no ya ijits.... the tony part of MD just outside of DC is called Chevy Chase. That's why our big regional bank is called Chevy Chase Bank. Yeah, har har. But it's such an institution around here that we dont think of the failed comedian when we say it anymore. so anyway....

 

[Jugernot]

I just recently switched from my local credit union to Wells Fargo financial. I'm so glad I did too... bigger financial institutions have much better resources to do things for their customers such as free ATM usage, online access for all accounts (CC, Checking, Investments, Mortgage, etc.), lots of other things.

Small CUs are fine, but they just can't compete with the big boys.

 

[Broohaha]

ive never understood why people would bother with 'credit unions'--what use are they? why not just go to a traditional bank?

 

[Parrotheader]

Originally posted by: Broohaha
ive never understood why people would bother with 'credit unions'--what use are they? why not just go to a traditional bank?

Since credit unions are not usually in it for profit you usually can get much better rates on your accounts and loans. My savings in my credit union gets nearly quadruple what my savings in the bank where our primary checking account is.

 

[Broohaha]

Originally posted by: Parrotheader

Originally posted by: Broohaha ive never understood why people would bother with 'credit unions'--what use are they? why not just go to a traditional bank?

Since credit unions are not usually in it for profit you usually can get much better rates on your accounts and loans. My savings in my credit union gets nearly quadruple what my savings in the bank where our primary checking account is.

ah so....

thanks

 

[Parrotheader]

Originally posted by: Broohaha

Originally posted by: Parrotheader

Originally posted by: Broohaha ive never understood why people would bother with 'credit unions'--what use are they? why not just go to a traditional bank?

Since credit unions are not usually in it for profit you usually can get much better rates on your accounts and loans. My savings in my credit union gets nearly quadruple what my savings in the bank where our primary checking account is.

ah so....

thanks

If you're still a student though and don't have lots of money in the bank I personally wouldn't let higher interest rates on accounts at credit unions be an overriding factor. Easy access was important for me when I was in college (i.e., lots of ATMs.) Now that I'm out in the 'real world' and have more money in the bank, the difference between a 0.35% interest rate on a savings account at a bank and the 2.6% interest rate on a savings account at my credit union is enough to justify the inconvenience of having fewer ATMs, branches, etc (especially when the economy picks up and my credit union savings rate might jump to 5+%.) We still keep our primary checking at a regular bank for easier access though.

 

[GregGreen]

you might try wachovia... i think they used to be first union - they have free student checking and such
i know they have a branch of the bank right on my villanova campus

 

[pyonir]

I have had wells fargo for a few years now and have never had a problem.

 

[RossMAN]

Credit Union > Corporate Bank

and I work for a corporate bank

 

I have a checking account with Bank One, and an ING Orange Savings account. I'm getting free checking with Bank One, and 2.00% from ING. Plus, I have ING set up to debit my checking account $100 biweekly so I can get some more savings built up.

 

[JSClark]

I have checking and savings, but I primarily use checking....

 

[keystroker]

i have 3 banks 1) wells fargo military 2) ing direct 3) USAA. USAA i can withdraw money from any atm for free (military bank). Wells fargo gives me 3 free atm withdraws from other atms. ING direct is my savings account and I put half of my income into that account.

 

[Broohaha]

i need to join the military

 

[ElFenix]

i think BoA has a lot of locations... my sister had a bank that couldn't move funds from a branch in one state to a branch in another state, which is the dumbest thing i've ever heard of

 

[Ns1]

wamu