which banks should I make accounts with?

[pennylane]

Due to a relocation of sorts, I need to open a new bank account. And I'd also like to open an online savings account. I'm sort of new to this (I'm slowly reading up on info), so forgive my ignorance.

The banks that are close to me (that are actual banking centers) are: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Washington Mutual.

Since I want to open an online savings account, I'd prefer to be able to electronically transfer money from one of those banks to an online savings account without any fees. I know WaMu lets you do that, but I don't know about other banks. I'm also not quite sure which online savings account to get, but I'm still reading up on that. Still, any suggestions would be welcome.

So, which banks would you recommend?

Thanks.

 

[Bryophyte]

I have checking through WAMU and just opened a linked online savings account with them at 5% interest.

 

[namelessentity]

Just don't go with BofA, they're big fans of hidden fees.

 

[George P Burdell]

Bank of America.

 

[kevnich2]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I have checking through WAMU and just opened a linked online savings account with them at 5% interest.

5% interest for a savings account, is this available to everybody?

 

[KillyKillall]

Netbank offers 5% as well.

 

[zinfamous]

My ING online savings is at 5.3-5.4% right now. No minimum deposit, no fees, insured. Winnar.

I have two CDs with them as well. transferring cash from checking (Chase) to ING savings is easy and quick. the CDs go straight to the savings when they mature.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: kevnich2

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I have checking through WAMU and just opened a linked online savings account with them at 5% interest.

5% interest for a savings account, is this available to everybody?

FNBO Direct has 6% guaranteed until 9/28, open to anyone.

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: kevnich2

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I have checking through WAMU and just opened a linked online savings account with them at 5% interest.

5% interest for a savings account, is this available to everybody?

FNBO Direct has 6% guaranteed until 9/28, open to anyone.

What does the guaranteed mean? Say you open account before 9/28. Will your rate change after 9/28 (assuming they change the rate immediately? Or, does it mean that accounts opened may not be 6% any longer, but if you open your account before 9/28, you get to keep the 6% rate?

 

[acegazda]

FNBO has an ATM card, no debit card, but they charge $2.50 for withdrawals from ATMs. I'd like to see an online account with a debit card and a high rate.

 

[seanc85]

Originally posted by: namelessentity
Just don't go with BofA, they're big fans of hidden fees.

Dont go with Bank of America, they are on of the WORST companies to do business with.
i work with some former emploees (call center) and even they agree BofA is garbage

 

[Eos]

Originally posted by: namelessentity
Just don't go with BofA, they're big fans of hidden fees.

Such as?

 

[jamesave]

check out citibank. they have atms in the 7-11. Their online savings is quite high, and the availability of ATMS means you can get the cast asap..

 

[sciencewhiz]

I've had Wells Fargo for 6 years or so. I haven't had any problems with them. They don't have any real great promotions or rates or anything, but that hasn't really bothered me.

No fees transferring to/from ING Direct.

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: kevnich2

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I have checking through WAMU and just opened a linked online savings account with them at 5% interest.

5% interest for a savings account, is this available to everybody?

FNBO Direct has 6% guaranteed until 9/28, open to anyone.

What does the guaranteed mean? Say you open account before 9/28. Will your rate change after 9/28 (assuming they change the rate immediately? Or, does it mean that accounts opened may not be 6% any longer, but if you open your account before 9/28, you get to keep the 6% rate?

hopefully-i-waited-long-enough-for-this-bump

 

[pstylesss]

I had BoA and I hated them. Horrible customer service. I would get teller charges all the time, I would have to call them up each time to get it reversed and they could never tell me why. Anytime I transfered money to or from paypal with BoA I got a teller charge also. After a certain amount of account transfers between linked checking and savings, they also started to hit me with fees. I HATE boa. I now bank with WaMu. I've had no hidden fees pop up with them what so ever. The tellers are very nice as well... but I suppose thats just depends on each branch location at any bank... either way, almost all of them remember my name, which is nice. I had an overdraw there once, after there forgiveness one. I called them up, explained that the money would be there that day and they reversed the overdraft charge.

I have nothing but praise for WaMu and nothing but hate for BoA.

 

[soydios]

Not BofA. The only reason I have an account with them is because they have branches both at home on the west coast and at college on the east coast. Convenience only.

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: sciencewhiz
I've had Wells Fargo for 6 years or so. I haven't had any problems with them. They don't have any real great promotions or rates or anything, but that hasn't really bothered me.

No fees transferring to/from ING Direct.

I heard that lots of internet banks have a "pull" feature that lets you pull money from another bank account without any fees. Do you get no fees using the "pull" or does it work even when you just transfer money from Wells Fargo? (I'm not entirely sure if that question makes sense) Can you transfer money from the internet?

 

[allisolm]

Some good information here: Find best deals on FDIC insured high-yield Saving accounts and CDs

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: sciencewhiz
I've had Wells Fargo for 6 years or so. I haven't had any problems with them. They don't have any real great promotions or rates or anything, but that hasn't really bothered me.

No fees transferring to/from ING Direct.

I heard that lots of internet banks have a "pull" feature that lets you pull money from another bank account without any fees. Do you get no fees using the "pull" or does it work even when you just transfer money from Wells Fargo? (I'm not entirely sure if that question makes sense) Can you transfer money from the internet?

That's correct, I don't have any fees when ING Direct withdraws money from my Wells Fargo Checking account or when ING deposits money into my checking account. I do everything from ING Direct's interface.

On my Wells Fargo Statement, it shows up as:

ING DIRECT WITHDRAWAL

and when I deposit from ING Direct to Wells Fargo, it shows up as

ING DIRECT DEPOSIT

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: sciencewhiz

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: sciencewhiz
I've had Wells Fargo for 6 years or so. I haven't had any problems with them. They don't have any real great promotions or rates or anything, but that hasn't really bothered me.

No fees transferring to/from ING Direct.

I heard that lots of internet banks have a "pull" feature that lets you pull money from another bank account without any fees. Do you get no fees using the "pull" or does it work even when you just transfer money from Wells Fargo? (I'm not entirely sure if that question makes sense) Can you transfer money from the internet?

That's correct, I don't have any fees when ING Direct withdraws money from my Wells Fargo Checking account or when ING deposits money into my checking account. I do everything from ING Direct's interface.

On my Wells Fargo Statement, it shows up as:

ING DIRECT WITHDRAWAL

and when I deposit from ING Direct to Wells Fargo, it shows up as

ING DIRECT DEPOSIT

Would you have fees if Wells Fargo deposited money into ING Direct? Is that different from ING Direct withdrawing money from Wells Fargo?

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: kevnich2

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I have checking through WAMU and just opened a linked online savings account with them at 5% interest.

5% interest for a savings account, is this available to everybody?

FNBO Direct has 6% guaranteed until 9/28, open to anyone.

What does the guaranteed mean? Say you open account before 9/28. Will your rate change after 9/28 (assuming they change the rate immediately? Or, does it mean that accounts opened may not be 6% any longer, but if you open your account before 9/28, you get to keep the 6% rate?

hopefully-i-waited-long-enough-for-this-bump

The 6% rate is subject to change after 9/28, no matter when you opened your account.

 

[slsmnaz]

I have had a few different accounts with BoA for 8 years and have never had an issue. I had a couple fees show up a few years ago but a quick call took care of them. Plus there are ATM's everywhere.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Would you have fees if Wells Fargo deposited money into ING Direct? Is that different from ING Direct withdrawing money from Wells Fargo?

You mght be able to set it up as a bill pay, which isn't free (terms at the end of the message). You could always write a check and mail it to ING. They don't appear to have a free way to ACH transfers like ING does.

Bill Pay is free of monthly service fees if you have an eligible checking account. For customers who do not have an eligible account, Bill Pay is free for the first two months for new customers only, and remains free of monthly service fees if you maintain at least $5,000 in your qualifying personal accounts at all times. Otherwise, Bill Pay is $6.95 per month (includes up to 25 payments per month; each additional payment costs $0.40). For more information about eligible and qualifying accounts, read our Bill Pay Fee Waiver.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: zinfamous
My ING online savings is at 5.3-5.4% right now. No minimum deposit, no fees, insured. Winnar.

I have two CDs with them as well. transferring cash from checking (Chase) to ING savings is easy and quick. the CDs go straight to the savings when they mature.

what universe do you exist in where ING Direct pays more than the 4.5% they pay to the rest of Earth's inhabitants?

cocaine is a helluva drug, i guess.