Instead of having to waste valuable time and effort in opening a checking account for a specific financial institution with no incentive and the possible chance that they could completely fail in multiple aspects like customer service and interest rates, at least being able to have an incentive like free money would make a huge difference and make it all worthwhile. Many financial institutions like banks and credit unions will have checking account promotions so that if someone decides they want to sign up for an account they can take advantage of free money or a gift card that holds a decent amount of money as a way of saying thank you for signing up in the first place. However, this is not a measure of gratitude but more so a business decision because banks and credit unions will gain more customers in the hope that they can get a few loans here and there and make their money back.

While the majority of individuals will either forget about their new checking account, withdraw the money somewhere down the line simply because they were already loyal to another financial institution or instantly leave as soon as possible as they were taking advantage of the deal, there is still a small percentage that will be able to bring income to the bank or credit union and make the entire checking account promotion worthwhile. As an individual, no one should have to settle for mediocrity especially because there are so many different companies and branches out there that are willing to go above and beyond to make sure their customers are consistently happy. Ultimately, checking account deals are a great way to find the best of the best in the local area for financial institutions as well as make some extra money during the process.

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This article is a guest post from Kurt Lembo

If you’ve been stuck on the Chexsystem list for whatever reason, it’s easy to feel like no banks are willing to help you out.  They see you as too risky to help out, and are protecting their butts by denying you a new account.  Fortunately, there are a few options out there to get a new bank account, and they will help out everyone.  In this post I want to discuss second chance banking accounts, and how to get them, so you can keep your finances moving forward.

Even if a bank won’t give you a checking account, they will probably give you a savings account.  A savings account is very little risk to the bank, no matter what your history is like.  Without a debit card or check book there isn’t a lot of trouble that you can get into!  Having a savings account will allow you to stop paying check cashing fees, and after a while of keeping the account in good standing, the bank will probably offer you checking as well.  Getting second chance banking accounts from a traditional institute is the easiest to do this way.

If you want everything that comes with a checking account quickly, alternative banks are the best way to do it.  Companies like Rush Card and Vision Premier offer accounts that approve anyone who is a US citizen.  They charge a small fee to activate and use the account, but it will end up being much less than check cashing fees.  You can get all of the benefits of a checking account like direct deposit, checks, online shopping, online banking, and overdraft protection.  These work like a line of credit that is equal to the amount of money that you have available.  These are very similar to prepaid credit cards that can also work to improve your credit score while you use them.

Just because you’re stuck on the Chexsystem list and are blacklisted from the regular banking institutions doesn’t mean that there aren’t other options out there.  Both of the methods discussed above have their own benefits, but anyone can do either.  Quit getting screwed around with check cashing and step into an actual bank account!

Related posts:

1. Why Traditional Banks Are Better Than Credit Unions
2. How Does Check Cashing Work?
3. Testing the Waters with Checking Account Deals

There are a few things you can do to ensure you are banking smart and your bank is working for you. Having clear expectations of your bank is a good start; an even better start would be letting your bank know those expectations. They will find it hard to meet expectations they don’t know exist!

Build solid relationships with your bank’s employees. There is nothing more frustrating than ringing your bank and speaking with someone different every single time. No one knows you and it’s very impersonal. As soon as you find someone helpful, do your best to build a rapport with them and ask if it’s possible to speak with them next time you call, more often than not if you’re pleasant and easy to deal with that wont be a problem – and just like that you have someone willing to work for you.

Don’t be afraid to renegotiate. Check out the market and make an appointment to visit your local branch to discuss if you are getting the best deal you can. If they know you have been looking around chances are they will do their best to secure your business. You could do this every 12months. They may be able to refinance a credit card at a better rate, give you a savings account bonus or reassess your banking fees. You’ll never know until you ask, just do your homework on the market first and be prepared when you sit down to that appointment.

Actually read and understand your statements. Sounds like a no-brainer but I think it would be safe to say a lot of people scan the top and bottom of their statements each month, if there is nothing largely amiss then it gets binned or filed away. Go to the next step even and keep all your receipts, withdrawal and deposit slips etc to match against your statement at the end of the month, especially because you’d never want to get into a situation where you have to restore credit for yourself. Anything that doesn’t add up or you don’t understand needs to be queried immediately.

These ideas will get you on your way to banking smarter and should ultimately start saving you some money. Be upfront and come prepared when dealing with your bank and it will pay off.

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You may have noticed that there seems to be a lot more credit unions around than there were ten years ago, I certainly have and I hate it. The advantages of credit unions are so minimal and you are very limited in locations that it makes no sense to bank with them unless you qualify for one of their teaser automotive rates.

Think about it, why bank with a company that only has one or two branches? Where is the security with your passbook savings account and checking account?

Yeah, your money is FDIC insured, but have you ever had your money in a credit union when it went bankrupt? I have and the time it takes to regain your hard earned money is a long and painful process. This alone should be enough never to use a small credit union.

Say someone also gives you a check to deposit and you only have one branch available to deposit it to. Do you really want to drive in traffic to go to the one branch? I certainly do not. I bank with larger banks that have branches in supermarkets, malls, and stand alone branches on the corner of busy intersections. Why go out of your way to one bank when you can have a bank waiting for you wherever you go?

Credit unions are not all bad…just mostly. Sometimes they do offer slightly better rates with savings and checking account promotions – and if you do find a credit union right next to your house, it will be convenient until you move. Then it’s time to open a new account at a new bank and transfer all your money.  What a hassle!

Opening a new passbook savings account and checking accounts is not necessarily fun. So why set yourself up to repeat this dreaded task when you can simply do it once, and do it right? Drive by that one small credit union and use the bank that will take care of you no matter where you live.

Related posts:

1. Testing the Waters with Checking Account Deals
2. How To Get A Bank Account When The Banks Turn You Down
3. What About Bad Credit Personal Loans

We’ve all faced some challenging financial times in the last several months. Many of us have suffered losses that were painful and long-lasting. Now we’re faced with the difficult task of having to climb out of a monetary hole we never thought we’d be in. The prospects are daunting.

To make that climb, we need to get control of our spending first and foremost – and that means breaking old habits and using new tools. For instance, we have to slow down or stop our misuse of credit cards and find a more beneficial alternative like reloadable debit cards. We have to think before we buy to make sure we get real value back from our purchases. We then need to take this rescued money and plow it into a real savings plan. But before any of this is possible, we first have to organize.

We need to keep track of our monthly income and expenses in order to control them. That means some kind of written record. Someone comfortable with a computer can use a simple spreadsheet or a financial program like Microsoft Money to track everything. There are even some new online budget services that help track anyone’s personal finances for free. But in any case, paper or electronic, it all starts with the record-keeping.

All bank statements, utility bills, credit card bills, etc. have to be collected and organized. A simple file box with a sleeve for each bill category will work just fine. The sneaky bills have to be organized too. Those are the one-timers or the bills that hit twice a year or so. Everything goes into the box so you know where everything is.

Then, plotting out what was spent in each category is next. Going back a couple months will work but going back to the first of the year will end up giving a clearer picture of where the money goes. It’s busy work for sure but necessary.

The busiest of all is marking down the daily cash purchases we all make. This seems like over-kill but it’s not. That’s because these are the “Phantom” purchases that can really drain our budget. Most of us have no real idea what we spend our cash on until we do this little exercise for a couple of months. It’s really eye-opening.

Once an organized system is in place it’s surprising how our spending decisions change. We find ourselves doing things like packing a lunch to work instead of eating out every day. We stop buying little things with our credit cards and switch to prepaid debit cards instead. We actually start up and stick with a savings plan because for the first time we can see the money grow. When our finances are organized, we can’t help but weigh our choices more intelligently and the more intelligent our choices are today, the better off financially we’ll be tomorrow.

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Check cashing has become a convenient way for those who do not have direct deposit at their own banks — or those who do not have bank accounts at all — to cash pay checks, tax returns or personal government checks like social security, retirement or disability checks. Many prominent banking institutions have abandoned neighborhoods and moved most full-service branches to downtown areas, posh suburban communities or busy shopping clusters. So, how does check cashing work?

A person who is issued any of the types of checks mentioned goes to a check cashing location, presents proper photo identification, pays a percentage of the total amount of the check as a fee and receives cash. Unlike most banks, these businesses do not charge hidden fees or additional costs for a check cashing transaction.

Customers receive same day check cashing without all the confusing jargon of banks and with relatively no hassle. Check cashers can usually find out which companies same day cash online. Plugging the name of your city or neighborhood into a search engine along with the words check cashing will give you several results.

For most, the cost of doing business at a bank has become too expensive. Not only are many people confused by the way banks currently operate, but they grow tired of paying for accounts that have a too-low balance, of overdraft and of getting slammed for services they do not even use. People are just more at home with the simple transaction of same day check cashing.

Those who feel abandoned by banks rarely need to ask how check cashing works. The service has been a necessary convenience and has saved many from the confusion of contemporary banking services. It is far easier to deal with a company that is being transparent than to deal with a larger company that does not consider immediate needs.

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2. What Are No Credit Check Loans?
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