Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bank

fiscal fashion har har har pls shoot me

Juicy Avenger — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:55:00 -0800

Unexpected interview tomorrow morning at a bank. Do I really have to wear a skirt suit? Not interviewing to be a teller, "banker", or anything in customer service. Just an administrative position in the IT dept. However this is a big bank in a small, conservative town. Everything online suggests that I be a Proper Lady and wear a skirt suit. But I have two problems with that.

1) I only have one and I almost never wear it, especially not in the winter. The blazer that matches the skirt (and the only black blazer I have) is short sleeves. Would that look ridiculous in the 38 degree weather? Granted I have a nice wool longcoat for practical warmth, but taking that off to reveal a short sleeved blazer and a skirt seems really ridiculous to me. I want them to know I am capable of running an office, let alone dressing myself appropriately for the weather.

2)What do you wear for stockings? Nylons look best but are also impractical for the cold. Are tights a no-no? I have tights in both black and gray.

Also, while I'm asking, is it wildly inappropriate to wear a coordinating but non-matching pant suit? Like a brown blazer and warm-toned gray pants? Is that even still a pant suit? (Grrr. This is what I reeeally want to wear.) Again - for a first interview - at a bank.

All bank-fashion related advice is much appreciated! I want to look my best and blend in as much as possible, despite how enraging the inherent sexism of job interviewing is. I'm coming from a very laid back graphic design start up so these are uncharted waters for my wardrobe!

What is the best way for me to try to get a debt consolidation loan?

drjimmy11 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:17:49 -0800

What is the best way for me to try to get a debt consolidation loan? I have around $20k of credit card deb. The interest rates vary, some are quite high and some are decent. I have a decent salary and I could pay it off in a few years, but I would prefer to get a debt consolidation loan and pay that instead.

The issues:
1. My credit score isn't very good, around 650 at the moment. When the financial crisis hit, a bunch of my cards closed my account or lowered the credit limit right down to the balance I was carrying. Ratio of debt to available credit is the main thing holding my score down- prior to the crisis it was up around 700.

2. I have one debt consolidation loan from my credit union already. This will be paid off in about 3 more payments. This was a "special offer" they had and I'm not sure they offer any specific debt consolidation loan right now. I also owe my bank about $3500 on a Visa card they issue. I've had an account there for about 9 years now and in general they've been great.

I'd like to get a loan to pay off some or all of the debt. A good interest rate would be nice, but I realize that's probably not going to happen in the current climate and with my crummy credit score. My main goal is get the debt off my credit cards and get my credit score back up.

So my questions are:

What's the best way to approach my bank about this? I don't want to just randomly start applying for loans without knowing if I'll be accepted. I'd like to get a little more insight into the process they use:
-Will I help my chances if I pay off the credit card they issue first? -Will it significantly help my chances if I finish paying my current loan before asking for another one?
-How much of a factor is the amount I ask for? I would be happy even being able to borrow $10k or so. When asking for these kind of loans, does it make sense to just ask for a high amount, and then they will meet you with what they're willing to lend, rather than just saying "no?" I think that's how it happened last time.
-Does it hurt my credit score to apply for and be turned down for a loan?
-If anyone has insight into the inner workings of giving loans, I'd be curious to hear an estimate of what kind of credit score is generally needed to get a loan like this.

Finally, is there any website that would help me find other banks that might be willing to give me this loan? Or are there any other novel solutions to revive my credit score I'm missing? I realize no one is lending much money right now, so the only answer may well be "just pay it off yourself."

Other data:
-I don't want to go into debt consolidation or bankruptcy.
-I rent and lack many other valuable assets. My car is old and beat up.
-I am in California.

This is not a referendum on the wisdom of my past financial decisions. Thank you.

Think global, bank local?

Mender — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:45:32 -0800

Do you use a credit union based in Brooklyn or Manhattan? If so, which one, and have you had a good experience there? I keep a savings account with a major national bank, and have been considering switching it to a local credit union. Looking for recommendations for credit unions in Brooklyn or Manhattan (I would also consider Queens). Tell me about your experience and why you would or would not suggest a particular organization.

Bonus question: is there a reason I should not put a large chunk of my savings in a credit union? I am not a financial risk taker, so if there are risks I might not be considering, please let me know! Anything I should know about credit unions in general?

Lost WAMU accounts and dead-end customer service

GardenGal — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:41:52 -0800

Washington Mutual lost $2,400 of my money (NOT counting 12+ years of accumulated interest). The customer service rep hung up on me when I tried to figure out how to get it back. What to do next? Long story, please bear with me because I could use some guidance and encouragement!

I just stumbled across a couple of forgotten account booklets from 1997 and 1991 (last booklet entry 1996). 1997 was a cd opened with $2k for 6.25%, somehow forgotten in the shuffle of moving out of state to college. 1991 was a gift from my grandparents - both now deceased - for about $400. Of course my first reaction upon finding these was "ooh! Free money!"

I called up the original bank, Home Savings of America, but their CA accounts had been long since bought by Washington Mutual. My phone conversation with WAMU was NOT productive: the customer service rep hung up on me. Read my blog entry here for the full story about THAT fiasco.
http://twocatpots.com/?p=667

(I should insert here that my father's name was also on the (joint) $2000 account and that his address has remained the same for 25 years. He received NO notice of funds ever being turned over to the state - and he is GOOD about reading and filing all his bank mail.)

(Also, the account from my grandparents is not joint, but does have my name in the title, "xxx and xxx as co trustees for GardenGal." Since they are both deceased, shouldn't the account automatically turn over to me?)

And now Washington Mutual has become Chase. How in tarnation am I going to be able to track down these ancient accounts through 3 changes of bank ownership? Needless to say I could really use the money; we have a toddler and we just bought a house for crying out loud.

But what do I do? I'm pretty sure the bank manager at a local Chase branch will give me the same dead-end treatment.

And how much do I ask for? The $2000 from 1997 was put in a CD to mature in 2000, at an interest rate of 6.25. The other booklet from 1991 (last entry 1996), with $400, was in a regular savings account with a fluctuating interest rate of between 3.5 and 2.5%. What's that supposed to total?

Or should I just ask for the balance, sans interest? Because what about the monthly bank fees? Once the cd had matured, it was supposed to become a regular account, and I have no idea how much monthly bank fees would have been, but over 9 years after maturation (6/2000-11/2009) would they have completely eaten up the principal? Should I count my blessings if they're willing to give me the initial money at all, and take just the smaller amount?

My husband thinks I should be willing to take them to small claims court, but surely there are steps in between.... and how on earth would I take Chase Bank to court?!

I feel like I have to pursue this because hey, that's a whole mortgage payment there, but I'm embarrassed that I forgot the accounts in the first place and I feel that this is all my fault. Any bankers out there with experience in who I should talk to, when WAMU blew me off and Chase is notorious for bad customer service?

Pay down the mortgage?

acoutu — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:19:11 -0800

Should they pay down their mortgage? My friends, who think I'm a financial guru, have come to me seeking some advice on their mortgage. However, while I have an opinion, I thought I'd ask the folks here at AskMefi too.

Should they pay down their mortgage?

Due to several unexpected windfalls, my friends have about $100k in the bank. They have earmarked $25k for retirement savings, general savings, a trip, and so on. They have ample emergency savings and decent retirement savings funds already, as well as college savings. Their car is paid off. They have no debt outside their mortgage. They live on one income and use the other to pay down their mortgage. They have 2 children and one parent works part-time, while the other has a very good job. When the other parent returns to f/t work, their income will rise substantially, but they are already in a very comfortable household income bracket.

My friends can pay up to $65k as a balloon payment on their mortgage each year. They have previously made several balloon payments, but none this year.

Their current *fixed* rate is 5.89%, with 2.5 years left in the term.
Their marginal tax rate is around 35-40%.
Their mortgage payments are around $2050 a month.
The outstanding balance is now $275,000, down from $350k when they bought 2.5 years ago.
Their condo is worth around $600k and is in downtown Vancouver.

If they break the mortgage, they would pay an interest rate differential of about $17k.

They could refinance at around 4% fixed or 2.2% variable, give or take.

They have excellent credit.

My friends think they should pay down their mortgage by $65k, so that they get a 5.89% return with no tax. This will reduce the burden of a mortage (in a city where a house is $1M) and also mean that, when the term is up for renewal in a few years, they can shorten up the amortization or else benefit from much lower payments. They don't think it makes sense to break the mortgage ,since, over the course of the entire mortgage, they would actually save much more by applying the $17k penalty against the mortgage instead. Besides, they have money sitting in the bank.

Does it make sense to pay down the mortgage by $65k?

Thanks in advance.

Online banking screenshots

simplesharps — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:26:32 -0800

What is a good domain name for a site showcasing online banking screenshots? While searching for a new bank I couldn't find one single repository of online banking screenshots, so I'm making one.

I need a great domain name - help me decide! If I can get the .com and .com.au equivalents that'd be great. Site will focus on each banks online banking features and user interface. You'll be able to rate each one, leave comments and upload your own screenshots [personal info removed of course]. That's it.

Thanks!

Does anyone have a Toronto bank that they love?

scrute — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:15:02 -0800

My bank has quit the banking business leaving me high and dry -what is your favourite non-TD or BMO banking option in Toronto? I have been a big fan of Citizen's Bank of Canada (not the same as the US bank of the same name) for years, but they have gone out of business. While they have sold mortgages and secured credit to TD, they are leaving those of us with unsecured lines of credit on our own (TD's choice I believe).

I need to replace my unsecured line of credit ($10k) and open a new account. I don't have much in the way of assets but have a stable, reasonable salary and a good credit rating. I also have a relative who is happy to co-sign on a line of credit, but most banks now refuse this practice and I do not want a traditional loan.

I am happy to consider credit unions or similar alternatives. I have had horrible experiences with Bank of Montreal and TD in the past and have no interest in banking with either of those institutions.

So, where can I get my line of credit with a reasonable interest rate and a good chequing account? Bonus points for affordable wire transfers and programs for New Canadians (my husband lives overseas (wire transfers) but will be moving here once we manage to sort out his visa (New Canadian programs)).

How do I get my bank to refund my overdrafts?

AngryTypingGuy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:32:28 -0800

How do I get my bank to refund my overdrafts? I had a family emergency I had to attend to that required me to leave home and fly to another state. I spent my whole time at a hospital and bought nothing else but food. About a week later, a day before I left, I got the chance to sit down and check my online banking. I discovered four $35 overdraft fees ($140 total). The weird thing was that while I was actively using my card everyday for that last week, none of the charges appeared until five days later. This was a little unusual considering that in the past charges usually went through within a couple of days. I immediately transferred money into my account. Since it was midnight there was nothing else for me to do but wait until tomorrow to call them.

The next day I called my bank and explained the situation - that I was in the middle of a family emergency. At first he said there wasn't anything he could do to help me but eventually he offered to refund two of the four overdraft fees. Even so, I continued to ask him to refund all of the overdrafts, but without any luck.

A day later, when I arrived back home, I noticed two additional overdraft fees practically canceling the refund that I had received earlier. I guess that was just a shrewd way of getting me off the phone.

It's been a week now. I've been busy resituating myself but I'm still looking to get refunded for all of my overdrafts. Is this possible? I thought I had a pretty good explanation but it still didn't seem to get through to them.

Thanks for your help.

Is there a regional airport that would make it easier for me to get to Red Bank, New Jersey

Dave. — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:16:15 -0800

Is there a regional airport that would make it easier for me to get to Red Bank, New Jersey as compared to going into the dreaded Newark Airport (EWR)? I know that Red Bank is only 30 miles south of Newark ... but for obvious reasons (flight delays, traffic, etc) I would like to avoid it. Unfortunately, I can't come up with a better alternative. Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!

And if it matters, this is a flight leaving 11/1 and returning 11/6 out of Jacksonville or Gainesville, FL.

Banks with Deposit@Home check scanning services?

sdis — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:02:35 -0800

NOW are there any banks with Deposit@Home check scanning? (That aren't USAA) This has been asked before, but it's 2 years later and one figures that there should be some progress on this front.

For years, USAA has offered (to its military clients only) the ability to scan the front and back of a check, send it to them electronically, and poof, your check is deposited. I'm a private, non-business, non-military USAA customer, and I don't get access to this. It's been 2 years since this was asked on MeFi; any updates?

Googling has so far informed me that some company called Checkfree has made a software package to sell to banks for this purpose in Feb, 2008, but I can't seem to find any banks promoting it. If this is available somewhere, where? If not, why on earth not?

What's a good bank or credit union in Las Vegas?

metalheart — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:40:21 -0800

Henderson, NV / Las Vegas Filter: What bank or credit union would work best for us? You've all been really helpful with my other Vegas-related questions, so hopefully this time will be no different! My fiance and I are in search of a good bank or credit union to use in Las Vegas, now that we've moved here. Here are some of the things we're looking for in a bank/credit unions:

- Low/few fees.

- Good online banking that will hook up with Mint. We're geeks.

- Fairly good savings account rates. It'd be nice if it was with the same bank/credit union as our checking, but I suppose it's not absolutely necessary.

- Something that links up pretty well internationally. We've moved from Melbourne, Australia, and we both intend to travel back there, as well as elsewhere in the world, and it would be nice if we could just stick with the one bank/credit union without trouble. I know that'd likely be Bank of America, but we've not heard great things about it, so if someone knows something better, we'd like to know about it.

Any other recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated, too, of course. Thanks!

USD to EUR/Spanish Debit Cards

PaulingL — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:51:53 -0800

LivingAbroadFilter: What can I, in particular, do to avoid conversion fees from USD to EUR? I am currently living in Spain. I will be returning to the states as of summer 2010. All my money is in American banks.

Is there something I can do to avoid fees? If not, what would be the best solution so as to keep them to a minimum?

Extra Questions

I have an online ING Direct account, with one of my banks attached to it. 1. Could I withdraw money from the ING location that is near where I am now?

2. Could I open a Spanish account, and use the online ING account to transfer funds between the two? I would like to get a Spanish Debit card.

Thanks!

Credit check for depositors?

NortonDC — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:17:27 -0800

I'm a depositor, and only a depositor, at a bank. What legitimate purpose is there for the bank to run a credit check on me? I'm an established customer at a bank I'm happy with, but now on a form used in processing a name change they are requiring that I give them permission to run credit checks, employment verification, etc.

They are not and never have been a creditor to me. I have never had or sought any type of loan from them, including credit cards. In fact, it's the opposite, since I am a depositor.

I give money to them, not the other way around. So how could it be appropriate for them to run credit checks on me?

What's the PIT like at a rock concert in Camden, NJ? (Susquehanna Bank Center)

thankyoumuchly — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:55:25 -0800

Will I like PIT area tickets for a rock concert at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ? Thinking about attending a rock concert at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. I am considering purchasing tickets in the PIT area dead center in front of the stage.

Will I like these tickets? I'm an averaged size guy so I can take a little shoving but I want to watch the concert and enjoy it.

Here's a pic of the seating chart. The PIT is orange, smack dab in front of the stage:

http://www.indux.com/map/131_TweeterCenter_EndStage_tn.jpg

Have any of you MeFites attended a concert there? Can you speak to the experience of the PIT in front of the stage? Will my neck be craned the whole time (is the PIT way below the stage?). Will I get moshed into oblivion. Are there seats or standing only? Can I move around within the entire PIT area or are there "front PIT tickets", "back PIT tickets" etc?

I've been to a concert there on the Lawn back when it was the "Tweeter Center" (note: Camden, not Boston). But the lawn was wayyyy back from the stage and I don't remember if I saw the PIT.

Please let me know you experiences. Details are a plus, please elaborate!

Which bank do I want?

amethysts — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:54:14 -0800

I'm in the market for a new bank and I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the matter? (I miss WaMu already!) My WaMu account converted to Chase.com and I'm not impressed so I'm thinking about finding a new one, but I have some criteria:

1. Lets you download as .csv? WaMu let me download my acct activity into .csv so I could load it into my Access application that I made, but it looks like Chase only lets you download in the Quicken etc. format. Or else it's buried so deep that it'll be a huge pain in the ass to do every week.

2. The interface isn't really ugly and awkward? I thought WaMu's interface was an acceptable balance of pleasant to look at and well-organized. Chase's interface is random lists of functions in tiny print scattered everywhere that I have to pick through every time I want to do something. My old local credit union's interface was atrociously ugly and difficult so I'm wary of small local credit unions now. I'll reconsider on a good recommendation but I just like things that are pleasant to look at and easy to use.

3. Every once in awhile I find the need to visit the bank in person (Chicago) so I'm not interested in online-only.

4. I'm poor and my account balances are always low, so if it's not free, it's not for me. I've had Bank of America and had to leave them because the fees were killing me.

5. I have a little IRA that I'll need to transfer as well. One thing I like about Chase is that it shows my IRA with the rest of my accts, which WaMu does not. I don't even know how to transfer an IRA or if it's possible or a good idea.

So, what do you think? Any and all suggestions are welcome, even if they don't hit all the criteria, as I doubt I'll be able to find The One Perfect Bank (now that WaMu's gone, anyway)..

What can we do about all these overdraft fees, which we think are unjustifiable?

GrooveStix — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:51:07 -0800

My girlfriend received $506 in fees for overdrafting about $40 from Bank of America. Is there anything we can do about this? Here's her question, since she doesn't have an AskMefi account:

Hey Everyone, I urgently need guidance on how to deal with some outrageous banking fees.

I have a checking account with Bank of America. My card has a credit card function on it, which I used last week in order to purchase food. Meanwhile, I had not realized that the bank hadn't processed several of my other past charges - they decided to process all the charges at once, over-drafting me by $40 and slamming me with 5 $35 overdraft fees. Apparently (I just learned this tonight from a cold-voiced manager at a Customer Service center) it's the fault of the merchants, since they gave me a receipt, meaning the charges would be consider debit - NOT credit, even though each of the 9 charges were specified as credit. When I called on the 22nd, I learned that if I didn't pay what was originally $216 in fees, the total balance I owed would jump with 6 more incoming overdraft fees. Being a struggling college student, I couldn't just pay it all off and move on; the total balance is now $506 and are about to jump again. All of my attempts to escalate the problem via phone have failed, despite my threats to use legal and public action. I am also awaiting replies from emails I sent to CEO Ken Lewis, as well as several other executives - I am sending more emails tonight.

Is there anything else I can do? I really need help soon! I have a paycheck coming in next week that auto-deposits and, if I don't have a solution before next Friday, I will have MORE overdraft fees (as explained to me by a service rep) and I won't be able to cover a payment to my University, which was a strict agreement.

Please let me know what can be done. Thank you so much!!!

Paper pushing en espanol

nameleech — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:39:39 -0800

What online tutorials or books are best for learning literacy only in Spanish? I am applying to a credit card disputes department at my workplace in October because they have need for the Spanish-literate. I'll be dealing with written statements from Spanish speaking customers primarily.

However, my language skills are so rusty I'll definitely need to do some brushing up beforehand. What books or online tutorials are best for achieving literacy only in Spanish? Free is better, but I'm willing to pay if the lessons are quality. Thanks all!

What is the fastest way to transfer money from one US bank account to another?

Eggbert42 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:43:22 -0800

I need to transfer a large some of money from a relative's bank account to my account at a different bank as fast as possible - how? A relative is giving me a large sum of money for mortgage purposes, and for various reasons I need it in my bank account as fast as possible (same day, ideally).

He banks at a large regional bank and I bank at a large national bank. From what I can tell, my options are wire transfer or withdrawing cash from his bank and depositing at my bank.

My understanding is that wire transfers are fast, but how long will it actually take to hit my account? Cash transfer would obviously be instant once I make the deposit, but I'm not keen to carry this much money on me, even just between banks.

How do we arrange financing to buy an apartment in Paris or London?

jchaw — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:06:50 -0800

How do we arrange financing to buy an apartment in Paris or London? Hi!

We are non-EU residents and will like to buy an apartment in either Paris or London.

We plan to use the apartment for a few weeks a year, when visiting Paris and/or London. For the rest of the year, the apartment will be available for short-term rentals, e.g., to tourists.

We don't have bank accounts in the UK, France, or any other european banks. We also do not have bank accounts with any global investment or commercial banks, e.g., Goldman Sachs or Barlays.

We do have good credit (state-side), good jobs (state-side), and a nice home (servicing mortgage).

We plan to put a downpayment of about 20%-33% for the apartment we plan to purchase in Paris or London.

Our questions: How can we finance this apartment? What types of banks should we enquire at? What are the logistics involved to secure financing? What type of documentation is required? Do we need to put up collateral, and in what form? What types of fees and interest rates should we expect in such financing?

We appreciate your insights to any of these questions. If you have previously done something similar, we will love to hear your experiences too.

Thanks! :-)

Why do banks have such generic names anyway?

mkb — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:13:33 -0800

I screwed up the payee name on a cashier's check. Short of sleep, I screwed up the payee name when I got a cashier's check at the bank this morning. I need the check for the late morning tomorrow, so I'll have a chance to go back to the bank beforehand. Is it possible to get replacements for events like this?

Small change embarrassment

bad grammar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:12:32 -0800

Small change embarrassment: After buying an eBay item I had $4.20 in my Paypal account. Unluckily my eBay seller fees were charged at the same time for $4.35. I now presumably have a negative balance of -$0.15 in my account. I have added $10 from my bank account (which has money in it sufficient to cover all this) to Paypal, but it will not clear for a few days. What will happen to my Paypal account.

Credit score and available credit

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:45:09 -0800

Is my U.S. credit score based on the total available credit on all cards, or is it also based on the available credit on an individual card? I have a large number of credit cards without balances, and one credit card with a balance, on which I pay the introductory rate of 0%. Money in my checking account makes 4.25% interest. So my plan is to put a high balance on the interest-free credit card, leaving more money to accrue interest in my checking account. Then, when the introductory offer expires, I will get a new one (preferably fee-free), and pay off any balance that I can't transfer.

My question is, does my credit score change based on my percentage of available credit on the individual card (which would be very small), or only based on the percentage of total credit available on all the cards (which would be very large)?

So, do I have to worry about getting close to the credit limit on this individual card?

If anyone has related experience on this matter I'd be glad to hear it.

Bank account with free incoming wire transfers?

perrce — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:02:25 -0800

Wire transfer fees are eating up all my app store profits! Help me find a bank (online or brick & mortar) that won't charge me fees on incoming wire transfers. When you sell an app in the iPhone app store, you receive your payment from Apple in the form of wire transfers into your bank account. My bank is currently charging $15 per transfer, and it's eating up all my profits.

I'm looking to open a new bank account to receive these wire transfer. My criteria:

1. Both online or brick & mortar banks are ok, but if it's brick & mortar it needs to be a national bank (U.S.A.) with branches all over.

2. It must be able to accept international wire transfers.

3. It must have a SWIFT code. This might effectively be the same as requirement 2. (I'm not exactly an expert on this stuff.)

4. Incoming wire transfers must be cheap or free.

5. Minimum balances must be $1000 US or less.

Does anyone know of a bank that meets these critera?

Advantages to brick-and-mortar vs. online banking?

xiaoyi — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:04:08 -0800

I found an online-only bank that's better than my current one. Is being able to walk into a brick-and-mortar bank enough reason to keep my current accounts open? In 2007 I opened a checking and savings account at (what was formerly known as) Washington Mutual, attracted by high interest rates and free checking benefits. But after WaMu tanked and was bought out and interest rates went down the toilet along with the rest of the economy, I started looking elsewhere. I've since discovered the interest bearing checking and savings accounts offered by Schwab One, which has twice the interest rate of WaMu/JP Morgan/Chase (which isn't saying much but it's better than nothing), as well as several other benefits.

I already do most of my banking online anyway, and right now the only reason I need to physically walk into a bank is to deposit paper checks. Schwab gives you free prepaid envelopes and deposit slips to take care of that. So is there any reason to keep my WaMu accounts open?

Fiscal Responsibility: The gov't isn't setting me an example. Maybe I can set an example for the gov't.

silkygreenbelly — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:25:27 -0800

Personal Fiscal Responsibility. Help me turn over a new leaf (and keep it turned over). Looking for a new bank and some advise. My track record for being responsible with my money is not very good. Over the past 10ish years I've lived paycheck to paycheck with only a few short stretches of managing my money well. I need some advise in the following directions:
1. A new bank: "Christine" from Wells Fargo just cheerfully agreed with me that my financial life sucks, but the issue in question "wasn't the bank's error" so she was going go ahead and let Wells Fargo fuck me over $80. I'm sick of Wells Fargo's bullshit banking practices*.
I've looked through previous askme's but some of them are pretty old (ie recommending BoA). I've heard about ING Orange Checking seemed to be all the rage a couple of years ago, is it still good? Are their better alternatives? Requirements for a bank account would be: no minimum amounts required, no annual fee (unless having direct deposit gets it waived), free electronic transfers to other peoples bank's accounts at other banks.

2. Tips, tricks, advice, links to blogs (besides get rich slowly already know about that one) or classes in the Seattle area, on small personal finance management, how to curb spending, but most of all how to stick to it.

3. I currently have only student loans and I am concerned the fact that I do not having any credit is going to screw me over when I eventually need to get a car of my own (currently using my sisters until november). I have tossed around the idea of getting a credit card for a dedicated expense (like gas). Bad idea? How would this work with money management?

*I asked why they took out my withdrawls largest to smaller and she said it was because most people don't want their largest checks to bounce. I asked why it would matter when WF doesn't actually seem to bounce checks, they just "overdraft" the account and she told me it was because they can technically return checks if they choose to and they might want to (at some ill-defined point) decide to return a bounced check instead of charging overdrafts.