Avoid Banking Fees to Keep Personal Finances and Debt More Manageable
New research from the Principal Financial Well-Being Index shows that the economy is the greatest source of stress for Americans, followed by their personal finances, job and health. According to the 52 percent of retirees and 42 percent of workers, the cause of a high stress level is the economy, while according to the rest 30 percent of retirees and More...
As Debit Card Fee Caps Come Into Effect, Banks Raise Fees on Consumers
Are you ready for the next move in the war on consumers? Banks are preparing to institute debit card fees in response to the caps that are about to go into effect. Tomorrow marks the day when a cap on debit card More...
Next Round of Bank Fees: Debit Cards
Many of us have come to rely on debit cards. They are convenient methods of payment, working like credit cards — and accepted where credit cards are used. You can swipe your debit card quickly and easily, More...
What’s Next for Free Checking?
One of the items that has been in the financial news a lot lately is the effort to come to an agreement on caps to swipe fees on debit cards. While originally proposed at 12 cents, the new swipe fee announcement More...
Is Your Bank Profiling Your Deposit Account Behaviors?
No doubt, you are aware that Fair Isaac, the company that markets the FICO score, is a leader in consumer profiling. After all, the company offers numerous scores, from a special mortgage score to an “expansion” More...
ChexSystems Report: What is ChexSystems?
Many of us assume that when we want to open a bank account, it’s a simple matter. After all, we aren’t borrowing anything; we should be able to open a deposit account with minimal fuss. While many financial More...
Is It Time to Look for a New Bank?
There has been a lot of hand wringing lately by banks. Regulations are in effect, and soon, a debit fee interchange cap will be instituted. Big banks, which have been enjoying big profits since many of them repaid More...
Interest: Earn It Rather Than Pay It
Many people automatically assume that interest is a bad thing. This is because many of us encounter interest in negative settings: We are often paying it on loans. Credit card interest seems like Exhibit A when More...
Is Rewards Checking Right for You?
One of the growing trends right now is rewards checking. You can go in to a brick and mortar bank and find rewards checking accounts, or you can find rewards checking offerings online. Rewards checking can be a More...
Beware Bank Deals and Account Bonuses
One of the things you have to watch out for when you are opening new bank accounts is the fine print associated with bank deals and cash bonuses. These ploys are used to get you to open an account, and they can More...