Been banking at the same bank for twenty years. Checking has always been free (as it's been no matter what bank I've used during my lifetime). Last three months in a row I kept getting a mysterious service charge on my account amounting to $6.95. On the third time this happened, I went in to ask what's causing it. They told me they no longer have free checking, and that's the monthly bill for a checking account now (unless I want to keep a minimum of $1,500.00 in the account at all times). They claim that all the banks are ditching free checking now.

I drove out to the nearest credit union and asked if they had free checking. Sure they do, they told me, and no minimum deposit. I opened a checking account. As soon as my payment from a recent sale on eBay lands in my old checking account, I'm closing it down. That's like someone snatching $7.00 from my pocket every month. Total BS.

And the bad part is most people just take it and live with it. I dont like people takeing my money in any form.

Gosh, times must really be tough.


Whats next? Payday Loans?

Didn't know banks were still a thing. CU's rock.

I think you’ll be happy with it. I’ve banked with a CU for the last several years. I had no problems with the bank before and keep an account with them but they’re more cookie cutter with a higher employee turnover rate. I get better service, better loan rates and a 1/3 the cost safe deposit fee with my CU. Members give back on loan interest varies year to year depending on profits but is usually about 70% on top of the already low loan rates.

One of these days, I’ll own the largest chain of Payday loan/vape shop/marijuana dispensaries in North America. The untapped wealth of the poverty class will be like taking candy from a baby. A baby strung out on meth.

USAA for banking, savings and such. Been with the local Credit since 1974, checking and Pathfinder accounts for the grand children's college accounts! Car, boat and misc. loans over the years. Most usually they have lower interest rates than banks. YMMV

7 bucks would break me and I would be a pauper for sure.

#destitutionboulevardpushingashoppingcartsouthforthewinter
#bummigration

Wish Tn would pass rec weed .
Use my 80k VA small business loan and open up a weed store on Riverside drive.

It's all about the chillern...

#uprightcitizensbrigade

In the process of divesting all my long-held Chase business and personal bank accounts to a local credit union. Fugg your political biases, Chase.

Chase works for us.

Bay City, MI is full of them. They all call themselves medical dispensaries or some similar variant probably helps with the CC billing?

Most banks are indifferent to their customers anymore, even big accounts. Within the last two years the wife switch her business accountant, business bank and business insurance because of poor service. None seemed to care.
Several years ago I tried to cash a savings bond at the bank I had been at since 1976 or so, privately owned local bank, not a chain. No go, they wouldn’t cash it and offered zero assistance in getting it cashed. It was an HH bond which hasn’t been available for years and everything is electronic now so maybe that spooked them, I don’t know. Had to return them to my elderly parents and their bank cashed them no problem.
Closed my account and joined a credit union.

Dang,

what took you so long?

Welcome to the Desert of the Real.

I switched to a CU years ago. I get the service I used to get at the old small town bank I had when I was young. They even recognize me at the drive thru.

Thanks men ! ...I've worked for a CU for 15 years !

I walk in the door of my local branch and the young ladies there are pulling up my account as I walk up to the window.

It's easy for them to remember such a small account.

Yeah,

this is a rural farming/ranching community.


They know small accounts quite well, very familiar with them.

I belong to three Credit Unions.

Bank and CU gals know me.
Couple went to school w my ol lady.
Couple lookers at each too.

Worth going in.

Me too. One in northern California, one in southern California and one in west Texas. Dimes...

How many old guys do you know with a 3 rubber-band pony tail?

I'd recognize him too.

I think I have 4.

Most times I've moved for work I've gotten a new account so I could have something local.

Keep a balance in two of them, one in AK, the other in ID, as emergency money and ................................because membership comes with $1K in free life insurance.

And the way things are going, my wife may need it some day.

Your twenty years to late. Even Boehner got into it soon as he got out of politics. Yep to late!😄

Poor bankers will have a tough time feeding their families if they don't get that 6.95.

Haven't had an account with a bank in 35 plus years, belong to two credit unions. A lot easier to work with.

Can still do free checking, but keep minimal $$$ in banks as they are all piss poor on interest. One is for sure not keeping up with inflation if his cash is in the bank. Every banker I know is apologizing for the current situation.

Hippies stand out in a rural community!🤣


1minute,
It's not a current situation.
Before the Trump years I went to the CU, that I only see once a year, to
do something to keep it active and avoid a $5 fee.
Came out to the car and told Dad. "Don't know whether th laugh or cry".
He ask why.

"I just moved my money from one account to the other and doubled my
interest!"

"That's great, what's wrong then?"

"Went from 3/4 of a percent to 1.5%)



We are soon getting a credit union local, I might join.

I had banked at a local brand of a regional bank I for over 30 years, starting with birthday money as a kid. They got sold so often i couldnt remember the current name. Trying to cash a check in a neighboring town, i actually had to ask if this used to be Johnstown Bank and Trust. Took a moment for an older lady to confirm.

One day I hit the drive-thru, and they told me I couldnt cash my paycheck!
They no longer offered that service. I would have to deposit it. And that if
I had sufficient funds, I could withdraw an equal amount.

WTF? Give it back!

Went to Hometown bank. Local owned. Opened specifically to serve
in an old fashioned manner.

Went in and ask to talk to someone about opening an account.
"If I was a customer, would you cash my paycheck?"

"Of course!"

"Do you charge for checking and what the minimum balance?"

"No fee checking. $25 deposit required to open, the second consecutive
month at a 0 balance we close the account. You could reopen at any
time with another $25 deposit."

"Here is my check, deposit $25 in a checking and I'll take the rest in cash?"

The next day I closed our other banks accounts.
But they didn't miss us. Several grand in checking, and cashing checks
is all our business. We don't borrow, or buy products from a bank.

Dropped Regions and Bank Corp South over their no gun in the lobby policies. Bank Corp South is changing its name due to the word "south" in it. Fugg 'em.

No more Chase bank for me! My other bank has changed for the third time now, they gave me 2 books of checks for free, but said I'd have to start paying for them, after that. So I'm going to a Credit union soon my self.

My credit union started charging me $3.00/month to send me a paper statement. They are trying to force everyone to electronic statements and banking and I will not do that.

No big banking for me. Made the switch about 15 years ago.

The credit union I joined yesterday started me with four free emergency checks, and will be sending 80, also at no charge.

Don't you hate that?

I don't blame you; I'd have done the same..

I've had two sources - one bank and one credit union.. I've been with this bank for (literally) 50 years and so far checking's free.. IF/WHEN that changes, I'll close both remaining accts. there and switch it all to the credit union.. . It was only about 7-8 years ago that I started with them and they've been simply excellent.. Very friendly, knows us well and we've never had a problem..

Banks are bullshidt for many reasons - BUT, as an adult why the fugg are you running around with less than $1500 in a checking account?

The problem with a CU is that they are regional as well as a lot of the smaller banks. Chase is national and having an account there when you are traveling around is a big help with no out of town check questions.

Our bank charges a fee unless you have one of their automatic services. One of them is an auto transfer to a savings acct. So, we have a small savings account with them. Each month they do the auto transfer of $25 to savings, then do an auto transfer of $25 back to checking. It's just playing their game keeping the computer happy and costs nothing.

I've used USAA since 1993. they will Ph-uCK you if they can, ESPECIALLY in the insurance world. I have other banks and Credit unions for some other things. Lately USAA insurance customer service has started to suck monkey nutz. they used to care, now they don't.

rant over.

Who TF is still writing checks?

I've been using credit union(s) since I left the banking industry in '03. I was the "suit" that had to kiss all the old scrapers asses when they came in bitching about fees, interest rates, etc. like they were members of the J.P. Morgan family. They all wanted a better deal than everyone else for their chump change accounts and didn't like it when I told them I couldn't give them a deal different than anybody else walking in the door.

Dillion,

First,

as I had to tell folks long ago...................... I ain't a hippie.Hippies are non violent. Piss me off enough and I'll have to do some ass whoopin'

Second,

re: "But they didn't miss us".............................................

Anheuser-Busch didn't miss me when I quit drinkin' all that Budweiser I used to drink either....................................................Bastids.

Sometimes it's many times that much, and sometimes it's less. Having to worry about it never dipping below that amount at any point in the month isn't something I want to add to my list of things to think about when an alternative exists.

Ya not much for float anymore. The way they they all make money is fees. Brokerage is the same way.

Been with my CU for 42 years, free checking w/ no min. balance, 2 free Money Orders per month.
My checking account is through their Money Market program, better interest than just the plain old checking and savings account. Interest increased with you balance, basic, 10K, 50K and 100K. not at the top but getting close. :>)
Small home town CU, 3 branches, but aligned with two other CU's in town, so I can deposit, withdraw or cash a check at anyone.

Don't believe you are "..Hippy Type Pinko [bleep]",
be surprised if you
"...got a Commie Flag, tacked up on the wall inside of your garage."


But you do have a look!😁

Nope, not even a Grateful Dead poster.

I've got a San Diego Gulls banner in the computer room here though. And one of them old armed Apache fellas that says "Homeland Security".

But no commie flags.

Couldnt resist a little Charlie Daniels.
Damn shame he joined Roy.
We lost a good one there.
Liked him when he would "take another toke",
even more when we both aged and he became respectable!

Remember back when, you could cash a check drawn on a bank or cu for the face amount(without a fee) even though you didn't have an account there.
With today's practice can a check still be considered a negotiable instrument?

I use the psecu credit union. Great rates free checking and they pay me for being a customer.

I knew a guy with a genius IQ. He wrote software and developed new chemical processes. He was given a Boeing fellowship.
He was always going to the credit union for money.

Then there are retarded janitors that do well saving and investing.

Forrest Gump “Stupid is as stupid does”

I agree completely. Had them insure everything for 20 years. Dropped them when I actually compared prices. Then they shipped an IRA I had to another company with no notification. They started going down hill about the same time they started advertising so much.

Been with my credit union since 1989. Better deal all around on fees, loans, and etc.

I do maintain a checking account with Wells Fargo, as they have the most advantageous online bill pay set-up that I have encountered.
There are no fees attached to the account as long as I direct deposit above a minimum amount monthly, and allow them to divert $1 per transaction into a savings account.
The dollars that go into the savings account add up and as there is no restriction on withdrawals, they get redirected to a brokerage account a couple of times per year. Roll them back into checking and auto pay to the B.A.

Why anyone would keep >$1500 in any bank or credit union account mystifies me. There are any number of decent paying investment vehicles that a guy can write a check from.
When the overnight deposits settle tomorrow I'll have some money in both the bank and credit union accounts. By Monday, amounts will be back to normal and decent share of those funds will be at work for me.

Like a money market?

I use 2 different credit unions. One in Alaska and one here in Idaho. In Alaska I"ve been with them for about 40 years and the one in Idaho I've been with the other one for 8-1/2 years. What I like is I can move money between them quite easily. I like that.

Care to list some of those " decent paying investment vehicles that a guy can write a check from." for those of us uninitiated in the finer points of investment accounts?

Preferably ones that don't eat up interest on small accounts in fees.

PM me if you'd like.

Have a conservative Fidelity total stock investment account, and there's typically 6 or $7 k of cash therein that gets rolled into stocks whenever a shinning opportunity shows itself. As dividends roll in, the cash balance begins to build up again. We can write checks on the cash balance, but have not done so.

Never used them, but I have checks from Edward Jones that would draw from my investment accounts there

In actual practice, if I need more than what I have in my credit union checking, I can and do transfer funds from various investment vehicles to my primary checking account. Generally available next business day.

If I ran across a "deal of a lifetime" that wouldn't be there tomorrow, I'd happily use a check from Edward Jones. But I tend to look at such deals with a wary eye...

Edward Jones usually takes three days to hit my account, through electronic transfer. That's going to my credit union. I have never used the check option from them. Something to remember.

Thats what I do I have a fidelity account and two credit unions. I pay bills from both accounts. 1/2 my dividends go back into investments the remainder to the credit union. You can't beat service in a credit union so Ill stay there.

I avoid the large banks like the plague now

Communists use credit unions. Just throwin that out there..

Thanks,

I've got a "Money Market" account at one of my credit unions, but the interest in that isn't anything to shout about.

Just looking for something to stretch my retirement "liquid" assets with.

I think there's an Edward Jones nearby, perhaps I'll check them out and move some over, maybe set up an auto deposit of a little a month into it.

Yeah, Salty,

Our Electrical Co-op is likely a communist plot too. Only been around in these parts for a century plus..............




But I don't think the local ranchers on the board have authorized the purchase of any Black Marias yet.

Thanks ribka,

Well there ya go they got in before McCarthy. LOL

Lots of credit unions here too I've belonged to a couple. In a couple small towns we lived in it was the only game in town and they've served us just fine.

Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Credit Union…..Now. know as Bayport. I’ve been with them since 1992, moved back home in 2000 and always keep them as my bank. They no longer do business in WV but they have always been helpful with me in a few “transactions”.

Well, you got me thinking now.

Started up about the time of the Bolsheviks over there in Ruskie land.

It's all about rolling any profits back for the owners, who are the People. (Not to some capitalist pig corporation in NYC)

There's a board of directors elected directly by the People.

By golly...............maybe I am a "communist" in some ways.

Don't worry Geno I won't tell anyone.

Its a slippery slope I tells ya. Last winter I plowed all the driveways on this end of the street and cleared the cul de sac off with my atv. Then the buggers start trickling in with little gifts, or firewood, or baking. Not one cent changed hands. No one's making any money! Its damn communism I tells ya. This winter fug m its 50 bucks a pop or shovel to your hearts content

Yikes,

there's a you tube video in there.

Salty goes Capitalist!

Kicked banks to the curb in 88 or so. Credit Unions are the only way to fly.