From: tjm@netcom.com (Thomas J. Merritt)
Subject: Summary: What's the best bank for a checking account?
Organization: Code Generation Technology
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 02:14:57 GMT


I'll be checking out Great Western Savings^H^H^H^H^H^H^HBank tomorrow.

TJ

In article <1992Nov15.011159.2750@netcom.com> tjm@netcom.com (Thomas J. Merritt) writes:
=>I know that this a has already been discussed here before. I wasn't
=>in the market for a new account at the time so I didn't pay save the
=>info away.  Anyway I need to open a new checking account and I'de
=>like to know what banks have the best service, lowest monthly
=>charges, cheapest ATM access, etc.  If you e-mail your reply I will
=>summarize in a week after I've opened my new account.

Reply #1:
=========
For a long time I kept my money exclusively in
Wells Fargo, mainly because they were the local bank
used by my employer, and I used direct deposit.  They
always sent me a little deposit slip each week in the
mail.  After I retired, I got a direct deposit monthly
retirement stipend, and again, I got the little slip of
paper.  Suddenly I got a letter saying they were changing
all this, and I didn't really need that little piece of
paper, etc., etc.  and oh, by the way, if you call    
on the phone more than N times a month, we will charge
you for each call.......So I shopped around.  I kept
enough money in WF to keep my free safety deposit box,
but moved most of it to Great Western Bank.  The biggest
difference between the two banks is that GWB "grandfathers"
their customers and WF does not.  If GWB changes a policy
and you are already a customer, you stay the same.  When
WF changes a policy, it's EVERYBODY, svp. 


Reply #2:
=========
I have a Great Western checking account.  They have a number of ways
of getting the monthly service fee waived, including a $500 minimum
balance or direct deposit.  No complaints about service, though it did
take some convincing for them to give me 3 rolls of quarters for
laundry (my branch is right at Berkeley BART...).  ATM access on (at
least) Cirrus & STAR, and Explore POS.  They don't charge per-check,
for GW ATMs, or for POS transactions.  Non-GW ATMs cost about $1.  My
usual method is to buy food at the grocery store and get cash back if
I need cash.

All in all, I'd say I'm satisfied.  Enough accessible ATMs, and
reasonable fees.

Reply #3:
=========
I maintain a checking account at Downey S+L. They have NO monthly
charges, NO ATM charges, and pay interest (low, these days) on the
account. Who pays for a checking account today?



Reply #4:
=========
In reply to your query on the news about the best bank to
use for checking, least expensive service charges, ATM access,
etc.: I can't really compare with others because I've used only 
BofA for the last 20 years.  I have their "Interest 
Checking" accounts.  As long as I maintain a balance of
$1500, there is *never* any service charge.  I haven't paid
any kind of service charge in many years, and have *never* been 
charged an ATM transaction fee of any sort.  I do by far most of
my banking via ATM and can't help but notice that BofA has
far more ATMs than any other bank.  I can take care of my
business almost anywhere (and do so regularly...)

I can't recommend any of their 'package' accounts, or fixed
fee setups, or any of that other stuff.  I've never used any
of it.  If you can maintain the $1500 balance, the Interest
Checking is the way to go. True, you don't earn much interest
on the balance, but who cares.  You save $9-12 or more in charges
and fees..If you work it right, you should be able to bank for 
free as I do. (I also use BofA's visa and mastercard, which I
can pay in full via ATM on the payment due date and will have had
the full 25-day grace period with no finance costs..!)

BTW, I have no affiliation whatever with BofA. Just a
satisfied customer....



Reply #5:
=========
If you are in Fremont, use Fremont Bank. They have excellent
service, Free ATM access (*any* ATM, not just theirs), Bank hours
10-7 7 days a week at the various Safeway locations.

Their service is pretty good too ...
Newsgroups: ba.general,ba.wanted