As I said, I kept my money in the school bank starting about six months before I went to Europe. It didn t do me much good, as all my cash was stolen on the trip, but at least the thief got more than he would have than if I hadn t opened the account. Checking accounts help keep track of your salary because you have a written record of all expenditures. Some banks offer so called check-cards or debit cards, but be wary of these. Shop around for your bank, regardless of the type of account.
Many banks offer student accounts with inflated interest or free checking.
Another good thing to consider is the number of bank branches. If you live in a small town, only one or two branches is no big deal, but if you re in a city, then it s convenient to have several branches. The bottom line is it s better to keep your money somewhere where you can keep track of it and allow it to accumulate. Cash has a nasty habit of slowly seeping away even when you are looking. Read more Feature stories.