Who Should I Bank With???

[Adidas410s]

Here is my situation...as yall know I'm moving to Dallas this week. I primarily bank with USAA out of San Antonio. You may or may not know that they don't have branch locations like a typical bank so I have to direct deposit my check...which I'm a BIG fan of btw. Anyways...I also keep a local bank so that I can deposit any physical checks I get as well as for check cashing purposes. Currently, I have a bank out here that is regional and will allow me to keep $50 in the account and still cash bigger checks...but that's beside the point. So I am needing to pick which one of the "big banks" to go with so that my boss here can deposit my last few checks into it for me (Cingular stops direct deposit once I leave) and I can have access to that money ASAP.

Which bank do you use...what are you thoughts on them...and which should I go with?

[SWMustang]

I like Bank of America because of the online banking. I'm sure other branches have that, but I haven't changed banks in the last 10 years.

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Washington Mutual just came out with a new checking product today. No minimum balance, free checks for life, free VISA gold card, free outgoing wires, no charge for ATMs, free Direct Deposit, free Online Banking AND Online Bill Pay. They've got tons of locations around Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

Why do I know so much? I work for them. Honestly, its a really good company to work for, and in my biased opinion, bank with. If you have any questions, feel free to PM about it.

[Cameron Crazy]

My aunt works for citibank they are really good they are taking over a bunch of banks in this area

[Bullaholic]

Uh, be sure and give RMAC your PIN No., Adidas. :D

[Ranger Mom]

I was with First American (which I loved) and they were bought out by Citibank (who I now despise).

When I was with First American, you got money orders and/or cashier checks free if you were a member.

Now...money orders are $5.00 and cashier checks are $10.00, they don't seem to cater to their members at all.

I can get a darn money order at Kent Kwik for 49¢.

It's just little things like that, that have made me not want to bank with them anymore.

I didn't vote, but will be curious to see the outcome of this poll as I am wanting to change banks.

[Eagle6Man]

I worked for a company (NationsBank) that whored out and sold to Bank of America. All during that transition, BOA kept telling us employees that nothing was going to change but the sign outside. Long story short, they laid all of us old Nations Bank folks off, and hired brand new employees to take our place the following week. For that reason, I can not stand BOA, even though I still have some stock with them.

I then worked for Wells Fargo. The most difficult bank ever as far as on-line transactions. Another thing I don't like about Wells Fargo, they don't have very good customer service skills IMO.

Wahington Mutual would be the way I would go as far as do overs. They are popping up like crazy. And the free on-line banking is sweet too.

[DU_stud04]

washington mutual has a good deal right now,

http://wamu.com/personal/accountchoices/checking/wamufreechecking/default_TX.htm

its who i bank with now,(used to be bank of america) and i havent had any of the problems i used to have

[District303aPastPlayer]

Originally posted by BreckTxLonghorn
Washington Mutual just came out with a new checking product today. No minimum balance, free checks for life, free VISA gold card, free outgoing wires, no charge for ATMs, free Direct Deposit, free Online Banking AND Online Bill Pay. They've got tons of locations around Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

Why do I know so much? I work for them. Honestly, its a really good company to work for, and in my biased opinion, bank with. If you have any questions, feel free to PM about it.

they dont charge for their ATM usage... i like that

[shellman54]

Banks are bad, go with a credit union.

[Maroon87]

When I moved from C.C. to S.A. 12 years ago I had to change banks because the one I was with was only in C.C. So I picked NationsBank, which is now Bank Of America, and I've never had any problem with them as a customer. Plus their online banking is a snap. Now rather than spending half the day writing checks and licking stamps, I pay my bills in about 5 minutes.:cool:

[j_dog]

Guaranty Bank has been very good to us for many years, and they seem to be most places in Texas. I just have an aversion to the really big banks. Every time I looked at them their fees were so high just to have an account. I hear that is changing however. I shop until I find "free" checking. As someone mentioned, credit unions are a good source of free checking.

Yes, you need a convenient place to make deposits. But for cash, most any merchant will give you "cash back" on a debit card from ANY bank. When I need cash, I just use my debit card for a purchase, generally at Walmart, and pick up $100 without a trip to a bank. And there is no charge at all. That works as you travel around the good old USA so bank branches generally are not all that important.

[SintonFan]

I bank at three places. Bank of America, Compass and Member's First CU.
Bank of America is the most professional and easiest to use. Online banking rocks and deposits are immediate if cash is deposited. You can cash your check 1st there and then deposit whatever cash you want to add to your account.
Member's First is the most cost-effective.
Compass just plain sucks. Their "free checking" is not very free and their "free ATM fees" are not free if you consider that you have to save all your ATM receipts and mail them off to be reimbursed for other companies' ATM transaction fees.