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Online BankingI love Online Banking. It is one of the best ways to control your money and monitor how you spend it. I'm amazed to hear that in 2008 so many people still don't pay their bills online. It is so easy to sign up and configure, but I keep hearing that people don't feel safe nor secure. However, let me assure you that these folks have the best encryptions algorithms in place to secure your financial information. One of the biggest benefits to online banking is you don't have to lick those bad tasting envelops when you send out your bills, yuk. Not to mention that money you save in stamps, but more importantly is the paperless process when banking online. You can sign up to stop receiving paper statements as well, all can be done online. If you need to view a statement you can view it online going back several months. Most banks offer online banking as a free service which is part of your account. Be wary of those banks that charge a monthly fee, especially big banks. It's not necessary to pay for this type of service because it should be free so if your bank charges for this service, find another bank. Also, keep in mind that most of the big banks are the ones charging you ATM fees in excess of $1.50 or more. As a matter of fact, I read recently that banks are going to start charging as much as $3.00 for ATM withdrawals. So if you are not a customer of that particular bank then stay away from their ATM machines. Just try to stay away of those banks and convenience store ATM. Get smart and avoid them altogether by sticking to your own bank. Try to withdraw enough money on that one visit and keep the rest of the cash at home. Keep your ATM visits to a minimum. It's not necessary to withdraw money from the back 10 times a week. Benefits Include: 1. Direct deposit of your check The list goes on and on. If you're not doing your banking online you're not keeping money in your pocket, this is a huge time saver as well. If you're not sure about all this, visit your local bank and ask questions about safety and security. Or, speak to someone you trust who can guide you if you're not completely convinced. It's fun and easy to do though so once you get going you'll realize what you've been missing. Remember to safeguard all of your personal financial information. Don't write your id and pin number anywhere. If someone knows your id they already know half of what's needed to access your account(s). Identity Theft is a big problem in our country so shred everything and if you don't have one, then get one at Staples or Office Depot. Now visit your bank and ask to speak with someone about online banking and while you're at it ask them about investing in a 6 month CD. ;-).
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