Bring Back the 80's!

Banks

I bank at Wells Fargo, and have done so since before they purchased First Interstate in the early 1990's. Things there are more or less ok, but I recently called them up to reduce the $20 of monthly charges I was paying on my account — $3 for a savings account < $300, $3 fee to use quicken, $7 fee to pay bills through quicken, and another $7 fee to pay bills through their website. I only used quicken for a couple of months last year (it blows) so I figured it's time to stop paying $10/month to use a $30 peice of software. Also, since I've had thousands of dollars in my savings account before and never earned more than 30¢ per month, I figured the odds were stacked against me of a savings account ever ever being a profitable endeavor, and had them change it into a checking account.

The helpful lad on the phone informed me that since I've had the account for over a decade, there would not be a charge to have that checking account. He also said he'd have to reissue my debit card to link a third account to it... I asked him to unlink an account I never used and if that would mean he wouldn't have to reissue my card; he said that was correct.

However, my card stopped working today. So I have no faith that my new checking account is free either.

Wells fargo charges $1.75 for you to use someone elses ATM.. even only for a balance inquiry. This is on top of the standard $1.50 charge generic ATM's usually charge you.. even for a balance inquiry. This means if I have no cash at a McDonalds I pay $8 for an extra value meal.

I think if I call their 24 hour 1-800 number more than 2 times in a month I get dinged $2 per as well.

And there has been more than one time that I have deposited checks at the ATM that did not post to my account for 3 or more business (non-holiday, non-weekend) days. I always write my account numbers on the checks, dot all of my t's, cross all of my i's......

I am a hair's breadth away from switching banks. What banks do you use? What banks have you heard good things about? I keep hearing good things about the Bank of the Cascades. Both of my employers also bank there, which aids me in case their checks want to bounce ;) What say ye?

Posted by jesse at September 22, 2004 01:02 AM