Find out the best bank accounts that pay high interest, have no fees, giver better service, and offer cutting-edge technology. Get the Money Girl book at http://MoneyGirlBook.com
Money Girl
339 MG 5 Best Bank Accounts for 2014
Hey Fidelity. How can I remember to invest every month? With the Fidelity app, you can choose a schedule and set up recurring investments in stocks and ETFs. Oh, that sounds easier than I thought. You got this. Yeah, I do. Now, where did I put my keys? You will find them. Where you left them. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss, Fidelity Broker Services LLC member NYSE SIPC. When you hear a good idea, it's natural to do a double take. That's what you might do when you hear Discover will automatically double the cash back you've earned on your credit card at the end of your first year with Cashback Match. Wait, what? Yep. Double the cash back is something so good you might do a triple take. It pays to Discover. See terms at discover.com/creditcard. Hi podcast listeners. Welcome to another weekly edition of Money Girl. I'm your host, Laura Adams. Before we get started, I want to tell you about a new audio book called Jump Start, Spark Change in Your Life. I co-authored this book with other quick and dirty tips experts. It's great advice for every area of your life, including sections on career and productivity, communication, relationships, health and fitness, house and home parenting, and of course, money. Listening to Jump Start is the perfect way to start a new year. You'll find our new audio book Jump Start on iTunes or audible.com. One of the best ways to streamline your finances, save time and save money, is to switch to a better bank. But with thousands of different banks, accounts and interest rates to choose from, where do you start? Well, in this episode, I've done the heavy lifting for you by researching the best bank accounts for 2014. Find out which ones pay high interest, have no fees, provide better service and offer cutting edge technology that makes managing your finances a breeze. All right, let's talk about bank accounts. Bank number one, money one federal credit union. You might be surprised that my first recommendation actually isn't a bank, but a credit union. Money one is a not-for-profit full-service financial institution that's been around since 1951. Although credit unions offer services to members only, some make membership really simple. For instance, if you don't have a relationship to money one through an employer or other organization, you can join by simply making a one-time donation to a charity. Money one offers the free Casasa cash rewards checking account that pays an impressive 3.1% annual percentage yield or APY on balances up to $10,000. Any amount above 10,000 earns at least 0.51%. There's no monthly fee or minimum balance required to get this great rate, plus you get refunds on ATM fees nationwide, free online banking and free bill pay. Although money one doesn't have a mobile app, you can scan paper checks and deposit them remotely, even if you don't live near one of their Maryland branches. The only trick on most rewards accounts is that you must qualify, but don't worry, it's so easy that you're probably already doing it. Every month you must make at least 10 debit card purchases, have at least one direct deposit or automatic payment, receive e-statements, and log on to online banking at least once. To learn more about the differences between banks and credit unions, you can listen to a recent podcast called Bank or Credit Union, which is better. Cheers to fall at Whole Foods Market with sales through October 29th. Select frozen pizzas are 50% off with prime, so stock up and be ready for game day. Hosting a cozy dinner? There's a sale on hearty no antibiotics ever beef-chuck roast and stew meat, or be the best guest ever and bring a robust bottle of Bordeaux wine, or specialty cheese like Humboldt Fog. Cheers to fall at Whole Foods Market must be 21 or older. Please drink responsibly. Now that we're in Q4, it's a good time to start thinking about making memories with the people you love most before the end of the year. We put a lot into the time we spend with our loved ones, so you want to extend that care, comfort, and peace of mind to what happens when you're gone. 41% of people don't have the life insurance coverage they need. Policy genius makes finding and buying life insurance a breeze. With policy genius, you can find life insurance policies at start at just $292 a year for a million dollars of coverage, and some options are 100% online and let you avoid unnecessary medical exams. Policy genius combines digital tools with the experience of real licensed agents. You can compare quotes from America's top insurers side by side for free with no hidden fees. They have an amazing licensed support team that helps you get what you need fast so you can get on with your life. They answer questions, handle paperwork, and advocate for you throughout the process. Policy genius is the country's leading online insurance marketplace, and even if you already have life insurance through work, remember it may not protect all your family's needs or follow you if you leave your job. So save money and time on providing a financial safety net for your family. Head to policygenius.com or click the link in the description to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you can save. That's policygenius.com. I love learning and anything that makes learning easier. If you're a parent and your child needs some homework help, then Ixcel is a right for your family. Ixcel is an online learning program for kids covering math, language arts, science, and social studies. Ixcel has interactive practice problems for topics from pre-k to 12th grade and everything is organized by grade and subject. As kids practice, they get positive feedback, awards, and explanations for wrong answers. Ixcel figures out what your kids need more help with and recommends more topics to practice. Their videos, lessons, sample problems, and learning games too. One subscription to Ixcel gets you all subjects and all grade levels. Membership started just $9.95 a month. It's no wonder Ixcel is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. I think the positive feedback that Ixcel gives is really crucial when it comes to learning. So make an impact on your child's learning. Get Ixcel now and money girl listeners can get an exclusive 20% off Ixcel membership when they sign up today at ixl.com/moneygirl. Visit ixl.com/moneygirl to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Bank number two, USAA. If you're in the military or have a family member who is, be sure to check out USAA. They've been offering banking and financial services to military members for decades and are known for superior customer service. USAA offers a free online secure checking account that doesn't pay interest, but comes with some really nice features. If you like to bank on the go, their mobile app is one of the best I've ever used. It allows you to deposit checks by snapping a photo with your iPhone, iPad or Android device, manage view and pay your bills, send money to anyone from your phone using email or a mobile number, create a budget and track your spending, and receive customized alerts by email or text. There's no monthly fee, no minimum balance, and no usage requirement. Plus, you get refunds for ATM fees nationwide. Your USAA debit card comes with zero liability, which means you're protected for many unauthorized charges on your account. Bank number three, ally. If you want to earn interest on your checking account, but don't want to jump through all the monthly hurdles of a rewards account, consider ally bank. They were founded in 1919 as the General Motors Acceptance Corporation or GMAC to make car loans. Since then, they've expanded into other financial services. Ally interest checking is a free online account that pays 0.4% on balances up to 15,000 and 0.75% for higher balances. There are no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. You get free online banking, bill pay, and a nice mobile app for Apple or Android devices that allows you to make remote deposits. Bank number four, American Express. If you're happy with your current checking account, but want to earn more on your savings, check out American Express. Many people don't realize that in addition to credit cards, they also offer a high-yield savings account. The American Express personal savings offers 0.85% on any balance amount. The fastest way to make deposits or withdrawals is to link it to one of your bank accounts at another institution. You can manage this savings account online or using a mobile app. Bank number five, discover. Just like American Express, discover also offers savings. The online savings account pays 0.8% for all balances. You can fund it or make withdrawals using an existing bank account and manage it online or using a mobile app. Each of these five banks has deposit insurance through the FDIC or the NCUA for the credit union, so your money is safe. Remember that interest rates for both checking and savings accounts are subject to change, so your rate may eventually go down. Always be on the lookout for better options that can help you earn more interest or cut annoying bank fees. You know the drill. Everything I mentioned, including all my social media links and the newsletter sign up, is on the MoneyGirl page at quickandertytips.com. To read a transcript of this show, look for episode number 339, called "Five Best Bank Accounts for 2014." I'm glad you're listening to Ching. That's all for now. Courtesy of MoneyGirl, your guide to a richer life. Cheers to fall at Whole Foods Market with sales through October 29th. Select frozen pizzas are 50% off with prime, so stock up and be ready for game day. Hosting a cozy dinner? There's a sale on hearty no antibiotics ever beef-chuck roast and stew meat, or be the best guest ever, and bring a robust bottle of Bordeaux wine, or specialty cheese like Humboldt Fog. Cheers to fall at Whole Foods Market must be 21 or older. Please drink responsibly. Is it time to re-imagine your future? The right business skills may make a difference in your career. At Capelli University, we offer a relevant education that's designed to focus on what you need to know in the business world. We'll teach professional skills to help you pursue your goals, like business management, strategic planning, and effective communication, and you can apply these skills right away. A different future is closer than you think, with Capelli University. Learn more at Capella.edu. [BLANK_AUDIO]