With the recent rise in crypto prices, following the re-election of Donald Trump, Coinbase is looking to expand its userbase with a new promotion. It's been many years since they've offered a promotion (or at least one more than $5) and so if you've been waiting on the sidelines, it may be time to jump in.

It's one of the best crypto bonuses right now.

Coinbase New Account Promotion – $50 BTC

For new users, Coinbase will give you $50 in bitcoin once you open your account with the promo code GET50 and make your first trade (minimum of $1).

$50 BTC (of Bitcoin) will be added to your account within 48 hours. It's usually there in a few minutes.

You have to use the link below to open your account and qualify, you can't use a referral link (this offer will not stack with the $20 offer you get for using a referral link) to double up on rewards.

When you open an account, you'll need to provide identifying information like a driver's license or passport (you just upload a photo and they verify it that way). Then, you can link up an account (bank or PayPal, I suggest PayPal) and make a transaction.

The transaction will have fees ($0.99 usually) or you can sign up for Coinbase Pro (7 day trial) to pay nothing.

Get $50 from Coinbase

(Offer expires 11/22/2024)

The post Coinbase Promotions – $50 BTC for New Accounts appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Discover has been around for decades. Most people know about its credit cards, which were first introduced in 1985 by Sears. At the time, it was novel because it had no annual fee and offered cardholders a higher-than-average credit limit.

Today, Discover Bank (FDIC# 5649) is headquartered in Greenwood, DE. It offers a wide range of bank accounts, from savings, checking, and CDs to loans and credit cards.

At a Glance

• 4.00% APY
• No fees
• No miminum balance requirements
• Checking account, money market, and CDs are also available from Discover.

Who Should Use Discover Online Savings

If you are in the market for an online savings account, Discover is a solid choice. It consistently has a high interest rate and there are no fees.

The drawback is that there are no physical branches, so you’ll have to access the account through the Discover website or via the mobile app. You also can’t deposit cash.

Discover Alternatives

Savings APY	4.00% APY	1.00% APY	4.00% APY
Monthly fee	$0	$0	$0
Minimum balance	$0	$0	$0
	Learn more	Learn more	Learn more

Discover Bank Online Savings

Discover’s High Yield Savings account earns 4.00% APY with no minimum balance requirement. Interest is calculated daily and applied to the account monthly.

The account doesn’t charge a monthly fee or any other kind of fee. There is no excessive withdrawal fee, stop payment fee, returned item fee, or insufficient funds fee.

There are several ways to deposit money into this online savings account, such as direct deposit, online transfer from a checking account, mobile deposit, and mailing a check. However, you cannot deposit cash at Walmart like with the checking account.

If you set up direct deposit, you can receive your funds up to two days early with Early Pay.

Go to Discover

Other Discover Bank Accounts

Discover offers a full range of bank accounts with a few (good) twists.

Checking Account

Discover’s checking account has no fees and no minimum balance requirements. Also, its Cashback Debit card allows you to earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in spending per month on your debit card (see website for details). Cashback on a debit card is rare.

Since it’s an online bank, depositing cash is a little more difficult. Discover allows you to deposit cash at any Walmart in the U.S. for free. You can add cash up to four times per day, or seven times per week and the money will be available in your account in about ten minutes.

The ATM network is huge – 60,000 locations – and they use Allpoint and MoneyPass’s networks.

You can also enable Balance+, which acts as overdraft protection. This feature allows you to use your debit card to overdraw the account up to $200 with no fees. To qualify for Balance+ you must have direct deposit of at least $200 per month for two months.

You can also receive your direct deposit up to two days early with Early Pay.

Go to Discover

Money Market Account

The money market account earns 3.80% APY for balances under $100,000 and 3.85% APY for balances of $100,000 and above. There are no fees or minimum balance requirements on this account.

You will receive a debit card with this account and can access the account at over 60,000 ATMs for free. Like the checking account, you can deposit cash at any Walmart in the U.S. for free. If you have direct deposit to this account you can get your direct deposit up to two days early.

Certificates of Deposit

Discover offers several CD terms, all with competitive interest rates. To open a CD, there is no minimum deposit. The interest rates are as follows:

• 3-month: 2.00% APY
• 6-month: 3.90% APY
• 9-month: 4.00% APY
• 12-month: 4.10% APY
• 18-month: 3.80% APY
• 24-month: 3.60% APY
• 3-year: 3.50% APY
• 4-year: 3.40% APY
• 5-year: 3.40% APY

As with most CDs, there is a penalty if you withdraw funds before the end of the term. For example, CDs with terms less than 1 year have a penalty of 3 months simple interest, and CDs with terms between 1 and 4 years have a penalty of 6 months of simple interest.

Go to Discover

Discover Bank Fee Structure

Discover Bank doesn’t charge very many fees for its bank accounts.

• No monthly maintenance fee on any deposit account (checking, savings, money market, or CDs)
• No minimum balance on checking, savings, or money market accounts
• No fee on ATM withdrawals in-network (60,000 ATMs) on checking or money market accounts
• No fee on check reorders on checking
• No fee on online transfers on checking, savings, or money market
• No fee on online billpay for checking and market

If you’ve ever made an “excessive number of withdrawals” from a savings account, you were probably upset by the fee. It’s Regulation D limits the number of transfers you can make from a savings account. Well, Discover does not charge you a fee for that. They also don’t charge one for a stop payment or insufficient funds.

Discover Mobile Banking Smartphone App

Discover has a mobile banking app that is on par with any other online bank out there. Anything you would want from a branch or online is available – you can check your account, make transfers, find an ATM, and even deposit checks with mobile deposit.

If you have an Apple Watch, Discover Mobile is available on that too. You can access your account, get reminders, and Cashback Bonus notifications.

The mobile banking app gets 4.5 stars on Google Play and 4.9 stars on the App Store.

Go to Discover

Discover Alternatives

Capital One 360

Capital One, another bank known for its credit cards, also has some attractive banking options. The Capital One 360 checking has no fees or minimum balance requirements and earns 0.01% APY. When comparing this against Discover’s checking account, you’ll have to balance earning a bit of interest against getting 1% back on your debit card purchases.

Capital One also has a savings account that earns 4.00% APY with no fees. It also offers a wide variety of CDs with competitive rates, but no money market account.

Here’s our full review of Capital One’s 360 Savings account.

Go to Capital One

American Express

Ameican Express offers a rewards checking, a high-yield savings account and CDs. The checking account earns 1.00% APY on your balance. Compared to Discover’s checking account, this likely earns more as it earns interest on your whole balance, not just what you spend on your debit card. There are also no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements.

It also offers a high-yield savings account that earns 4.25% APY with no monthly fees or minimums. It also has a variety of CDs with competitive interest rates with no minimum balance requirements.

Go to American Express

Ally Bank

Ally Bank is an online bank that offers a checking account and a high-yield savings account which earns 4.00% APY. Neither account charges a monthly fee or have minimum balance requirement.

Ally also offers several different types of CDs with attractive rates and it also has a money market account.

Go to Ally Bank

Is It Worth Getting?

If you do not have an online bank, Discover’s online savings account is a solid choice.

It has a competitive interest rate, nice range of certificates of deposit terms and rates, plus it offers a checking account reward – a rarity. They check all the boxes and add a cherry on top.

Their Cashback Debit account product is one of the biggest advantages. You do not see debit rewards very often and 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in purchases each month is very generous.

If you already have an online bank that you like, Discover Bank is similar (the rewards checking is nice but 1% of the maximum $3,000 is only $30, may not be worth switching). Discover Bank has no minimum balance or maintenance fees so it won’t cost you anything – plus you still get a high-interest rate on the account so you don’t lose out there.

Lastly, if awards are important to you, they have a 5 Star Rating Safe & Sound from Bankrate and a 5 Star Rating from Nerdwallet.

You can contact Discover Bank by calling 1-800-347-7000, and they accept general correspondence at Discover Bank, PO Box 30416, Salt Lake City, UT 84130.

Go to Discover

The post Discover® Bank Online Savings Account Review appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Most budgets are set up to be monthly.

Many of our bills are monthly so it’s a convenient way of managing your spending.

But many of us aren’t paid monthly, we’re paid every two weeks (biweekly). When you’re paid biweekly, a monthly budget can sometimes be a bit “off.” We have months where you’re paid twice and a couple where you’re paid three times.

And some of us are paid weekly, which means some months will have four pay periods and others will have five.

These non-monthly pay periods can throw off your budget, which is why some people prefer paycheck budgeting (which sounds better than weekly or biweekly budgeting, despite the alliteration!).

What is Paycheck Budgeting?

Paycheck budgeting is when you align your spending with your paychecks. This is best done with a planner of some kind (we have linked up our printables below).

For each month, you match your expenses with your income.

You begin at the top by listing your paychecks, the dates you will get them deposited, the amount, and any other notes you may have about that payment.

Next, list all of your month’s expenses, the amount, and their due dates. This is anything that is billed regularly on a month basis.

For example, you may have:

• Rent/Mortgage – 1st of the month
• Cell phone – 5th of the month
• Cable television – 10th of the month
• Netflix – 15th of the month
• Gym – 18th of the month
• Credit card #1 – 20th of the month
• Student loan – 25th of the month

Then, you want to match those expenses with specific paychecks so you have complete coverage of your expenses.

How to Budget by Paycheck

If you’re paid twice a month (1st and 15th), you know that those bills from the 16th to 31st are paid by the paycheck you received on the 15th. The bills from 1st to 15th will be paid by the paycheck received on the 1st. (you can also get an account that gives you your paycheck two days early)

Once you match up your fixed expenses, it’s now time to see what’s left over to apply towards your variable expenses, like groceries, gas, and savings.

Once you budget for those items, you have either a surplus or a deficit, which is carried over to the next pay period.

If you have a deficit, this is when you can start adjusting your variable expenses (or negotiating your fixed expenses) so that you have a surplus. If you have a surplus, great, you can still adjust and negotiate to increase that surplus.

Download Our Paycheck Budgeting Printable

Our paycheck budgeting printable is very simple because the concept of paycheck budgeting is very simple. Matching up expenses with your paychecks is a time honored technique because it works. The math supports it.

Our paycheck budgeting printable has five weeks so it covers any month of the year. If you are paid twice a month, treat each “week” as a pay period.

In 2024, if you are paid weekly, the five paycheck months are March, May, August, and November.

If you are paid biweekly, then the three paycheck months will depend on the day of your first paycheck:

• If paid on January 5th, you have three paychecks in March and August
• If paid on January 12th, you have three paychecks in May and November

In 2025, if you are paid weekly, the five paycheck months are January, May, August, and October.

If you are paid biweekly, then the three paycheck months will depend on the day of your first paycheck:

• If paid on January 3rd, you have three paychecks in January and August
• If paid on January 10th, you have three paychecks in May and October

👉 Get our Paycheck Budgeting Printable

The post What is Paycheck Budgeting? (plus Free Template Printable!) appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Tax loss harvesting is when you realize previously unrealized losses (sell stock that is down) to lower your realized capital gains on the year. It's one of the most popular year end tax moves you can make to reduce your taxable income.

Capital gains harvesting is when you take advantage of your taxable income situation and realize some unrealized gains (sell stock that is up) because you will be favorable taxes on that gain.

As always, consult with a financial professional before making any decisions.

How does capital gains harvesting work?

If you are sitting on large unrealized capital gains and expect to be in a lower tax bracket this year than in the future, you can sell those assets, realize the capital gain, and pay a lower rate.

This is most effective when realizing long term capital gains (gains on assets you've held for over a year) while you are in the 0% long term capital gains tax bracket.

For 2024, these are the income brackets for the 0% long term capital gains tax rate:

For 2025, they will be:

In 2024, if you are single and have no taxable income, you could harvest $47,025 of capital gains without paying any taxes. Remember, taxable income is your adjusted gross income minus any deductions (standard or itemized).

The idea is that because of your income, you can now realize a gain and reset its basis without being taxed on it. With taxable gain harvesting, there's no worry for a wash sale rule or anything like that. You can sell and buy back the asset immediately.

Is it worth it?

Like many similar tactics, it depends on your situation.

The benefit is in how much gain you're shielding from the dreaded 15% long term capital gains rates. You're saving 15% in long term capital gains tax but limited based on your current income.

If you're single and you made just $10,000 in taxable income, then you can shield $38,350 in long term gains. That's worth $8,752.50. You're also resetting the basis of the holding (assuming you buy back in) without any risk.

Whether that's worth your time depends on how much your time is worth!

Is there a catch?

You have to be very careful at the income crossover points.

In 2025, if you're single and your taxable income is $48,349, then you pay 0% on long term capital gains.

If you income was just a few dollars higher, such as $48,352, then you'll pay 15% on long term capital gains.

And since you'll have to make this decision before the end of the calendar year, it can be tricky to play too close to the limits.

It would be tragic if you forgot a few dollars of interest from some obscure bank you rarely use.

But other than that, there's no catch.

The post What is capital gains harvesting? appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Ipsos iSay is a paid survey site open to 18+ residents of the United States and Canada. You’ll be redirected to a local Ipsos iSay survey site if you live elsewhere. You can sign up for free — never pay to join a survey site or panel — and immediately start taking surveys. While there is no signup bonus, iSay members earn points that can be redeemed for PayPal Cash, gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, and merchandise.

At a Glance

• Free to join
• No signup bonus
• Complete surveys to earn points
• Redeem points for PayPal Cash, gift cards, prepaid cards, and merchandise

Who Should Use Ipsos i-Say?

If you are looking for an easy way to earn a few extra dollars each month and enjoy taking surveys, you should consider online survey sites like Ipsos i-Say. It is free to join, and you can complete surveys while sitting on the bus, in a waiting room, or on your sofa at home.

However, if you’re looking for a side hustle with more income opportunities, don’t waste your time with paid surveys. You might earn enough to cover your monthly Netflix subscription or a few Starbucks lattes, but that’s about it.

Ipsos i-Say Alternatives

Sign up bonus	$0	$10	$5
Average payout (per survey)	Up to $2	Up to $3	$2
Min. payment threshold	$3	$5	$
Payment methods	PayPal, Gift Cards	Bank transfer, PayPal, Gift Cards	Gift Cards
	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More

What Is Ipsos i-Say?

Ipsos i-Say is an online survey company and division of Ipsos, one of the largest market research companies in the world. The Ipsos Group, founded in 1975 by Didier Truchot, is headquartered in Paris, France, has offices in 88 countries, over 16,000 employees, and is publicly traded. It’s legitimate.

You can sign up for online surveys within minutes. The process includes a few demographic and targeting questions because they like to get the pre-survey questions out of the way. They will ask about your gender, date of birth, marital status, education, race, household makeup, etc.

Afterward, you need to click on a confirmation survey and you’re off to the races.

The first survey is a pre-qualification one called the “Getting to Know You Survey” – it’s a very short interview. It’s basically a survey that fills out your demographic information, like employment status, and level of interest in surveys. It’s only about a dozen questions max and it’s a way for them to understand the people who join. This helps them put you into the right panels.

Visit Ipsos I-Say

How Ipsos i-Say Works

Unlike other survey sites, which will give you points for downloading apps, watching videos, shopping, playing games, and other activities; Ipsos i-Say focuses solely on surveys. You’ll get invites via email or you can look in the Dashboard for surveys that you qualify for.

There are surveys and “polls.” Surveys will start with qualifying questions and then move onto the survey itself. If you don’t qualify, you still get 5 points. If you do, the points will be much higher since it will take longer.

There are also polls. The polls are not surveys and so you don’t get points for answering them… but they are part of a bigger contest. When you finish a survey, you get to play Poll Predictor where you guess what percentage of people will answer Yes to the different polls. If you get it right, you get “chances,” which are entries into Ipsos i-Say’s prize sweepstakes.

Here’s a recent one where I had to guess how many people answered yes to this question – “Do you smoke a cigarette before leaving home every day?” I put 18%, the real answer was 15%, I earned 15 chances and immediately allocated them to the $300 Amazon.com gift card drawing.

(some of these are really wacky… like “If a stranger knocked on your door and asked to use the toilet, would you let them? What percentage of American women answered “YES” ? — I guessed 11%, and the real answer was 13%!)

In addition to earning points by completing surveys, you get Ipsos iSay loyalty rewards. If you finish five surveys, you get a 25-point bonus. If you do another five (and thus hit ten), you’ll earn another 50 bonus points. Finish 15 more (and thus hit 25); you’ll get another 100 bonus points. This is in addition to what you earn for the survey itself.

Bonus point schedule:

• Five surveys: 25 bonus loyalty points
• 10: 50 bonus loyalty points
• 25: 100 bonus loyalty points
• 50: 200 bonus loyalty points
• 75: 250 bonus loyalty points
• 100: 300 bonus loyalty points
• 125: 400 bonus loyalty points
• 150: 500 bonus loyalty points
• 200: 600 bonus loyalty points

They add up!

How Ipsos i-Say Points & Rewards Work

100 points on Ipsos iSay is worth $1. You trade the points in for gift cards for Amazon, Starbucks, Target, etc – the cards are delivered instantly. You can redeem i-Say points once you get to 500, which is lower than some other sites, and they don’t expire as long as your account is active.

You can also request a Paypal payment (slightly more expensive, 1530 points for $15) but that will take 3-4 weeks to process. You can also request a prepaid Visa card, $2000 points for $20, with no premium and that takes 4-8 weeks to get to you (it’s sent by USPS).

You can always donate your points to various charitable organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and the Nature Conservancy.

Finally, you can cash in 250 iSay points for an entry into the prize sweepstakes.

Visit Ipsos I-Say

Ipsos i-Say vs. Alternatives

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a popular paid survey site. Its primary focus is surveys, but you can unlock higher-paying surveys by sharing where you browse and shop online. At the time of writing, Survey Junkie was not offering a sign-up bonus, but they have a low minimum payout of $3 (e-Gift card). The company also offers monthly promotions that can help you boost your point-earning.

Visit Survey Junkie

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a highly popular online rewards platform, but it differs from Ipsos i-Say in that it offers members several different ways to earn rewards, called Swagbucks. In addition to online surveys, you can earn points for shopping online, taking advantage of exclusive deals, searching the web, playing online games, and more. It currently offers an attractive $10 signup bonus with a low minimum payout of only $5.

Visit Swagbucks

MyPoints

MyPoints is similar to Swagbucks in that you can earn points different ways, including paid surveys, online shopping, product testing, scanning your grocery receipts, and playing online games. MyPoints has a $5 signup bonus and a low minimum payout of $3.

Visit MyPoints

FAQs

Visit Ipsos I-Say

Is Ipsos i-Say Worth It?

It will depend on you and how busy you are. The big challenge with any survey site is qualifying for surveys.

If you are lucky and happen to match a lot of them, then you could clean up. If you are unlucky and don’t happen to match a lot of them, you’ll get 5 points a lot. Some people find they qualify for a lot, others find it a struggle. This is something that I can’t give any advice on, we’re all different. I do know they have a lot of surveys, so it’s not because the pickings are slim.

Personally, I found that after the initial flurry and getting to around $7-8, I struggled for a bit to answer enough surveys to reach $10. I failed to qualify for many and eventually just waited to get those points rather than survey answering points.

If you’re OK with that result, my best advice is to give it a try and see how many you qualify for (for what it’s worth, their time estimates on surveys are too high — I usually finished them much faster than they estimated). Since the sign-up process is so quick, it’s low risk.

As for how much money you can make, it will not get you rich. It’s nice to get a few bucks every so often for answering iSay surveys, but that’s all it’ll be, a few bucks here or there. I think anyone who promises wealth and riches from a survey website is delusional.

The post Is Ipsos i-Say a Scam or Legit? (2024) appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

And he was furious.

The original post has since been deleted but this was the original question reddit user FunkyNedAvenger:

(warning: a bit of “coarse” language is upcoming )

My wife and I have spent almost two decades of leveling up in jobs and careers and are now in our late 30s with two small children in a HCOL state. We scraped and suffered to buy a small ranch house and two used larger cars for our family. Our credit suffered. I’m personally in $20k+ of cc debt that I am slowly working down. Our kids attend daycare that bled out savings dry. Typical millennial shit.

Last week I came across my FIL’s accounts summary. $10+M. Later that week I mentioned I saw that to my own dad. He said “Well he’s doing just a bit better than me then”

LITERALLY WHAT THE FUCK.

I would give my last dollar to my son to make sure he was more comfortable. To make sure he didn’t suffer debt or bad credit as long as he was working. Here are our own fucking parents sitting on their piles of gold watching us navigate a new level of fucked up economics and shopping for discounts and raising our children in sup par school districts and for fucking WHAT?

Pretty upset right?

But it begs the question, how much should parents be helping their kids?

Adversity is Good for You

I believe adversity is good for you. We've all heard stories (or experienced them first hand) about people who were spoiled or always felt entitled. How they don't appreciate what they have or are otherwise not great people to be around.

I think the human brain struggles when resources are too abundant. Comfort is a killer.

If your life is too easy early on, it becomes difficult to adapt to a more challenging environment.

It doesn't sound like Ned (the author of the post) starved. Neither did his kids. And while going into $20,000 of credit card debt is difficult, I bet he appreciates money more than if he were handed assistance at every turn.

We have four kids. We plan to help them at strategic points in their life but they need to navigate those challenges on their own so they become better humans. They need to learn skills like resourcefulness and not how to write a check (or pull out a credit card) to solve a problem.

$20,000 is a lot of debt

In Experian's survey (from 2023), the average credit debt balance was $6,521.

Ned has $20,000 of credit card debt. Over three times the average.

By any measure, Ned and his family were living beyond their means.

And he mentioned their credit suffered, which likely means he missed a few payments or is otherwise using a huge percentage of his available credit (or both).

We don't know why they're in that much debt but I think knowing that would provide a lot of color. Was it a series of emergencies that was made worse by high interest rates? Or was it less than responsible spending and living large on plastic?

If it's the latter, I suspect there's going to be a wee bit less compassion for their situation.

Communication is Extremely Important

Communication underpins all relationships. If you have open lines of communication and you feel that you can open and honest, which we try to be with our kids, then small issues don't become larger problems.

If I knew my kids were struggling and they came to me, I'd look for ways to help. Sometimes that's financially, oftentimes it's not.

It's very likely that Ned's parents don't know he's struggling. We only know of the lasting effects of his choices ($20k in credit card debt) but not how it was accumulated.

It's possible he looks like he's doing well. Two small children in a high cost of living area, homeowners, two cars, and kids in daycare (which probably costs as much as the two cars and a mortgage!)?

It looks like success.

His parents and in-laws may have no idea they needed $20,000 in credit card debt to get there.

Money is an emotional subject (this post is a prime example) and given the level of resentment, it's possible that money was a sensitive subject in the home. Maybe there's a bit of pride at play?

Second, if he had reached out for help, do you think his parents would've said no? It's impossible to know for sure but I don't think they would. If you want help, you have to ask for it.

We Plan to Help Our Kids

But not roll out the red carpet, per se.

I grew up knowing that my parents had my back. If all else failed, I could come home and restart. Fortunately, I didn't have to but just knowing it was an option is powerful.

I want them to know that they are able to take chances, make smart choices, and if things don't work out, a safety net is there for them. I don't believe in the whole “burn your ships” to force you feel like your back is against the wall.

Let's be honest, having to move back in at home after going off to college is a pretty bitter pill to swallow on its own.

We will be there to help them though we won't sacrifice our retirement to do so. They will have long careers to make up for any missteps they make along the way, especially if those missteps are early in their careers.

Retirement & Long Term Care is Expensive

Ten million dollars is a lot of money and most people don't have parents with that kind of money, but retirement is a long time. They worked hard for their money and, let's be fair, they should be able to spend it however they like.

Long term care is also extremely expensive, especially as you get older and your body and mind begins to deteriorate. While a $10 million nest egg is likely more than enough, it's unfair to be spending someone else's money.

What do you think?

The post How much financial help should you give your kids? appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Current Bank is an online bank that offers a checking account, high-yield savings, and credit builder account. The checking account is packed with features including early direct deposit and free short-term loans to cover overdrafts.

With the cash advance feature, you can borrow up to $500 with no fees or interest. The credit building card is actually the debit card attached to the checking account. When you spend, the purchase amount is removed from your available balance and set aside. The funds are then used to pay the card’s bill on the due date, thereby giving you a positive payment history.

At a Glance

• Offers checking and a high-yield savings account
• Credit building features with the checking account
• Free cash advances
• Debit card can earn rewards

Who Should Use Current Bank

Current Bank is perfect for those who occasionally dip below zero in their checking account. The free cash advance could come in handy for those who need it. It’s also great for anyone looking to build their credit. The debit card functions like a normal debit card but is actually a secured card, building credit in the background.

Current Bank Alternatives

Checking and savings	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cash advances	Free	Fee, based on amount	Optional tip
Credit building	Yes	Yes	No
	Learn more	Learn more	Learn more

Who is Current?

Current is a neobank, which simply means it’s not itself a bank. It is a fintech company that partnered with a bank to offer banking services. They focus on making the service and the app powerful while the partner bank does the banking services piece.

What bank does Current use? As of February 2024, it’s Choice Financial Group.

Current holds pass-through FDIC insurance of up to $250,000 per account via their partnership with their partner bank, Choice Financial Group (FDIC# 9423).

When you set up your account, you get an account number from Choice Financial Group. If you go to set up your direct deposit, you’ll notice the Current Routing Number of 091302966 actually belongs to Choice Financial Group.

Here is its current welcome offer:

• Get $50 when you add and receive a qualifying direct deposit of at least $200 within 45 days, plus,
• Earn 4.00% APY on up to $6,000 of your savings in their “savings pods.”

The Current cash bonus is OK (there are better offers on our bank bonus page). But their app is pretty good, and if you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-use financial app with a great yield on your saving account, Current might still be worth considering.

The company also has three customer service options: phone, email, and chat. Next, let’s go over some details on Current’s account choices. 

The Current Spend Account

They used to have two tiers, Basic and Premium, but now everything is free!

The Current Account has no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement.

Other features include:

• Build credit with your debit card
• Early direct deposit, up to 2 days, depending on your employer or payroll provider
• Budgeting tools and spending insights
• Free short-term loan, called Overdrive, for overdraft protection
• Instant notifications for purchases

Credit Building Debit Card

Technically, the debit card that comes with your spend account isn’t a debit card but a secured credit card. However, it functions just like a debit card.

The balance in your Spend account is what you can spend on the card. When you make a purchase, the money is removed from your available balance and set aside. Then, when the payment is due on your card, Current uses the funds that were set aside to pay your balance in full.

This shows a positive payment history to the credit bureaus, and you don’t have to do anything extra.

Fee-Free Overdraft

Current offers optional overdraft protection, called Overdrive, to those who qualify. You must enroll in the program and how much overdraft protection you will qualify for depends on several factors, but you must receive at least $500 per month in direct deposit to be considered.

If you spend more than you have in your Spend account, Current will advance you the amount you need to cover your purchase. This will show as a negative balance in your account. When your direct deposit hits your account, the negative balance will be cleared.

There are no fees or interest to use this service.

The Current Savings Pods

You can create up to three savings pods to help organize your savings. You can set and name savings goals and have money automatically transferred to your Savings Pods. You can also round up purchases for additional Savings Pod accumulation. 

If you have at least $500 per month in direct deposit, then you can earn 4.00% APY on up to $2,000 per pod. So you could earn a high interest rate of up to $6,000.

Once you have a Spend account, you can open a Savings Pod in the app. Just scroll down and tap on “Savings Pods.”

The Current Teen Account

Current also offers a Teen Account. This account must be established through a parent Basic or Premium account. The teen account has the following features:

• A White or Black debit card
• Standard direct deposits
• $0 minimum balance requirement
• Parental notifications for purchases
• Instant transfer of funds from the parent account
• Parental control over spending limits

Current’s Teen account also comes with a feature that allows parents to set up and pay for weekly chores that are completed. 

Using this feature can be a great way to teach your teen how to earn and spend money. 

Note that to open a Teen account (or any other account) with Current, you will need to provide a valid ID. Current counts the following as valid IDs: 

• A current, unexpired state driver’s license or ID card
• A current, unexpired passport or passport card
• A current, unexpired permanent resident card

If your teen doesn’t possess one of the above-mentioned ID forms, they cannot open a teen account with current.

The Current Invest Account

Current also has an Invest account that gives you the ability to invest in crypto. There are no trading fees and you can invest in a variety of coins, from the big names like Bitcoin and Ethereum, to a few of the smaller ones too, like Polkadot.

Opening a Current Account

The process for opening a Current Personal Account took only a few minutes. Simply click through to the Current website and enter your phone number. There is a bonus right now and that code is automatically entered.

Current will text you a link to the app store where you download the app.

Click through, pick your account, enter in some personal information, and you’re pretty much set up.

It’s important to set up Savings Pods at some point because that’s how you get the higher interest rate:

What Else Should I Know About Current?

Here are some other things you should know about using Current. they aren’t deal breakers for me, but they may be for you:

No Check Writing

Current does not issue checks nor do they allow check writing from your Current account at this time. You can only access funds via ATM withdrawals or debit card purchases.

This can be a minor inconvenience but since you can use a debit card, I don’t see it has a huge deal.

Current Pay

Current Pay is Current’s P2P transfer system. It allows you to send or request money from other Current members. You can use it to split dinner bills, pay friends money you owe, receive money you’re owed, and more. I don’t see myself using this instead of Venmo.

Referral Program

Current also has a referral bonus program. If you refer a friend to open a Current account using the Invite & Earn Money section of your app, Current will reward you with a referral bonus after the account gets opened.

At the time of this writing, the referral bonus is $50 for you and your friend when they set up a direct deposit – it’s similar to the openly available one.

ATM and Debit Card Purchase Limits

Current has daily limits for using your Current card;

• The daily ATM limit is $500 for all accounts.
• The daily debit card purchase limit is $2,000 for all accounts. 

For teen accounts, parents can lower these limits.

Debit Card Rewards Program

Current recently implemented a rewards program for account owners. When you shop at participating retailers using your debit card, you can earn up to 15x rewards depending on your account and the retailer. 

The rewards cash is deposited directly into your Current account. 

Alternatives to Current

If Current is appealing but you are curious what might be out there, here are a few alternatives that compare to Current. 

Varo

Varo is also similar to Current. It offers a spending account and interest-free cash advances up to $500, but there is a fee for the advance. It also offers a high-yield savings account and a credit builder account.

The credit builder is a secured credit card that works like a prepaid debit card. Transfer money from checking on to the card, which is then the amount you can spend on the card. When the bill is due, Varo can use your deposit to pay the bill, and report a positive payment history to the credit bureaus.

Here’s our full Varo review to learn more.

Go to Varo

Dave

Dave offers a checking account and high-yield savings account for a membership fee of $1 per month. It also offers cash advances up to $500.

The cash advances aren’t necessarily only to cover overdrafts, and you can get a cash advance, even if you don’t have a checking account with Dave. The cash advances are free with the option to leave a tip upon repayment.

Dave doesn’t have any credit-building features, but it does have features to help you earn more through side hustles.

Go to Dave

Summary

The Current mobile banking app can be a great way for you to use mobile banking and get your Direct Deposit up to two days early. 

And if you’re searching for a teen account that gives your teen a chance to learn about money management yet still allows for parental controls on spending, Current could work for you as well. 

What do you think about Current and its mobile banking features? Have you ever banked using Current? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. 

The post Current Bank Review 2024: 4.00% APY on Savings plus $50 Cash Bonus appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

When I was an undergrad at Carnegie Mellon, I knew all the ways my student ID got me a student discount or freebie. Whether it was a 10 percent discount at a store or free bus rides, my student ID was great!

A few years later, when I started an MBA, I got another student ID and had to re-learn all the places I could use it!

Fortunately, my work is your gain – here are some of the best freebies available for college students. Make the cash you earn at your college job go a little bit further!

First: Always Ask for a Discount!

Not every merchant lists their student discounts online and there might be tons of local places near you that offer student discounts that I’ll never know about – so as accurate as I can try to be on my list, nothing beats asking.

Everyone knows college isn’t free and college students are usually cash poor.

Anywhere you go, remember to ask if there is a discount for students. If the answer is yes – whip out your student ID. Win! If the answer is no – no harm in asking!

Free Student Checking Bank Accounts

Many banks offer free checking for students, including:

• Chase College Checking℠ (with a $100 bonus!)
• US Bank Student Checking
• Bank of America Student Banking

If you are OK with online banking, you can often get a better deal with an online bank – higher interest rates, lower fees, low or no minimums. No student requirements here.

• Discover® Bank – No minimum balance, no monthly fee (see our review of Discover’s online bank)
• Ally Bank – No minimum balance, no fees, ATM fee reimbursement up to $10 per statement cycle. (read our Ally Bank review)

Here is a full list of the best student bank accounts.

You Need a Budget

Budgeting is much simpler when you’re a student. Very little income, few expenses, and all the numbers are much smaller.

It’s also the best time to start budgeting because it is so simple! And because You Need a Budget is free for college students!

👉 Learn more about YNAB Student

Amazon Student

With Amazon Student you get a variety of discounts on a lot of Amazon services, including Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Music Unlimited, GrubHub, and Prime Video . Plus free two-day shipping.

Get Amazon Student

Art and Museum Admission

Check your local museums and fine arts programs. They usually offer discounts or free admission to area universities with a valid student ID.

• Art Institute of Chicago – discounted student tickets
• Carnegie Hall – $10 per ticket.
• Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh – discounted student tickets
• Lincoln Center – several programs have free or discounted tickets for students
• Met Opera – $35 per ticket for students
• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – Free admission

Big Student Discounts

And here’s my best shot at collecting all the student discounts available at nationally represented stores or service providers.

First, some of these require that you join Student Advantage. It’s a discount card for students with an annual fee ($30 as of this writing) but gives you access to a litany of discounts.

Others may have a relationship with UNiDAYS, similar to Student Advantage except it’s free. You need to confirm that you are a student (either logging into your university account or via your university email) but otherwise, you get access to discounts and cashback rewards.

Lastly, you may have read elsewhere about getting free drinks, discounts, or other perks at various quick-service restaurants. These are highly region-specific, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Onto the list:

Clothing

• Adidas – Up to 15% off
• Aeropostale – 15 off via UNiDAYS
• Aerie – 20% off via UNiDAYS
• ASOS – 10% off
• boohoo – up to 30% off
• Champion – up to 10% off online as an actively enrolled college student
• Club Monaco – 15% off online and in-store
• Converse – 20% off
• Crocs – 25% off via StudentBeans
• Dockers – 25% off
• Dr. Martens – 15% off online
• Hanes – Up to 10% off online
• J. Crew – a 15% discount for teachers and college students
• Journeys – $10 off of a $75+ online order via UNiDAYS
• Goodwill – Check your local store for the promotion day (ours have 30% off on Wednesdays for students, teachers, and seniors)
• Kate Spade – Up to 75% off via UNiDAYS
• Levi’s – Up to 15% off full-price items
• Madewell – 15% off for teachers & college students
• ModCloth – 20% off online
• New Balance – 15% off via UNiDAYS
• Nike – Up to 10% off on most items
• The North Face – 20% off
• PacSun – 10% off online via UNiDAYS
• Sunglass Hut – 15% off
• The North Face – 20% off online or in-store
• Toms – 15% off
• Vera Bradley – student discounts avialable
• Vineyard Vines – 15% off

Entertainment

From going to the movies to listening to music, you can get a discount.

• AMC – student discounts available
• Apple Music – free with Apple TV+
• Cinemark – student discounts available
• Pandora Premium – 60 days free and then $5.99 per month
• Peacock – Peacock Premium for 1.99 a month for 12 months
• SiriusXM – 3 months for $1
• SoundCloud – 50% off SoundCloud Go+
• Spotify – 50% discount (Spotify Premium now includes Hulu and Showtime)
• Universal Studios Hollywood – discounts for student tickets
• YouTube Premium – one month free, then $7.99 per month

Furniture

• Pottery Barn – 10% off when you use your .edu address or show a valid student ID

Cell Phone Plans

• AT&T Wireless – Up to $10 off per month per line
• US Mobile – 20% off Unlimited Premium plans
• Verizon Wireless – Save $10/month single line plans and $20/month off two lines

Most cell phone carriers offer business, educator, and military discounts. Your university or insurance provider might offer a special discount. Prepaid cell phone plans might offer a lower price even without a college student discount.

Electronics

Unlike clothing retailers with 10% or 20% off, electronics usually offer special educational models or pricing:

• Acer – 10% off sitewide and free shipping
• Apple – get gift cards with certain products and 20% off Apple Care
• Best Buy Student Deals
• Dell – 10% off
• HP – Up to 40% discounts online
• Lenovo Student Discount Progam
• Logitech – 25% off products
• Newegg – 10% off
• Microsoft – 10%+ discounts
• Samsung – Up to 30% off smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other purchases
• Adorama – 15% off select items, registration, and proof required
• GoPro – 5% off new cameras and accessories
• Skullcandy – 30% off online

Food

When dining locally, always ask if there is a student discount, even at chain restaurants. If it’s a franchise, the owner can decide on these discounts.

• Blue Apron – 50% off for the first four weeks
• DoorDash – DashPass for $4.99 per month, or $48 per year
• EveryPlate – 75% off your first box via UNiDAYS
• HelloFresh – 55% off your first box via UNiDAYS
• Home Chef – 50% off your first four boxes via StudentBeans

Health and Cosmetics

• AAptiv – 50% off monthly and annual plans. This is a fitness app that can help you lose weight or improve your health with audio guided programs via UNiDAYS
• BH Cosmetics – 10% off online via UNiDAYS
• bioClarity – 15% off skincare products when using the discount code STUDENT15
• Bobbi Brown – 20% off online via UNiDAYS
• MAC Cosmetics – 10% off online via UNiDAYS
• Sally Beauty – Get a free Beauty Student Savings card for exclusive monthly discounts. Cosmetology students can upgrade to a Pro card for extra savings.
• Sigma – Discounts available, details vary

Insurance

Being a good student proves that you’re responsible. Responsible people pay less for insurance.

• Allstate – student discounts on car insurance
• American Family – student discount on car insurance for those on the Dean’s list.
• Geico – 15% discount for being a good student
• Nationwide – car insurance discounts available for students with at least a B average.
• Progressive – 10% discount for students with at least a B average
• State Farm – 25% discount for good grades

Knowledge

• Academic Superstore – Discounts on popular software
• Babbel – 65% off 3 months
• Book Outlet – up to 90% off via Student Beans
• Skillshare – 30% off first year
• New York Times – Your school may have a complimentary subscription
• The Wall Street Journal – $2 per month, $24 / year
• The Economist – look for the student option

Software

Companies love to give free software to students because it introduces you to their software at a time when you’re least able to pay and most likely to form your usage habits.

Start by going to your school’s IT department to see what software they have available (for example, here’s the free software page of the University of Pittsburgh students). Many universities have a large number of seat licenses that enable you to use the software like you would borrow a book from the library. It’ll cost you nothing and you can get access to a lot of great (and expensive) software packages.

Here are a few companies that give out free software specifically to students:

• Adobe Education – Discounted plans
• Autodesk – Free annual subscription
• Atlassian – 75% off via Student Beans
• Axure – Free subscription
• Codecadamy – 35% Codecademy Pro
• GitHub – Free Student Developer Pack (learn how to code)
• Microsoft Office for Students – Microsoft 365 for $2.99 per month
• MSC Software – Very specific engineering software
• On the Hub – Up to 95% off
• Tableau – Analytics package

Travel

• Amtrak – 15% discount on train travel for students ages 13-25
• CheapTickets – Discounts on travel
• Greyhound – 10% off Greyhound fares and 15% off shipping via Student Advantage
• Hotels.com – Up to 40% off via UNiDAYS
• IKON Pass – Discount on Rocky Mountain SuperPass for Colorado ski resorts (nurses and military qualify too)
• Megabus – $3 off your next trip via UNiDAYS
• Sixt – 10% off for students at least 21 years old
• StudentUniverse – Discounts on flights, hotels and tours
• United – 5% discount on United Economy flights

Miscellaneous

• Ableton – 50% off music creation software
• Costco – $40 Costco gift card with a new Executive membership and $20 gift card a new Gold Star membership
• Evernote – 40% Evernote Professional for students note-taking app
• DuoLingo – 2 months free via UNiDAYS
• GM – Discounts on GM vehicles to current students or anyone who has graduated in the past two years.
• Headspace – 85% off this meditation app
• Peleton – 6.99 per month for students
• Purple – 10% off mattresses
• Sam’s Club – 60% off a Club membership or $50 off a Club Plus membership.
• Stanley – student discounts available
• TickTick – 25% off task management app
• Budget Truck Rental – Up to 20% off moving truck rentals. Use discount code TRUKU.
• Penske – 10% off rental trucks and a few other perks (unlimited miles and no underage surcharge are huge)
• SMARTBOX – Moving and storage discounts
• Zipcar – Discounts for car rentals at participating universities. There can be big savings if you’re renting under age 25 – some rental agencies won’t rent, period.

And if it’s your birthday, check out this list of restaurants that give you free food!

If you know of a discount not on this list (or one that is on the list but no longer offered), email me and I’ll update this.

The post 100+ Best Freebies & Discounts for College Students appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Chime is a fintech company that offers banking services through partnerships with The Bancorp Bank and Stride Bank. It offers a checking account, a savings account, and a credit builder card.

The credit builder card is a secured credit card that operates like a pre-paid debit card. Your security deposit is your spending limit, but as you spend on the card, the limit decreases. The payment is then made with the security deposit; you don’t need to send additional funds to pay the bill.

Your on-time payment is then reported to all three credit bureaus.

At a Glance

• Secured credit card with no fees or interest
• Reports to all three credit bureaus
• Monthly payment is made directly from the security deposit

Who Should Use the Chime Credit Builder Card?

Chime Credit Builder is great for someone who needs to build or improve their credit and can’t afford to put down a security deposit on a traditional credit card. The Credit Builder card uses your security deposit to make the payment, so you don’t have to come up with both a security deposit AND a payment.

Monthly fee	$0	$0	$20 per month, or $149 annually
Links directly to checking	No	Yes	Yes
Reports to all three bureaus	Yes	Yes	Experian and Equifax only
	Learn more	Learn more	Learn more

What is the Chime Credit Builder Card?

The Chime Credit Builder card is a secured Visa credit card that you can get without a credit check. It’s a secured credit card, but it works more like a pre-paid debit card than it does a credit card.

There are no monthly fees or interest. You must pay the full balance by the due date, and your on-time payments are reported to all three credit bureaus.

How the Chime Credit Builder Card Works

When you open a Chime Credit Builder account, you get a secured card tied to a Credit Builder Secured Account. You need to transfer funds into that secured account, either through automatic transfers or manually, and the balance is how much you can spend with your card. As you make purchases, the amount you have available to spend decreases.

If you turn on “Safer Credit Building,” Chime will automatically pay your monthly balance using the secured funds (it’s basically autopay). If you don’t turn it on, you must do it manually.

Go to Chime

How Chime Credit Builder Builds Credit

It is a credit card, so Chime will report your payments to all three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It works just like every other secured credit card, which is what many Americans use to build or rebuild their credit history.

The Chime Credit Builder Card doesn’t have a pre-set limit but is limited by the amount you put into your secured account. Chime doesn’t report utilization so it won’t impact your score in that regard. It will report your payment behavior and on-time payments, which are important to your credit score.

Chime Credit Builder Pricing

The Chime Credit Builder card has no annual fee and charges no interest. The only requirement is that you have a Chime Spending Account, which also has no monthly or account maintenance fees.

Other Chime Accounts

In addition to the Credit Builder card, Chime also offers a spending account and a savings account.

Spending Account

The Chime Spending Account has no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement. It’s similar to a checking account, though it has added benefits like the ability to round up transactions into your savings (if you charge $1.50, they will transfer 50 cents from your spending to your savings account).

You can also get your direct deposit up to two days early and no overdraft fees. In fact, you can get up to $200 in overdraft protection with Chime’s SpotMe® feature.

Here’s our full review of the Chime Spending Account.

Savings Account

The Chime Savings Account has no monthly fees and earns 2.00% APY. This is not as high as you would get at a top high-yield savings account, but it’s a decent interest rate if the account is convenient for you.

Go to Chime

Chime Credit Builder Alternatives

You can always turn towards secured credit cards but they often require a large, several hundred dollar, security deposit. If you have no history, you can always try a low limit store branded credit card.

If you’re looking for an all in one banking services provider that has a Spending account, Saving account, and Credit Builder product – I’m not sure there’s a perfect alternative out there.

Here are a few similar ones that offer the ability to build credit:

Varo Money

Varo’s Believe card works the same way that Chime Credit Builder’s card does. Move money to the card which becomes your available balance. As you spend, your available balance decreases and then your security deposit is used to pay the bill in full on the due date. You can manually pay the bill or you can turn on SafePay and the bill will be paid automatically.

Here is our full review of Varo Money.

Go to Varo Money

Kikoff

Kikoff works slightly differently in that the secured credit card is how you access your checking account. It’s the same concept as both Chime Credit Builder and Varo Money, but you don’t have a separate credit-building account.

With Kikoff, the money in your Kikoff spending account is your available balance and as you spend, your available balance goes down and the money is set aside to pay the credit card bill on the due date.

You certainly could keep a separate checking account at another bank and use the Kikoff account simply as a secured card, but you don’t have to.

Here’s our full review of Kikoff.

Go to Kikoff

Extra Debit Card

Extra just offers a debit card that links to your existing bank, through Plaid, with a spending limit based on your bank’s account balance. You use the debit card and then a day later, they pay off the transactions with the money in your checking account.

They report your payments to Equifax and Experian at the end of each month. The monthly fee starts at $20 a month.

Our full review of Extra Debit Card has more.

Go to Extra Debit Card

Is Chime Credit Builder Worth It?

If you are looking to build credit and can’t seem to get approved for a traditional credit card, I think this is a very good option. This review focused on the Credit Builder card but our Chime review discussed their Spending and Savings accounts, which are also pretty good if you’re looking for a new bank.

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. The Chime Visa® Debit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Please see back of your Card for its issuing bank.

*****Credit Builder Accounts & Certificates of Deposit made/held by Lead Bank, Sunrise Banks, N.A., First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval.

The post Chime Credit Builder Review: A Free Secured Card Option appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Switching those direct deposit details can be a pain so what about offers that don't require it?

They're rarer, because they make you less likely to keep the account in the first place, but they're still available. They're often structured where you have to keep a large sum in there for 90-120 days, but if they pay a reasonable amount of interest, it can still be a good offer.

We do our best to keep this as accurate as possible; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Want to know when banks offer a cash bonus?

Enter your email below if you want to know when a major bank offers a big cash bonus – plus get our bank bonus tracker spreadsheet. It's completely free.

First Name *

Email Address *

Get bank bonus updates (free)

Barclays Bank – $200

Expires: 1/6/2025

Requirements:

• Open an account and deposit $25,000 within 30 days of opening the account and maintain at least $25,000 in that account for 120 days
• Then, maintain at least $25,000 in the account for 120 days
• You'll get $200 deposited into the account within 60 days after you meet the requirements

About the offer:

We like this offer because you get the bonus in addition to a competitive high yield interest rate of up to 4.80% APY (with minimum balance requirements). A lot of high deposit bonus offers don't pay any interest.

Terms Apply.

Go to Barclays

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Capital One 360 Savings – up to $1,500

Expires: not listed

Requirements:

• deposit at least $20,000 in new funds into the account during the 15-day initial funding period and keep it there for an additional 90 days
• use promo code BONUS1500

About the offer:

How much you deposit will determine your bonus amount.

• Earn a $300 bonus when you deposit $20,000 – $49,999,
• Earn a $750 bonus when you deposit $50,000 – $99,999,
• Earn a $1,500 bonus when you deposit $100,000 or more.

If you have or had an open 360 Performance Savings, 360 Savings, 360 Money Market, Savings Now or Confidence Savings account as a primary or secondary account holder with Capital One on or after January 1, 2021, you will be ineligible for the bonus. If your account is in default, closed or suspended, or otherwise not in good standing, you will not receive the bonus.

Go to Capital One

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Citi Checking with Enhanced Direct Deposit — up to $450

Expires: 1/7/2025

Requirements:

• two (2) Enhanced Direct Deposits directly into your new checking account within 90 calendar days from account opening. Your total combined Enhanced Direct Deposits must equal $3,000 or more for $325, must equal $6,000 or more for $450

About the offer:

Enhanced direct deposit means that you can make transfers from Venmo or Zelle to qualify. It doesn't have to be a “classic” direct deposit where it's government benefits (Social Security) or payroll from your employer. It can be but it doesn't have to be!

Your bonus will be deposited into your account within 30 days of completing the required activities.

Here are other Citi bank bonuses.

Go to Citi

Wells Fargo Savings – $525

Expires: 1/7/2025

Requirements:

1. Open a new eligible consumer savings account at a Wells Fargo branch with a minimum opening deposit of $25 by August 20, 2024. You must provide the bonus offer code to the banker at the time of account opening.
2. Bring $25,000 or more in new money to your new savings account by Day 30 and maintain at least a $25,000 balance through Day 90 after account opening.

About the offer:

This offer must be completed in a branch, click through to the Wells Fargo page and enter your email to get a code.

You'll get the bonus within 30 days of meeting the requirements.

Here are other Wells Fargo promotions.

Go to Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo Premier – $2,500

Expires: 1/7/2025

Requirements:

• Open a new Premier Checking account at a Wells Fargo branch with a minimum opening deposit of $25. You must provide the bonus offer code to the banker when opening the account. (They email it to you when you fill out the form on the promo page.)
• Bring $500,000 or more in new deposits to qualifying linked accounts by Day 45 and maintain at least a $500,000 balance through Day 90 after account upgrade or opening.
• They will deposit your bonus into your new Premier Checking account within 30 days after you have met all offer requirements.

About the offer:

To complete this offer, you will have to visit a branch. On the promotion page, enter your email to get your offer code and instructions.

The account has a $35 monthly service fee that can be avoided if you have $250,000 or more in account balances with them.

Go to Wells Fargo

Ameriprise Bank Savings – $350

Expires: 12/31/2024

Requirements:

• Deposit $35,000 or more of new money into a new or existing Ameriprise Bank Savings Account by December 31, 2024
• Maintain the existing balance and the new money through March 31, 2025
• Collect $350

About the offer:

Available to existing Ameriprise clients as of September 30, 2024 who have not received a savings bonus in the past 18 months.

The Ameriprise Bank Savings also offers a fairly competitive interest rate (rate depends on your account balance) while your savings are sitting there, making this a pretty good offer if you have $35,000 you don't mind locking up until March.

Go to Ameriprise Bank

Huntington Bank Platinum Perks Checking – $600

Expires: 2/07/2025

Requirements:

• make cumulative new money deposits of $25,000 within 90 days of account opening and keep that money in there for 90 days

About the offer:

Available to residents of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, or Wisconsin.

The Huntington Platinum Perks Checking account has a maintenance fee you can get waived if you meet certain conditions.

Go to Huntington Bank

South State Bank Checking— $200

Expires: at an unspecified date

Requirements:

• make a minimum of 15 debit card purchases or payments
• Have a monthly total of $250 qualifying direct deposit OR preauthorized automatic draft(s) of $25.

About the offer:

The requirements must be met within 60 days of opening the account. As you can see, a direct deposit is one of the options but is not required. You can satisfy it by making enough purchases.

You must also be a resident of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia.

Go to South State Bank

Alliant Credit Union — up to $100

Expires: 12/31/2024

Requirements:

• Make deposits of at least $100 a month for twelve months

About the offer:

The deposits do not have to be direct deposits, they just have to be transfers into the account. Make sure it's at least $100 a month for a full year and you're set. The first transfer has to be done within 30 days and they deposit the $100 bonus after 12 months.

Opt for eStatements and you can avoid the monthly maintenance fees.

Go to Alliant Credit Union

Associated Bank Checking — up to $600

Expires: 12/31/2024

Requirements:

• Open an account with the required minimum balance ($25 to $100, depending on the specific account), and have an average daily balance of at least $1,000 between the 60th to the 90th day.

About the offer:

How much you'll earn as a bonus is based on your average daily balance over days 61-90:

• For amounts $1,000 to $4,999.99 – you earn $300;
• For amounts $5,000 to $9,999.99 – you earn $400;
• For amounts over $10,000 – you earn $600;

Fees on the account will depend on which checking account you open.

Offer is limited to residents of IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, and WI.

Go to Associated Bank

Regions Bank LifeGreen Savings — $100 (DD optional)

Expires: not displayed

Requirements:

• Have an automatic transfer of at least $10 from your Regions checking account to your LifeGreen Savings account is required in at least 10 of any of the 12 calendar months that precede the month of your account opening anniversary

About the offer:

Regions Bank runs a promotion with their LifeGreen Savings account where you get up to $100, structured as an annual savings bonus.

The $100 is structured as an annual savings bonus. If you meet the deposit requirements, the bonus is calculated on the average monthly balance for the 12 calendar months that precede your anniversary month.

Available to residents of AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN, and TX and carefully read the terms to ensure you qualify.

Go to Regions Bank

Expired Offers

Below, we’ve listed a few offers that have expired since we published them. We keep them listed in this group below in case the banks bring these offers back. They also act as a useful point of reference.

Citizens Bank Consumer Savings – up to $500 [EXPIRED]

Once you do the checking bonus above, you can also give the savings bonus a try too. You can get up to $500 if you open a new savings account and make a deposit. The bonus is based on the deposit:

• To get $250, make a single or multiple deposits totaling $5,000 (not currently on deposit with Citizens) into one personal savings account April 17 — 30th and maintain the balance for five consecutive months.
• To get $500, make a single or multiple deposits totaling $10,000 (not currently on deposit with Citizens) into one personal savings account April 17 — 30th and maintain the balance for five consecutive months.

There are several savings accounts that qualify, including One Deposit Savings and Checking from Citizens, Citizens Quest® Savings and Checking, Citizens Private Client Savings and Checking. and Citizens One Deposit Savings and Student Checking.

Learn more about this offer
(This offer expires 4/30/2024)

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