2.  CONVENIENT  HELPS YOU KEEP TRACK OF MONEY: USING THE CHECK REGISTER OR ONLINE BANKING  SAVES YOU MONEY – EXPENSES ARE LESS THAN MONEY ORDERS.

3. Dollars

5.  Money comes out of checking account right then.  They are convenient and safe.  They are fast and easy.

6.  You must have the funds in your account.  You will need to keep careful track of every transaction you make.  You will incur overdraft fees if you withdraw more money than your account has.  Using your debit card does not keep you from becoming overdrawn on your account. Those fees add up quickly!

7.  Store cards or charge cards available.  Benefits: don’t have to carry cash, can use for emergency expenses, monthly statement, and you can consolidate your monthly spending into one account.  Cautions: you are responsible for the charges each month, additional fees could be added, beware of impulse buying, not paying it off monthly adds additional penalties that cost you more!

8.  Debit cards immediately take funds from your checking account.  Credit cards bill you once a month. You must pay the funds back to the lender.  Credit cards rack up penalties if you do not pay it off each month.  Debit cards rack up overdraft fees for each transaction over the amount in your account.

9.  Savings: You earn interest and you have access to it anytime.  Money Market Savings: Your interest rate increases as your balance increases, your interest rate changes as the economy changes, and you can access your account at any time.  Certificate of Deposits (CD): You are paid interest over a set amount of money and time. You are penalized if you withdraw it early. It is a simple way to get higher interest rates with no fees.

10.  Access from anywhere – including your phone.  You can: transfer money.  :receive online banking alerts.  :balance your checkbook.  :update personal information.  :schedule bill payments.  :monitor your account.

11.  Overdraft or insufficient funds: If you do not have the money in your account to cover your check, they will charge a fee to your account to cover it.  Monthly service fees: Some banks charge this just to cover the cost of servicing your account.  ATM fees: This fee varies depending on the bank.