Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
Jul 4th 2011, 5:10 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 34
Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
Hi to those in Seattle, and those coming in to read anyway...
I wondered if anyone could recommend me a bank in Seattle or give me any tips.
Or...
I wondered if anyone had any websites that you use for comparing banks, their services and rates and so forth.
I currently bank here in the UK with firstdirect and use moneysavingexpert to decide the best accounts to get for credit card/savings etc. but not sure were to start in the USA.
I could sign up to the first bank I find but just thought I'd ask for some peoples personal input...
Thanks!
I wondered if anyone could recommend me a bank in Seattle or give me any tips.
Or...
I wondered if anyone had any websites that you use for comparing banks, their services and rates and so forth.
I currently bank here in the UK with firstdirect and use moneysavingexpert to decide the best accounts to get for credit card/savings etc. but not sure were to start in the USA.
I could sign up to the first bank I find but just thought I'd ask for some peoples personal input...
Thanks!
Jul 4th 2011, 7:22 pm
#2
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
Depends what you're looking for, something that's got a national presence or likely a better rate etc.
BoA are evil, but they are everywhere and have ties with a UK bank.
Credit Unions will generally be a better bet, especially for loans.
Credit cards are a none issue, they'll all be shit for a couple of years until you've built up a credit score and more importantly a US credit history.
BoA are evil, but they are everywhere and have ties with a UK bank.
Credit Unions will generally be a better bet, especially for loans.
Credit cards are a none issue, they'll all be shit for a couple of years until you've built up a credit score and more importantly a US credit history.
Jul 4th 2011, 8:40 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 34
Re: Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
Depends what you're looking for, something that's got a national presence or likely a better rate etc.
BoA are evil, but they are everywhere and have ties with a UK bank.
Credit Unions will generally be a better bet, especially for loans.
Credit cards are a none issue, they'll all be shit for a couple of years until you've built up a credit score and more importantly a US credit history.
BoA are evil, but they are everywhere and have ties with a UK bank.
Credit Unions will generally be a better bet, especially for loans.
Credit cards are a none issue, they'll all be shit for a couple of years until you've built up a credit score and more importantly a US credit history.
I like internet banking and going in the branch as little as possible.
Don't like this thing about ATM charges but I guess if it's the way in USA I can't do much.
It does not have to be national as long as I can use it nationally...I'll mainly just be using it online and around Seattle (Queen Anne is my neighborhood).
Jul 4th 2011, 8:56 pm
#4
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
I'm looking for the best rates really, I'm not one to really go in to debt but one who tends to save more...
I like internet banking and going in the branch as little as possible.
Don't like this thing about ATM charges but I guess if it's the way in USA I can't do much.
It does not have to be national as long as I can use it nationally...I'll mainly just be using it online and around Seattle (Queen Anne is my neighborhood).
I like internet banking and going in the branch as little as possible.
Don't like this thing about ATM charges but I guess if it's the way in USA I can't do much.
It does not have to be national as long as I can use it nationally...I'll mainly just be using it online and around Seattle (Queen Anne is my neighborhood).
Internet banking, most will have it, the larger national chains will probably be better there.
ATM, just fact of life, but a lot of Credit Unions will credit other bank ATM fee's, so not as much of a problem these days. A lot of banks offer it free depending on the type of account you have too, usually requiring a certain level of balance. No one uses cash these days anyway.
I'd probably go with a national bank for checking and a credit union for savings personally....and which credit union you use, well whatever one you qualify for, a AAA member? Local employer based? etc, etc.
Jul 6th 2011, 11:06 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Issaquah, WA
Posts: 274
Re: Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
We're out on the Eastside of Seattle and we chose Wells Fargo as we wanted a national chain and they seem to have lots of branches around. And they're in our local Safeway too.
But they are just another USA bank and so don't expect things to be free or simple like in the UK. They have online banking and I use Quicken to access it. It generally seems to work fine for me.
The savings rates over here are shockingly low, so I'd suggest keeping any lump sums in the UK where you can easily get 2.85% or more.
Lots of people in Seattle recommend the BECU credit union and that is open to non Boeing people, and they seem to have branches around.
But they are just another USA bank and so don't expect things to be free or simple like in the UK. They have online banking and I use Quicken to access it. It generally seems to work fine for me.
The savings rates over here are shockingly low, so I'd suggest keeping any lump sums in the UK where you can easily get 2.85% or more.
Lots of people in Seattle recommend the BECU credit union and that is open to non Boeing people, and they seem to have branches around.
Jul 7th 2011, 1:20 am
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Banking in Seattle, any recommendations on a Bank?
Well best rates is going to make no difference. They're all shit.
Internet banking, most will have it, the larger national chains will probably be better there.
ATM, just fact of life, but a lot of Credit Unions will credit other bank ATM fee's, so not as much of a problem these days. A lot of banks offer it free depending on the type of account you have too, usually requiring a certain level of balance. No one uses cash these days anyway.
I'd probably go with a national bank for checking and a credit union for savings personally....and which credit union you use, well whatever one you qualify for, a AAA member? Local employer based? etc, etc.
Internet banking, most will have it, the larger national chains will probably be better there.
ATM, just fact of life, but a lot of Credit Unions will credit other bank ATM fee's, so not as much of a problem these days. A lot of banks offer it free depending on the type of account you have too, usually requiring a certain level of balance. No one uses cash these days anyway.
I'd probably go with a national bank for checking and a credit union for savings personally....and which credit union you use, well whatever one you qualify for, a AAA member? Local employer based? etc, etc.
To the OP, try BECU, I've heard they're fairly decent....
