Re: Banks!
 

Big one tends to be with a lack of protection on online bill payments, where whoever you're paying has complete access to pull funds and it can be easier to just close the account than to get them off your account if you stop using a service.

There are a lot of charges, especially on free accounts, certainly if you don't carry a decent average balance...it's the nickel and diming such as charging you for a book of cheques.

Apart from doing cash back, how there are a bit more hassle using ATM's out of your bank network, certainly when you're away from your home state.

Chip and pin....this would be the biggest one to affect most people daily I would imagine...or the lack of it.

Re: Banks!
 

Rent

Electric bill...unless I fancy a $5 convenience service fee.

Same for the insurance.

Re: Banks!
 

It doesn't work that way with WF...I instruct them, they send the payment.
Any issue and they'll cancel/review it.

But yes, I can understand the nickel and dime aspect. I've been fortunate enough to have enough services/balance for it not to be an issue.

I also think if you do cash back at a supermarket for example, there's no fee?

Re: Banks!
 

Also with Wells Fargo, they have been good never paid any fees including 100 free trades per year.

When I arrived the company set me up with some sort of Wells Fargo Expat thing which included a Visa card with a decent limit. Not sure if WF still does this.

Re: Banks!
 

Rent = paid via ACH with no fee.
Electricity Bill = Paid via ACH with no fee.
(Car & House) Insurance = Paid by credit card with no fee for doing so. (I suspect it's bundled into the price. I asked for an ACH discount, but there was none)

Re: Banks!
 

The only thing here about the banking that pisses me off is the atm charge. I did have an account with fidelity when I first arrived and they refunded all my arm charges which was nice. Took forever for checks to clear though. I'm now with Wells Fargo, and whereas I do think checks are far more widely used here, if I deposit a check with them, it's available next working day which is good.

Re: Banks!
 

Funny you mention ATM charges..over the past few years the only thing I've really needed cash for was for some tolls. Normally I don't even have any with me on a day to day basis...(which is probably a wee bit silly.)

Cards for everything else.
The points on my United Card pay for the flights home every year.

Re: Banks!
 

Not really relevant, but a recent bank story. I hardly ever go in a bank. I have BoA. My mortgage is with Suntrust, and they gave me an account to set up autopay for that. I put just enough in to cover it.

Anyway I just took out a car loan and it also happens to be suntrust, so I went in lunch time as there is a branch by the office. Could have done it online, but I sat with nice British/Jamaian lady, while she found my loan info in the 'puter, copied the details onto a form for autopay, had me check and sign it, then faxed it to the loan department, twice, as it didn't go through at first. 30 mins and done.

Meantime, a few days later a package arrived in the mail. Pre printed payment slips for my 72 monthly payments! A few days later, another package - 72 (maybe, I didn't count) window envelopes to put my payment slip and check in. That's great customer service in my eyes ;)

Re: Banks!
 

You pay by post?

Re: Banks!
 

I agree, we only have our names and our email address on our checks, no physical address.

Re: Banks!
 

But not all those services are like that...

A lot of these utilities use a third party to process payment.

School food card for the kid is another one...kid can bring a cheque to her teacher, but if you want to pay by cash, you've got to go to the canteen yourself and if you pay over the phone/online, there's a $3 fee.

Re: Banks!
 

I've been happily with Wells Fargo too, for almost as long, except back then, here in NC, it was "Wachovia Bank" and its service was almost legendarily good, and thankfully the merger hasn't changed that. ..... And in Charlotte there is just about a branch on every corner! :)

Re: Banks!
 

Before you leave the UK you might want to open an account with XE Trade, or similar FX service. You'll very likely want to move money back and forth between the USA and UK, and XE make it simple. To open an FX account you need to do all the usual "prove your identity" stuff and that's easier to do now in the UK. I've also used HiFX and USForex, and they all are okay.

Re: Banks!
 

Really. As an ex CPA in Canada you think that's necessary?

Why?

Re: Banks!
 

Because you won't immediately have a local DL, and a "permanent" address that you have demonstrable links to for at least a number of weeks. :)