Reputable Banks with Free Checking?

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Priced_Out_IT_Guy_IHB

Priced_Out_IT_Guy_IHB

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So I am shopping for a new bank. Is there a reputable bank out there with one or more Irvine branches that has free checking without minimum balances? I'm not going to sign up at a bank that has say a $2000 minimum balance, since you don't receive interest any on your checking account. You're essentially giving the bank a $2,000 interest-free loan and taking a hit on inflation.



I like WaMu because of the free checking and free personal checks, but things being the way they are, I want a second checking account with some cash in reserve just in case...



So far Bank of the West is on my list. Free checking, no minimum balance, first set of checks are for free. My copy of the LA times says that BauerFinancial gives them 4 stars and bankrate.com gives them 3, and they have 20 Billion in deposits, or about 1/5 the size of wells fargo and 1/8th the size of Bofa.
 
[quote author="no_vaseline" date=1221656452]After all the shakeups, nobody will offer free checking anymore.</blockquote>


Did some more digging and Charles Schwab has a free checking account with checks, only problem is they don't have any physical branches to cash your paychecks unless you go direct deposit, so you still need a brick and mortar shop.
 
[quote author="Priced_Out_IT_Guy" date=1221649583]So I am shopping for a new bank. Is there a reputable bank out there with one or more Irvine branches that has free checking without minimum balances? I'm not going to sign up at a bank that has say a $2000 minimum balance, since you don't receive interest any on your checking account. You're essentially giving the bank a $2,000 interest-free loan and taking a hit on inflation.



I like WaMu because of the free checking and free personal checks, but things being the way they are, I want a second checking account with some cash in reserve just in case...



So far Bank of the West is on my list. Free checking, no minimum balance, first set of checks are for free. My copy of the LA times says that BauerFinancial gives them 4 stars and bankrate.com gives them 3, and they have 20 Billion in deposits, or about 1/5 the size of wells fargo and 1/8th the size of Bofa.</blockquote>
You can check out my bank...Cal National Bank (privately held and very well capitalized).
 
<a href="https://www.uboc.com/personal/products/checking/free_checking/index.jsp">Union Bank</a>



<a href="http://wachovia.com/checking/free-checking-account.html">Wachovia Bank</a>



<a href="https://web.da-us.citibank.com/cgi-bin/citifi/scripts/prod_and_service/prod_serv_detail.jsp?BS_Id=ChkEZChecking&BV_UseBVCookie=yes">Citibank</a> if you have direct deposit or make two online bill pays





<a href="http://www.schoolsfirstfcu.org/checking/freechecking.asp">School's first credit union</a>





<a href="http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/personal/products_and_services/checking/free_checking.cfm">US Bank</a>





<a href="http://www.bankofamerica.com/deposits/checksave/index.cfm">bank of america</a> (if opened online)



and many more
 
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