I have 5 bank accounts I use all the time, and 3 questions helped me choose each one

14 hours ago 15

Jennifer Streaks

The author, Jennifer Streaks. Jennifer Streaks

Updated 2025-05-13T12:38:01Z

  • I person 5 slope accounts and I usage them all.
  • To take each account, I inquire myself what I expect and however I'll get my money.
  • I besides look astatine whether determination are accounts already made for my needs.

Many radical person told maine they chose their slope oregon peculiar relationship based connected however adjacent they lived to a branch. For me, it was a overmuch much progressive process of sifting done the best banks for my needs.

I person 5 slope accounts, and each 1 serves a circumstantial intent successful my life. I have:

  1. A checking account
  2. An exigency money savings account
  3. A concern checking account
  4. A question savings account
  5. An mundane savings account

Not each slope has the aforesaid involvement rates, monthly fees, oregon relationship offerings, truthful I researched relationship details and features that acceptable what matters to me.

I usage my slope accounts to signifier and show however my wealth is spent and managed. It besides helps maine with emergency savings and redeeming for circumstantial items oregon plans I person successful the future.

Here are the questions I utilized to take my slope accounts:

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1. What bash I request this relationship to bash for me?

When I archetypal moved to New York, I already had 3 slope accounts, but I knew that I needed a section slope to person my income and entree funds. So, based connected that request astatine the time, I chose a section credit union with a subdivision 2 blocks from my location that didn't person a monthly fee.

Most of america person checking accounts, if lone to person the direct deposit of our paycheck. I person a elemental checking relationship with nary monthly fee. I did not privation immoderate rules oregon restrictions oregon monthly fees for my checking account.

My exigency money is successful a high-yield savings account. I knew that I wanted that relationship to turn due to the fact that that would beryllium beneficial to maine down the roadworthy if I ever needed to usage my funds for an emergency. A high-yield savings account with its higher APY would assistance maine turn my wealth much quickly, and for me, it didn't marque consciousness not to instrumentality vantage of the higher involvement rates.

2. How volition I get my money?

In choosing my exigency money savings relationship and my mundane savings account, I considered relationship accessibility. Because high-yield savings accounts are a large mode to physique an exigency fund, I wanted to marque definite I had speedy and casual entree to my wealth successful lawsuit an unexpected disbursal came up and I needed to dip into my savings.

Also, look for savings accounts that connection 1 oregon much of the following: ATM entree truthful you tin retreat wealth erstwhile you request to, the quality to nexus a checking relationship truthful you tin easy transportation funds, and a mobile banking app truthful you tin log successful and negociate your funds connected the go. I utilized this diagnostic myself erstwhile I was successful Mexico and needed to transportation wealth from my mundane savings relationship into my checking account.

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3. Are determination circumstantial accounts made for my needs?

Specialty accounts are accounts built for a circumstantial purpose, and I person two. I person a business checking relationship for my business, and I person a question relationship for wealth I prevention for planned trips. My concern relationship is with a slope I americium gathering a concern narration with successful lawsuit I request a concern indebtedness down the road, and my question savings relationship is with a slope with planetary branches, truthful I usage that relationship actively erstwhile I travel.

It's important to bash the probe and comparison banking and relationship options, alternatively than choosing an relationship due to the fact that it's astatine a acquainted institution. Most important, marque definite that whichever slope oregon relationship you take protects your wealth with FDIC insurance.

This nonfiction was primitively published successful August 2023.

Jennifer Streaks

Jennifer Streaks

Senior Personal Finance Reporter and Spokesperson

Jennifer Streaks is simply a Personal Finance Expert and Journalist who writes astir recognition and each things wealth for Business Insider. Committed to fiscal literacy and economical empowerment, she has covered fiscal topics for implicit a decade, penning astir her ain experiences and sharing her expertise to springiness consumers actionable fiscal advice.Along with exploring recognition scores, recognition reports, and however to physique credit, Jennifer analyzes however existent economical trends interaction mundane radical and offers her adept proposal connected budgeting, saving, and increasing wealthiness successful today’s economy. She regularly appears arsenic an on-air fiscal commentator connected programs similar Good Morning America, Yahoo! Finance, CBS, and MSNBC.ExperienceBefore joining Business Insider, Jennifer was a fiscal contributor for CNBC and covered idiosyncratic finance, entrepreneurship, tech, and the system for Forbes. Her enactment has appeared successful TheGrio, Black Enterprise, and USA Today. Jennifer is besides the writer of "Thrive! ... Affordably: Your Month-to-Month Guide to Living Your Best Life Without Breaking the Bank." The publication offers advice, tips, and fiscal absorption lessons geared toward helping the scholar item strengths, place missteps, and instrumentality power of their finances.Jennifer’s astir important fiscal proposal to her friends is to always person an exigency fund.ExpertiseJennifer’s expertise includes:

  • Credit scores
  • Credit history
  • Credit reports
  • Budgeting
  • Saving 
  • Housing 
  • Retirement
  • The economy
  • Financial trends

EducationJennifer earned an MBA from The Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business and completed the Wharton Seminar for Business Journalists.Jennifer is based successful New York City.

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