Don't Get Scammed at the ATM

It's time for a regular reminder about ATM skimmers. The Wall Street Journal's Jennifer Waters describes how one out of every five consumers may be a victim of ATM skimming.

You have to be more and more careful as skimmers get smaller and more sophisticated. They're no longer bulky and obvious, and thieves don't even need to physically touch the skimmers after they're installed.

The best way to avoid trouble is to use ATMs in secure areas. Bank lobbies and other well-lit environments are best. Street corner ATMs (especially if they're not attached to a building) are risky. When in doubt, move on - another ATM is always nearby.

No Bank Account, No Fees?

Some have no choice, and some prefer not to deal with banks. Either way, life without a bank account can be challenging.

Candice Choi, a reporter for The Associated Press, decided to see what it's like. She spent one month with the "unbanked" - paying with cash, taking a paper paycheck, and using alternatives to debit and credit cards.

Banks aren't perfect; there are always fees and customer service issues. But try living without one. Choi's experiment suggests that she'd pay about $1,100 per year to make and receive payments without a bank in her life, not to mention the time it takes to do everything the old fashioned way. See her report for all the details: Living without a bank: Fees and confusion galore.

Were Credit Unions Bailed Out?

For a while, credit unions could do no wrong.

Regulators recently stepped in to bolster credit unions as a result of losses from subprime mortgages. Critics quickly called the move a bailout, putting credit unions in the same camp as mean old-fashioned banks. Credit union supporters, on their heels, argue that it's not a bailout.

Whatever you want to call it (and however you define a bailout), nobody's happy. The impeccable image of credit unions has diminished, and we're back to more finger-pointing. So does it matter to credit union customers?

Most credit union members will not notice any changes. Insured funds are just as safe as before. However, credit unions (like banks) will have to pay more for insurance going forward, so it will be harder for them to offer the best rates.

Bank Deals 2009

There have been a lot of great deals offered by banks thus far in 2009, and there are a lot of great deals to come. If your just joining us, banks offer these deals to attract new business and it can be expensive to acquire new customers, and each customer is profitable, hence the amazing offers they put out.

I found a new site that posts a lot of great checking account bonuses that can really help you when your looking at switching banks or looking for a great rate.

Until I post some new deals, you might want to check out the new Chase Bank platinum card that has a 0% intro APR for one year and no annual fee. The 0% applies to purchases AND balance transfers, making this an excellent find for doing a balance transfer and saving a whole lot of money over the next 12 months, at which time you can find another 0% card to transfer the balance to.