The (one and only) Bank

As long as the people at my local branc can take care of me I'm happy.

Many small town banks that do well make big money when they get bought out by a "name brand" in fact in my area the same group of people have open "local" banks and grow them and run them for about 5 years then sell out to a big company.

 

I sure hope my small town bank never sells to these big bad banks, I don't like or trust them, especially with past bad experience's with a couple of them.

 

Yeah one example I can give is that Wells Fargo to have a savings with them you have to have a minimum balance of $300 or they will charge you 5 dollars a month. So I went with a local bank here and I only need a minimum of $5. You tell me which one is better??

 

I haven't used a bank in the US since getting my first account. Instead I went to my local credit union, they gave me the checking/savings accounts I needed and the service/helpfulness you get from smaller banks.

 

Commerce is my bank. There "moto" is "America's most Convienient Bank".

All branches are open Sundays. They have TOTALY free checking. AND on July 4th they are open 7:30AM - 1:00PM.

 

My dad has had like 4 or 5 different banks without ever moving his money. Since I've had an account there, First Union -> Firstar -> US Bank. I don't remember what he was with before those buyouts.

I would never trust BOA with my money.

 

I've noticed that a couple of posters do not like Bank of America. I have had them since 1998 and I have not had any problems with them. I am fully aware of their past, especially here in California. Their name was MUD back in the 90s after their merger with Security Pacific Bank. It took them many years to recover.

Yes, they are now a "monster" bank in terms of size and money, and they seem to buying up everything they can lately. I look at BofA in the same fashion as the mobile carriers, you either have good experiences or bad experiences. So far BofA hasn't done anything to make me want to change. Besides, their online banking is the best I have seen so far. I've had good luck with BofA and Verizon Wireless. So until either one does something to change my mind, I'm going to be happy with what I have.

Corporate greed exists on all levels. Mismanagement does as well. I work for a small credit union in my area. You wouldn't believe the level of disfunction and mismanagement that exists here, or maybe you would. This the way the world is and I've stopped fretting about the things I can't control. If I were God, I'd be zapping people left and right, so maybe it's a good thing I'm not God... :evillaugh

 

I will give BOA props on putting your picture on your atm/check card.

 

Wells Fargo is interesting.
You ask someone in Utah what they think. It is usally not nice.
You ask someone in Iowa what they think. It is usally like the best bank ever.

My grandma worked for Bank of America and about 10 different other names it was in the Des Moines Metro for 49 years. Bank of America was #1 in Des Moines until 2001. The head guy of that region she said was very upset that they were now #2 and loseing customers to Wells Fargo. She retired for good the end of that year, so I don't know what Bank of America is up to as much.

 

My hometown in Hawkeye Bank to American Mercantile Bank to US Bank

I would bank with them, but there is everything but a branch here in Logan.

 

Yeah, bank mergers are interesting... my first bank, the First Bank of Colonia, went through about 12 changes ending up (I think) as a Washington Mutual.

I have WaMu now... not likely they'll be gobbled up.

 

Never say never, Zap

I've had BofA/Nationsbank since I lived in Texas in the mid 90s. They have been as good as any for me.

Commerce just invaded DC with their first two branches last week. They say they will have 200 by about 2010.

 

Things have probably also changed since they moved from San Francisco to North Carolina some years ago.

Who the heck did they merge with again?

 

You know in a strange way all this talk reminds me of Wal-Mart and that company taking over everything!!

 

They're good at taking over everything. Walmart has been here in Germany for 6 years now and their setup here is identical to back home in the US.

 

$300 and $5 minimum?? Chase requires that I keep at least $5000 before they start charging me $5. So I also opened an ING Orange savings account. No minimum, APR is something like 2.75%, got $25 at the start, and a friend who referred me received $15.

 

I'm glad that I don't have to deal with the BIG banks. The only thing around here are small banks. The only thing we deal with is our Citi Credit cards-- but that's all we have through them. Our checking, savings, all loans whatever it be are through First National Bank of ONEIDA yep u guessed it of oneida lol. They require 250 at least minimum balance on the checking account, but they're really nice and they have been good to us the whole time we've been there.

 

Same here... the two banks I have used are Kansas-based, which is nice.

 

Matt gave it away in his post. BofA merged with NationsBank, then moved their headquarters to North Carolina. BofA has since merged with FleetBank of Boston. They now have a strong presence in the Northeast US. Other than this MBNA merger, I wonder who they'll gobble up next?

 

That's right, I recalled something with Nations in it but I couldn't quite put on my finger on it.

 

I remember Washington Mutual from the days when they were Great Western in CA.

 

I just can't believe they are merging with MBNA, they are the #2 CC company in the country & now Bank of America is going to be the #1. I hate these large banks & it's making me wonder, between all these companies buying each other out, when is it going to stop? after we the consumer get burned by them all? I am starting to really get worried about all of these mergers in all types of industry.

 

I have been bank-free for like 4 years, As I belong to my local Credit Union!!! I couldn't be happier!!! They do so much more for you in regards to keeping you as a customer!!! I have everything with them, & I will continue that trend happily. Big Banks Suck!!!

 

No doubt, they give you the hometown feeling when they serve you. Citibank also has locations here in Germany. I don't know anyone at the moment who banks with them but my grandpa and his stepdaughter used to have accounts with them in Cologne.

Deutsche Bank is also following a rigid firing program, this bank is in the positive range in terms of profits but CEO Josef Ackermann is still giving 6400 employees worldwide their termination notice:

http://news.efinancialcareers.com/004/JOB_MARKET_ITEM/newsItemId-3720

 

Citibank bought out CalFed Bank several years ago, and unfortunately they didn't improve the bank, they practically destroyed it. This is the one thing will these mergers that concerns me. I miss CalFed. In fact, I don't think we have a large, California-based bank operating here anymore. They've all been bought out by Washington Mutual, Citibank, and others..

 

No kidding, the same goes for Glendale Federal, they're gone too.

 

My father-in-law is going to work for Edward Jones. I'm gonna let them keep my money.