Currently, Citibank is offering a $100 sign on bonus for new checking account customers. And, as you know, Bank Offers are a great way to make extra money thru the year. Click here to read details on taking advantage of these deals, or you can click on the Bank Offers button in my left menu bar at any time.
I am currently up to $823 in free money that I have received in 2008. And, I have $200 from National City and $50 from US Bank, $25 from E*Trade and $50 from Sharebuilder that should be hitting my accounts yet. As you can see, it is a substantial amount of extra money a year. I am looking forward to 2009 and seeing if the banks continue these great incentives.
So, what are the details regarding Citibank?
- Must be the primary account holder of a Citibank card
- Open a qualifying regular checking account here by January 31, 2009
- Use code CY72
- Fund your account with $1,000
- Within one month, make at least one direct deposit or two electronic bill payments and do this for 3 consecutive months
I did call Citibank, and they informed me that this offer is a soft pull. So, it won't affect your credit score.
Meanwhile, don't forget the two Sharebuilder codes are expiring December 31st. Click here and here to get both codes. These you invest $5 for $50.
The $150 Bonus from National City expires December 31st. Click here for details.
ING Direct $50 bonus is another promotion. I cannot find an expiration on this, so you may want to call before completing the application. Click here for details.
And, finally, the $100 free from TD Ameritrade expires on December 31st. This is a great plan if you need help getting you into the habit of saving. :-) Click here.
10 comments:
Carrie,
Sorry if you have already noted this somewhere but I have used my ING account to fund in the past and it has worked as a Direct Deposit whereas some banks such as B of A just consider it a transfer of funds. Do you use an actual payroll to fund these accounts with a bonus incentive? I want to try more bonuses but I am curious if ING would always count as a direct deposit. Thank You.
Traci,
Each bank is different. Some count paypal transfers or sometimes ING would count.
But, other times, only paycheck, social security or retirement payments count.
The only thing you could do is call the bank and specifically ask.
I, personally, always set up direct deposit. My husband has the option to send his direct deposit to 4 different places.
So, one we have to our High Interest Checking. Another to our Investment accounts, another to the kids 529s and the fourth is open for me to use when I do these bank offers.
In a few clicks of the mouse, I can set it up or stop the direct deposit. So, it is easy for me to do.
I'm working on changing my bank since I will be losing all my free benefits. I went to Chase to discuss moving my money into a checking account there. I told them that National City was currently running a special with $150 bonus (I'm not eligible for it, but I mentioned it). They lady talked to her manager and they're going to match it!
If there's a bank that you are interested in moving your money to, you might benefit from mentioning some of the other offers out there especially if the other banks is in the neighborhood.
That is a GREAT tip.
Especially if I see a bank offer not available to me in Ohio. I may be able to try it at another bank.
Thanks for the heads up!
How many bank accts, CCs do you have? I mean I have 2 checking accts aready and if i want to take advantage of citibanks, ING direct, national city then I will have total of 5 bank accts this year and more if there are more offers. Don't you think that's too much to keep? Do you cancel after certain period of time? Would it hurt my score if i were to open and close accts many times? I am afraid that lenders may think i am unstable customers.... I also heard that having too much credit cards is not good either...
Thanks
Right now, I have about 7 checking accounts open. But, I just reached the mark on some of the accounts where I can close them and not have the bonus refunded. Always check the terms for each bank, it will tell you how long you have to be a member before you can cancel.
Bank accounts do not affect your credt score at all, if they do a soft pull. Make sure to click on my Bank Offers button in the left menu bar to better understand soft vs. hard pulls.
Credit cards are hard pulls. Too many credit cards do not hurt your score...opening too many within a set amount of time will.
Over the years since I turned 18, I have probably 20 credit cards. Many haven't been used in years and have been cut up. As you can tell from my blog, I reevaluate my cards each year for the highest pay out and only use those.
But, they still show open on my credit report with a credit limit and zero for the amount I have used.
From what I have always heard, it is actually better to NOT close credit cards you have had awhile. The longer ( years ) they are on your credit report with a good status...the higher your report will be.
What happens...is the more cards you have with available credit...the higher your available credit to use.
BUT, if you are only using a small portion of it ( since I only use for bills, groceries, gas, etc, and essential shopping ) you score is higher.
Here is a great example. While everyone is complaining around the world and internet that they are not being accepted for loans, credit cards, etc. Or, their current credit cards ( who they have great relationships with ) are lowering their credit limits.....I have gotten letters from almost all of mine and they have INCREASED my limits.
Why do I like this? Well, I won't use that extra credit ( obviously ) but this will help increase my credit score even more, because now the small amount I use will be an even smaller percentage of what I have available to me.
A great source to learn more about credit scores and how they are calculated would be bankrate.com. I love that site. An article I recently read said the ultimate is to stay at 10% or less utilization. So, the highest credit limit you can get is the best for maintaining those numbers.
You say that you have to be a primary card holder, so does this mean I have to already have a CiTi Credit Card?
Christine,
Yes, your family has to have a Citi Credit card.
If you do, whoever is the primary account holder is the one that must open this account.
So, if the credit card is in your husbands name but you are a the secondary on the card, then your husband would need to open this checking for the bonus.
So this is the sort of thing you could only do once, right? Because in the future you won't be a new member - you'll have already had a card and an account that you closed.
Sariah,
They mean a new checking account member. So, you can do it once.
If your spouse/significant other has a credit card ( in his name primarily ) then he could also open on up. But, you wouldn't want to put each other as Joint Checking account holders.
Call Citi to verify, though.
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