Citizens bank for me, open to 7 workweek I believe at the Top’s locations and no ATM fees other than the ones the ATM itself charges, I do get “foreign” fees when I use the card in Canada. They seem to have popped up everywhere in the Buffalo area in the last couple of years. Used to be called Charter One Bank. They use a MasterCard.
The online service has just been redone and actually imports bills from most companies so you can have them all in one place. Free online bill pay.
As far as the card getting locked. I traveled from Buffalo to New Mexico, up to Wyoming, and back, they called me to make sure my card wasn’t stolen, didn’t lock, called first. The rep on the phone said they only call/lock when “out of the norm” charges appear. So if you have told them that you travel, or are traveling, it wont lock. From my understanding the “fraud” department is open 24hrs to lock/unlock the card.
The free checking doesn’t have a minimum balance I’m aware of.
From the rewards program so far I’ve gotten a 50 dollar Auto zone gift card and a Coleman take 6 personal cooler. I think they have changed the reward program, for better or worse, I haven’t really looked into it.
Im with BOA. I love their online interphase. Paying bills online is a snap and really easy. Also my BOA CC is linked to my account.
My only complaint are their overdraft charges. But in all honesty it was my “finance manager’s” fault, and they just did what they had to.
All in all Im really happy with their customer support, and the way they handle things. unlike some of the outsoursed help that most companies have BOA seems to have real people with real oppinions that are really there to help. Oh ya you can also talk to a real person online. Like when you are signed into your bank acount and you need help setting up a payment or whatever.
I have Bank of America because it has branches everywhere I go in the country usually (FL, NY, here in Vegas). I also have a local only bank that I keep an account with because they fund a lot of our projects at work. It all depends on what you’re going to do. If you don’t travel local banks are just fine.