BankLady Guru Tracy Banks

Synchrony Bank Optimizer Plus with Perks and 1.05% APY High Yield Savings

Synchrony Bank’s Optimizer Plus High Yield Savings account is offering 1.05% APY for all balances with interest rate compounded daily. Synchrony Bank formerly GE Capital Bank has 60 million customer accounts and $35 billion in deposits such as CDs, high yield savings accounts, money market accounts, and IRA CDs. They offer one of the highest interest savings accounts with no monthly fee as long as you keep a $30 minimum balance.

Optimizer Plus banking not only has one of the highest interest rates on the market but gives consumers secure access to manage their accounts such as transaction history, transferring funds and paying bills. The current rate at time of this post is 1.05% APY and is available Nationwide.
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EverBank Money Market 1.40% APY for Six Months

Yield_Pledge_Checking_EverBank Everbank is offering a 6-Month Bonus rate of 1.40% APY on their Yield Pledge Money Market Account up to $50K, Yield Pledge Checking up to $100K, and Small Business Checking up to $100K. This high yield interest promotion is available nationwide for new customers of the bank.

After the 6-month intro rate, your rate will be the ongoing standard rate of 0.93% APY (Updated April 27). However, the standard rate can fall or rise at any time. This is a great offer that outshines that of Ally Bank, Barlays Online Savings Account, Sallie Mae’s Money Market Account, Synchrony Bank’ Optimizer+plus High Yield Savings Account, and Personal Savings from American Express. Mainly because you get a similar high 1st-year APY with all these at near 1% but a special 1.40% for the first 6 months of Everbank.
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How the Open Sky Card can build credit

Having poor credit can impact people everywhere they go. This can make it difficult to get financing on a car, buy a home or even get a job. Even for those who haven’t had credit before, they may find that they have a hard time building up credit. One of the best ways to quickly build up credit is to use a secured credit card. With Open Sky, users don’t even have to get a credit check in order to get the card.

This card works by having people put down their own money onto the card, and then use the card and pay it back. It is secured in that people are using their own money, but it gives them the chance to prove to creditors that they will pay back money loaned to them. People can put down the deposit that they want to, so they have complete control over their finances. As users start making payments and using the card, the credit bureaus will get updates every month. The sooner this happens, the sooner a person will begin to build credit.

Those who want to apply just need to go online and fill out a quick application. Then, they need to accept the terms and conditions. Getting this card is easy, and people don’t have to worry about rates, as the rates here are very competitive. Then, they can use the card as they please and make payments toward it. This allows them to prove to lenders that they will use credit responsibly and make their payments on time.

For those who want more information on how to improve their credit, there is also plenty of information on their website that has tips to make it better. Those who may be considering other secured credit cards might take a look at the Horizon Card. This is a similar card, but it does not have all of the same features. It has people put down 500 dollars as a deposit, and the Sky Card allows people to put down many different amounts. Also, Horizon does not have the same wealth of financial information on their website.

Also, those who choose Sky Card will be able to ask for approval to increase the limit on their card. With Horizon Card, this is generally not an option. Having a higher credit limit can also help people to improve their credit, so there is definitely an advantage to choosing this card. Choose a small or large amount of money to use as a deposit, and start making payments on the card as it is used. Then, lenders will be able to see that the user is good about using credit and paying back their debt. This will help to improve credit, and allow people to have more credit options in the future.

Discover Bank Cashback Checking $50 Bonus

discover-bank promo You can earn a $50 bonus if you’re a current Discover credit card member just for opening a new Discover Cashback Checking Account with a $25 minimum opening deposit through June 30, 2015.

Anybody in the U.S. can open a Discover Bank Cashback Checking Account online, but you must be a current Discover credit card member or savings account holder in order to open an account and qualify for this $50 bonus offer. Go here to sign up for a Discover Credit Card.

The $50 bonus will be issued by July 31, 2015, as a credit to your checking account and is considered interest that will be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-INT.

The Discover Cashback Checking Account allows you to earn 10 cents cash back on up to 100 transactions per month, which could land you a a $10 bonus per month. Compare that to some banks charging a $10 fee. Discover is actually paying you back. Discover Cashback Checking has no monthly maintenance fees with no balance or activity requirements.

Qualifying transactions for earning the 10 cents cash back bonus include debit card purchases, online bill payments, and checks. The Checking Cashback Bonus can be redeemed as cash to your Discover Cashback Checking Account or transferred to a Discover Credit Card Cashback Bonus account.

You’ll have access to over 60,000 free ATMs in their network as well as free online bill pay. The minimum opening deposit is $25. There’s no minimum balance requirement once the amount is funded.

BankMobile: Mobile Banking aimed at Millennials

BankMobile claims it’s the first bank to be completely mobile

Almost very bank in the U.S. has online and mobile components added to their services at least in the last few years. We were one of the first websites to even mention the word online banking and review Netbank one of the first only online banks. I was a big fan of Netbank although while it was insured by the FDIC it closed down as one of the beginnings of the financial crisis. Most banks have walk-in branches and Netbank was the first of its kind to not have that now we have BankMobile which is doing the same but they are only Mobile which means you cannot access them on a laptop or going into a branch.

Doing this makes it America’s first no-fee, smart phone or mobile bank. BankMobile is aimed at millennials that prefer to bank on their mobile devices instead of going to branches. Most millennial prefer not to have to speak to a banker or be bothered they just want to deposit their check on the phone and be done.
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Convert Your Spare Change into Bitcoin Digital Currency

bitcoinchange Bitcoin is a digital currency that is growing with retailers and with millennials. With the price of oil so low and stock prices so high people are looking for new investments and digital currencies hold the key to the future. Just one Bitcoin is priced at over $220 USD as we type this post today and it could grow to over $1,000 USD. A new App that is coming out plans to use your spare change to invest in this currency and potentially turn it into a savings that will grow.
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Chase $450 Coupon for Checking & Savings

Chase450FreeCoupon You can get for a limited time a $300 Total Checking & $150 Savings combo coupons from Chase Bank good until May 7, 2015. This will earn $450 total in bonuses. The catch is that you must do direct deposit for the Total Checking and the Savings account has a $10,000 deposit requirement. You can only redeem the coupon code once but you can choose to use both the checking and savings bonus or one of them.
Make sure that you print this coupon out soon as Chase takes these offers down fast! [Read more…]

BBVA Compass Bank Checking Account $150 Bonus

BBVA Compass Bank is offering up to $150 when you open a new BBVA Compass ClearChoice Checking account online through April 30, 2015. One catch for this offer is that you must reside within a state where BBVA Compass has a branch. This includes Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, or Texas.
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Bank of America $300 Checking Bonus

bankamerica300cashbonus If you have a Bank of America credit card open you will be eligible for this promotion or possibly any other BOA customer besides a checking account holder that is existing which is not eligible. I have just about every other card but a BOA card right now so I doubt I would quality. BOA normally only does $100 bank bonuses so this is generous of the bank.

You receive a $300 bonus from Bank of America when you open a new eligible checking account by April 10, 2015 and make two qualifying direct deposits of $2,000 or more within the first 90 days of account opening. Eligible accounts are BofA interest checking & core checking to get the bonus. Offer is exclusive to Bank of America customers who don’t already have a checking account or had an account within the past six months as and ones who have received offer via direct communication with Bank of America.
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Swap Homes with an Exchange Marketplace – Avoid Hotels for Cheaper Travel!

californiahomeexchange Home exchange is a way to trade between travelers and swap where you stay in their home while they stay in your home. Don’t worry it’s not going to part of some reality TV show like Wife Swap. It is part of the great sharing economy that is now helping families across the world save from the high fees of hotels, taxes, and travel expenses. Homes, bungalows, apartments, condos are all listed on home exchange marketplaces for people who want to experience the world and not be locked down in one location. One great thing about it is the experience of living like a local if you choose not to be in a touristy area.

You are enabled to list your home and to search other homes where you would like to stay in these marketplaces. They normally facilitate the trade between you and the other homeowners. You are expected to pay an annual membership fee for this service but if you consider the cost of a hotel rooms you may save quite a bit of money. Once you decide on your destination and family you would like to exchange homes with you communicate with them to discuss specifics. Your personal email is not involved so that you will not be spammed by some business that is acting like a homeowner. You then move on to the next step of agreeing to each others terms and prepare for travel and getting your home ready for visitors to enjoy.
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