Banking Recommendations

[avocado_tom]

I'm relatively new to the area and I need to open a new checking account as my bank doesn't have a local branch.

Can anyone tell me about their experiences (good or bad) with local banks? I like to be able to track my finances online too, so if you use those types of services, info on that would also be appreciated.

Cheers,
Avocado

Comments

[mannitheuncanny]

Since you mentioned you liked to use online banking, I'd recommend PNC's Digital Checking plan. You get an interest bearing checking account and a FREE Savings/Performance Money Market account and have no minimum balance to maintain. The only requirement to waive the monthly $11 fee is to have Direct Deposit and use the Web Bill Pay feature

[annabuggs]

I can't compete with that very thorough PNC recommendation, but I CAN tell you that I use National City and have been very pleased. (I moved here from Boston and my bank there was horrible...this has been a major improvement.) I have a basic checking account and there are no fees. I use ING for a savings account, though, because National City's interest rate wasn't too impressive.

[thesquirrelfish]

Yeah, I've been very happy with National City for basic checking and I like their webservice. The people are very nice in both the Shadyside and Squirrel Hill branches too.

[crashzero]

National city has screwed me over numerous times along with most of the people I know.

[fixious]

I just moved here from Boston too, but only temporarily. I opened a student account at Citizens, and it's been all right so far. No monthly fees, good online account checking, etc. I think they do have some kind of transaction charge after the first ten or something, though, but since this is not my primary account, it works okay for me. (I'm still keeping my old account active, and using this more for local ATM withdrawals and such.)

[raphrat]

my heart will always be with Bank of America, but
until they finally break into Pennsylvania, i can recommend
PNC highly enough. they have loads of branch locations and ATMs,
not to mention free checking and online account access, though
i was spoiled by BofA's interface (all others are crap in comparison).

[crashzero]

This makes no sense to me, being that I have worked in PNC before, I have only heard a few horror stories about them. I have heard more horror storries about citizens than I can count. They are almost as bad as Naional City at times, coming up with weird charges and all kinds of things. Most of the people I know who have citizens' accounts have since closed them, the sad thing is that they work for them