Recommend your bank (Arlington, Burke: credit, live, prices)

[sara22185]

I'm moving to the Ballston area of Arlington in July and need recommendations on banks. I'm not familiar with any out there, so any help would be appreciated!

[sundevil85]

INGDIRECT --no fees for anything, good interest rates.

[car54]

Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.

The oldest bank in Virginia. Old time service. Don't know how they avoided being swallowed up by the lousy mega-banks (BOA, etc).

They didn't even computerize their operations until the 70's. Your account number was your name. People worked there their whole lives.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Well we used Bank of America because we used them where we lived before (?) and we did not have to change. No fees but no interest on my type of account either.

[saganista]

Best bet in most cases is to minimize interacting with a bank at all. If you are eligible for almost any credit union, you're likely to find better services at better prices there. Then throw some minimal cash into an account at some bank or other that has ATM's that are convenient to where you work, live, and shop, and be done with them...

[arabellava]

If you don't want or need to go into a bank- etrade has the highest rate at 3.25 savings and slightly less for checking.. I don't withdraw from that account so I can't recall the atm fees.

If you want to go into the bank or w/d at an atm- consider presidential bank- it's around 2.2 and 2.6- have branches in dc area- check their website.. there is one on ballston..

We rarely go in- mail in deposits and usually withdraw $ when we grocery shop.. we use the presidential account as our primary since we do have needs sometimes to go in etc.. etrade is for my paycheck (not husband's).. We used to have BofA but the interest was SO small.. we got more in one month at either of these banks than the entire year at B of A..

We don't pay monthly fees etc.. some restrictions but doable fos us (like minimum or direct deposit)..

good luck..

[sundevil85]

INGdIRECT has no atm fees at thousands of ATMs around the World. They even had a no fee ATM in Laos. I used my JPM atm in Mexico once, and it really sucked. ING is paying 3.0% on savings; no minimums, no fees. They are currently paying 1.74% on checking; no fees. Member FDIC. I have heard good things about Etrade, but with their stock below five bucks per share; there may be a takeover or merger soon, which will kind of be a pain in the arse if you have multiple accounts.

[cb at sea]

Ingdirect requires you to have an account in a Physical Bank, somewhere!!! They pay good interest rates in this day and age, but it still has to be "linked" to another account!

[sundevil85]

You do not have to have a linked account. Your statement is false.

[VRE332]

WACHOVIA, better and less crowded