banking when full timing

[capacitor]

I currently have BofA but was wondering what other banks provide the same coverage across the states. We have a few small time banks here but would like a bank with a wider range and one that is sort of solid. Wells Fargo gone Rabo bank gone etc. How do you do it?

[time2roll]

BofA has always travelled well with me except a cash advance needed in Russia some years ago. American express came through but they are not really a bank.

Chase I will avoid at almost any cost due to an agreement dispute. NYAG told them to stop the illegal fees but I had moved on before this got straitened out. Never again.

Wells Fargo has loaned me some money but they are not very organized to get it right the first time.

DD uses US Bank and I have some experience with them. I would go with them as an alternative to BofA.

[CFerguson]

The reason I created an account at BOA in the first place was that they have more ATMs in the areas that we travel than anyone else. But i use my local Credit Union to epay all the bills and use the BOA as a backup account if i run into a problem (which hasnt occurred).

Talk with your local bank- tell them what you want to do and get their insight. I bet theyll be very helpful. You can make most anything work as long as you can connect to the internet imo.

[Old-Biscuit]

Been with BOA since the late 70's
NEVER a glitch/issue with any of my accounts

When we went FT...set up On Line Banking/Billing
Repeating billing was set up for Auto Pay
Life became so SIMPLE

Set up ALL ALERTS on Accounts/CC/Debit Etc
Within 10 minutes of ANY activity I get an Alert (text/email/phone---your choice)

Now back in S&B and never changed anything
SIMPLE.....


*Prior to going FT set up account with Wells Fargo
They screwed it all up!!
Ended up closing the account and having to wait over 2 weeks to get funds BACK
Wells Fargo....sucks!

[BarbaraOK]

jdc1 wrote:
B of A? Hahahahaha. Use US Bank. They were solvent enough to not need to be bailed out.

BoA didn't 't need the bailout - they took the money so that everyone was covered. They bought Merrill Lynch when it collapsed. Can find branches just about everywhere. 16+ yrs with them, never a problem with coverage. We have 2 CCs with them as well as a Chase and Discover Card, plus our Apple Card. Get and use the wallets on your smartphone, reduces a lot of hassle. Really essential to have extra credit cards because you can assume every once in a while one will be compromised. We even had one compromised when we went from Maine into Canada and the Maritimes. BOA froze it, we had other cards to use for fuel, etc., plus the BOA debit card worked at Scotia Bank for ATM withdrawals of cash. When we got back, we called BOA and told them we were in Bangor - next day went into the local BOA branch and our new card was waiting for us.

[valhalla360]

obgraham wrote:

navigator2346 wrote:
. We also carry a couple thousand in travelers checks plus a thousand in cash.

I'm curious: have you used those travelers checks any time recently?

The DW organizes group trips. Occasionally, she has someone insist they need travelers checks...it's a far bigger hassle trying to get them cashed than just hitting an ATM (if it's big dollar, usually people put it on a credit card). Usually, you have to go to a bank and actually go in and explain to a teller what you have.

We use our Credit Union. They have a page with participating Credit Unions where we can use the ATM free across the country. If we need a cashiers check or some other big withdrawal, we call them up and they give us a local credit union that can do it but that's maybe once a year...if that often.

Everything else is done online.

[jdc1]

B of A? Hahahahaha. Use US Bank. They were solvent enough to not need to be bailed out.

[arhayes]

You are way overthinking it. All of my banking for the past 40 or more years has been by phone, Mail, or online with our Credit Union.....which is in a ciy I left in 1974 and have never lived in since. I’ve been a USAA member for 48 years, and started some banking with them in 1990, yet have never been to a physical bank. We’ve bought homes, cars, boats, etc remotely all these years. We get cash, when needed, at local bank atms, and usaa reimburses the fees to us. Now we’ve been full-time RVers for 6 years (no home base) and still no issues. I see no reason to worry in these days about a physical bank.

[mleekamp]

I know I'm an outlier here, both in that we don't "full time" but do spend a month at a time, or bit more, on the road during the year....and the fact we use our credit union.

I'm putting my 2 cents in simply because I feel you shouldn't overlook a local credit union vs. a bank. Fees are nearly non-existent except for ATM outside our network....however, we mostly use the card and, like you all, bill pay online/auto pay.

Bottom line, just my 2 cents, credit unions offer same services for less fees. In my experience.

[rockylarson]

"Wells Fargo gone Rabo bank gone etc. " ??

Please elaborate.

"We fulltimed for 15 years using Wells Fargo. Never had a problem. Did online banking."

"Wells Fargo for more years than I can remember"

Wells Fargo X3

[YC_1]

Wells Fargo for more years than I can remember. We have full timed for 7 years. Carry very little cash at all. Keep some stashed for emergencies of course.

When needed, we find an ATM and sometimes there is a slight charge but not often enough to worry about.

We keep two credit cards in case one gets hacked, and it has.

[bucky]

The only time we go in a branch is to access a safety deposit box in our home town.
We use Suntrust(now Truist they will always say haha) and First Citizens.
They both have branches everywhere in the southern part of the country where we tend to be and beyond. We have cards from both of them should one be compromised or lost. All of our bills are set up on autopay and the accounts have text and email notifications anytime a charge or debit card is used.

[Scottiemom]

We fulltimed for 15 years using Wells Fargo. Never had a problem. Did online banking.

Dale

[obgraham]

navigator2346 wrote:
. We also carry a couple thousand in travelers checks plus a thousand in cash.

I'm curious: have you used those travelers checks any time recently?

[obgraham]

I've been using ING, then CapOne. Had some issues with their web site and switched to Ally three years ago.
I have not had need for a brick/mortar bank since then. All deposits, bills, checks (what are they?) done via the web, and all my cash comes via ATM's with no fees. (Allpoint has 55,000 ATM's, all free at Ally. Surely one is near where you are!)
Keep your local bank if you like, but an online bank makes traveling a whole lot easier.

[coolmom42]

Why do you think you need a separate bank while you are gone? Bank of America has really good online banking. I used them for a long time until they closed all the branches in my area.

At that point, I switched to ING which is now Capital One 360. It's an online only bank and the online banking is excellent. You can deposit checks through a mobile app up to $5K/day. Otherwise you can mail them in. There is also a large ATM network.

Capital One 360 does require that you have a linked land-based checking account. You can use it to deposit checks or cash and then transfer the money.

I would much prefer to get cash at an ATM than cash back at a store. Cash back at a store requires debit card use; I NEVER use a debit card except at the ATM. If someone hacks your debit card, they have access to your bill paying money. If someone hacks your credit card, you cancel the card and the bank deals with it.