I Opened a Bank Account in 30 Minutes and Made $300. Here's How You Can, Too

A few weeks ago, I cracked open my laptop and opened a SoFi® banking account in between NBA playoff games. The whole thing -- from opening the account to moving my money -- took about a half hour.

Here's why I did it: SoFi® is offering up to a $300 cash bonus when you open a new account and set up qualifying direct deposits. I set mine up right after opening -- which means once my first two deposits hit, I'll be getting an easy $300.

Plus, in the meantime, I'm already enjoying up to 3.80% on my money -- 9X the national average.

Here's how you can do the same.

Claim an easy $300 bonus

You can get a $300 bonus from SoFi® by doing the following:

• Open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account (Member FDIC)
• Set up qualifying direct deposits totaling at least $5,000
• Receive at least that much in direct deposits within 25 days of the first deposit

That's it. There are no hoops and no minimum balance required to keep the account open.

You can also qualify for a smaller bonus of $50 if you make $1,000-$4,999 in deposits, but the $300 bonus is the highest if you can swing it.

Earn up to 3.80% on savings

The $300 bonus got me in the door, but the high APY is what'll keep me around.

Right now, SoFi® is offering up to 3.80% on savings and 0.50% APY on checking when you either a) set up direct deposit or b) make qualifying monthly deposits of $5,000 or more. That's enough to make SoFi® one of the best high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) available today.

Given that the current average savings APY is just 0.41%, according to the Federal Reserve, it's possible you could be earning almost 10x more on your money in passive income. There are also no monthly maintenance fees and no minimum balance to earn interest -- not bad for just 30 minutes of your time.

Join me now in making the switch. Open a SoFi Checking and Savings account (Member FDIC) today to earn up to 3.80% APY.

Other perks that made it worth it

I was also impressed by a few other SoFi® features, including:

• Early paycheck access: Get paid up to two days early with direct deposit
• No-fee overdraft coverage: Get up to $50 in overdrafts covered with no fees (requires direct deposit)
• Instant transfers: Move money between accounts or send to friends with no delays

I'm still getting acquainted with the SoFi® interface -- before this, I was a lifelong Wells Fargo member -- but I'm loving it so far. Both the app and website are sleek, modern, and easy to use -- not the case with my Wells Fargo account, to say the least.

What are you waiting for?

If you're looking to upgrade your banking experience -- and make a quick $300 while you do it -- I can't recommend SoFi® enough. It's easy to set up, pays much more in interest than traditional banks, and adds extra value with early paycheck access and no account, service, or maintenance fees.

Open a SoFi® account now using the link above -- or, if you want to compare and contrast, check out our other favorite high-yield savings accounts today.