Online banking goes by many names besides its more familiar moniker: Internet banking, PC banking, home banking, and electronic banking, among others.
Whatever name it goes by, you can access online banking services anywhere you go. Online banking allows you to pay your bills, transfer money between accounts, and access account information at any time. And if you have an Internet-only bank and move from, say, Tampa to Anchorage, you never even have to change banks.
Since online-only banks don't have all of the marble columns, red carpets, and other expenses that traditional banks do, they can typically offer more competitive interest rates. In recent years, as online banks have tried to attract more customers, they've frequently offered extra-special rates and deals.
There are various degrees of online banking. You may have a traditional checking account at a long-established, hundred-year-old, bricks-and-mortar bank, but if it offers some online services, you might find that you can begin monitoring your account balances online. At the other end of the spectrum, you might want to move all of your money to an Internet-only bank and take care of your banking needs entirely online. There's quite a range of possibilities.
Learn more about banking prudently in these articles:
- Shopping for a Bank?
- How Big Is Your Checking Account?
- Simplify Your Financial Life
- Is It Time to Invest Abroad?
- Credit Union Pros and Cons
- Kicking a Bank's Tires
Drop by our Fool Banking center for even more tips and guidance.
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